The history of Royal Portrush
Standing on a rocky promontory to the Atlantic, surrounded by natural beauty from east to west, Royal Portrush may get its fame as the first and only course outside of Great Britain to host The Open Championship, but its story goes far deeper. We take a look at the history of one of the world’s best courses.
Founding fathers. Originally a 9-hole course laid out by Tom Gilroy, what would become the renowned Royal Portrush was first known simply as The Country Club at its inception in 1888. A year later the course was extended to 18 holes, designed by none other than Old Tom Morris, the towering colossus of 19th century golf. Such was the success of the design among the spectacular dunes of the County Antrim beautiful coastline that, just three years later, it became the Royal County Club in 1892, with the Duke of York as its patron – clubs usually had to wait decades to prove their pedigree before receiving royal status. Three years later again, and the club became Royal Portrush Golf Club, the patronage passing to the Prince of Wales.
Championship pedigree. Royal Portrush has a long history when it comes to hosting Championship events. It was the birthplace of both the amateur and professional Irish Championships – 1892 for the Irish Amateur Championship and 1907 for the Irish Professional Championship – and has a long history with the British Ladies’ Amateur Championship, which it has hosted nine times since becoming the first links outside of England to do so in 1895, won by Lady Margaret Scott. It was also the venue for the first professional golf tournament in Ireland, Sandy Herd beating Harry Vardon in 1895 on match play.
Leading ladies. Two Royal Portrush members, Rhona Adair and May Hezlet, were the dominant names in golf for more than a decade come the turn of the 20th century. Facing off in the 1889 British Ladies’ Amateur Championship, it was the 17-year-old Hezlet who came out victorious, a record held until 2016 when Lauren Taylor succeeded her at Royal Portrush. Adair, however, would have her revenge, winning the crown in 1900, before Hezlet took it back the year after. Adair was again the victor a year later, before Hezlet was once again champion in 1904 at Royal Troon. Both would also dominate the Irish Ladies’ Close Championships, Adair winning four straight from 1900 to 1903, Hazlet triumphing in five overall including three consecutive between 1904 and 1906.
Changing course. After Old Tom Morris, it was another master who made Royal Portrush into what it is today back in the 1930s: Harry Colt. Perhaps the leading architect of golf’s ‘Golden Age’, the man behind courses including Sunningdale and Muirfield, he finished what became known as the Dunluce Course in 1932, named after the ruined castle that overlooks the course.
White Rocks and Calamity Corner. Two of the holes in particular that Colt created have stood the test of time: the 5th and the 16th. The 5th is a picturesque dog-leg par-4. You have two options: either play safe down the left or cut the corner by driving over rough from the elevated tee. Views are provided by the eponymous ‘White Rocks’ beach that sits behind the green, as well as providing the stiffest of punishments for any tee shot that is overcooked. Meanwhile the 16th, known as ‘Calamity Corner’, has a reputation as one of the toughest par-three’s in Open golf. With the yawning chasm to the right, you simply cannot miss to that side on this 236-yard hole, or you’ll find yourself battling for bogey.
Max Faulkner
The Open arrives at Portrush. Royal Portrush first made real golfing headlines when it was awarded the hosting of The Open in 1951, the first time it was to be held outside of Great Britain. Going into the final round of that tournament the lead was held by Englishman Max Faulkner, six shots ahead of his closest opponent after an impressive putting performance. He closed out the day with his sizeable lead to stroll to the Claret Jug, but it was his shot on the 16th on day three that defined his victory, opting against a safe chip onto the fairway to go for a sweeping fade from out of bounds and back into play. Perfectly turning over the out of bounds fence and back onto the green, it was a shot for the ages.
Senior status. 44 years after hosting The Open, the Senior Open takes to Royal Portrush, hosting the competition six times between 1995 and 2004. Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Bob Charles, Hale Irwin and Tom Kite were just some of the legends who walked the Antrim Coast fairways.
Rory’s record. In 2005, a young golfer from County Down was about to make history. Competing in the North of Ireland Amateur Championship aged 16, Rory McIlroy played the perfect round of golf to shoot 61 at Royal Portrush, breaking the previous course record of 64 with one eagle and nine birdies. The course has since been changed, but McIlroy’s achievement remains the benchmark at this course.
Royal Portrush, Dunluce course par-5 7th (Curran Point)
Necessary changes. After it was confirmed that Royal Portrush would once again host The Open in 2019, the Dunluce course underwent significant but necessary changes. Martin Ebert designed two brand-new holes, the long par-5 7th (Curran Point) and the par-4 8th (Dunluce) in the first major changes to the course since Colt’s 1930s design. Two years of work saw the building of the new holes, five new greens, eight new tee boxes, 36 new trees and 22 new bunkers introduced, with the 17th and 18th designated for tournament infrastructure use. The course was now 130 yards longer at 7,317 yards.
Shane Lowry
The Open returns. When golf’s oldest championship returns to the Country Antrim coast after a long 68 year wait, it simply had to be the time for a home favourite, and the man to bring it home was Shane Lowry. While Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy attracted all the attention ahead of the tournament, it was the county Offaly man who quickly came to the fore, shotting back-to-back 67’s to share the lead going into the weekend. Saturday brought his knockout blow – with a sensational bogey-free 63, it was a round that is considered one of the best is Open history and all but confirmed him as the Champion Golfer of the Year as he led by four going into Sunday.