Is The Open heading to the Republic of Ireland?

The Open Championship might be on the verge of making history with its first event in the Republic of Ireland. Speculation about the championship's schedule beyond 2027 suggests a groundbreaking move outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

With the 2028 Open less than two and a half years away, the future host venues for golf's oldest major remain undisclosed, leaving event organizers and fans in anticipation. Historically, The Open has consistently utilized a select group of established links courses over the past decade, demonstrating little deviation despite the absence of an official "Open rota."

However, this pattern could soon change. During the NCG Top 100s Podcast, hosts Tom Irwin and Dan Murphy discussed the probable direction for The Open after 2027. They evaluated the prospects of an international championship and the R&A's likely inclination to stick close to its traditional options.

Irwin noted, "There are nine, arguably 10 courses that have hosted The Open within the last decade, and it may well go back to those places." He listed them as St Andrews, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Muirfield, Royal Birkdale, Royal St George’s, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes, and Royal Portrush, with Turnberry being a possible tenth.

Murphy commented on the resistance to new venues, stating, "There has been no hints, for example Kingsbarns hosting The Open... it would be seen as heresy... I guess this has led to such huge changes to every venue on ‘The Open rota’ over the last 20, 25 years."

Despite this conservative approach, the most compelling speculation centers on The Open potentially being held in the Republic of Ireland for the first time. Portmarnock, situated near Dublin, is frequently cited as a strong candidate.

Murphy boldly predicted the next few venues: "The 2028 Open will be held at Royal St George’s. In 2029, we shall go to Portmarnock in the Republic of Ireland. Then in 2030 I believe we will return to Royal Troon."

He highlighted Royal St George's appeal, noting the R&A's preference for events in England's southeast due to its unique geographical position relative to other venues. The 2021 event there was successful, and with only Hoylake and Birkdale as other active English venues, Royal St George's is a prime contender.

Regarding Portmarnock, Murphy suggested it's an "open secret" that an event in the Republic of Ireland is actively being considered. He revealed that discussions with insiders indicate significant progress, aided by strong support from the Irish government. This support is crucial, as an Irish government hosting The Open in Dublin for the first time might face less criticism than a UK government potentially favoring one domestic location over another. The successful staging of The Open at Royal Portrush further bolsters this possibility, implying that the plans for Portmarnock are nearing finalization.

Murphy asserted that Portmarnock has more advantages than any other potential Open venue, apart from St Andrews. He pointed out its history of hosting major amateur events like the Walker Cup and the Amateur Championship, dismissing any concerns about it being located outside of Britain.