Rory and Shane will be playing on their home turf, so to speak, at the 2025 Open Championship July 17-20
Here are 5 things to know about this amazing links course located in the County Antrim in Northern Ireland:
Oozing With History and Prestige
Founded in 1888, Royal Portrush is one of the finest links courses in the world. It hosted the Open Championship in 1951 (Max Faulkner) and 2019, when native son Shane Lowry captured the Claret Jug. Amazingly, Lowry set the course record of 63 in the third round of the 2019 Open.
Challenging Design and Layout
Originally designed by Old Tom Morris in 1888, the course received a significant re-design by Harry Colt in 1933 and a partial renovation by Martin Ebert prior to the 2019 Open. The course plays 7,381 yards, par 71 for the pros. Ebert’s renovations included two new holes (7th and 8th), replacing the old 17th and 18th, with five new greens, eight new tee boxes, and 10 new bunkers added to enhance the championship test. The layout changes direction and elevation frequently and there are no gimme holes.
Signature Holes
4th Hole – Fred Daly’s, Par 4, 479 yards: A rigorous and demanding par-4 with out-of-bounds right, fairway bunkers, and a green nestled between sand hills, often considered one of Ireland’s finest.
5th Hole – White Rocks, Par 4, 372-411 yards: A postcard beautiful downhill dogleg-right par-4 with a green perched above White Rocks Beach. Its two-tiered green and bunkers added in 2019 require precise approach shots.
16th Hole – Calamity Corner, Par 3, ~210-236 yards: Often mentioned as one of the best par 3s in the world, this appropriately name gem requires a carry over a deep ravine, with no bunkers but severe penalties for missing the elevated green.
Stunning Natural Beauty
The course is set among giant sandhills with views of the Atlantic Ocean, Dunluce Castle ruins, the Giant’s Causeway, and distant hills of Donegal and Islay. Soaring dunes and undulating terrain create a rugged landscape with holes winding through valleys, deep bunkers and elevated greens offering phenomenal panoramas
Ever Changing Playing Conditions
The unpredictable North Atlantic weather, particularly wind, adds a layer of difficulty, making club selection and shot shaping critical. While pros can navigate well through rain, wind is a different story and scores can soar when the wind whips up.
