Portrush Plans on The Open

Royal Portrush could host the Open Championship as early as 2019 after a planning application for renovations to the course was approved.

The R&A, the sport's governing body, confirmed the County Antrim links as an Open venue last June, subject to infrastructure work being completed.

"I've seen the renovation plans - they look amazing," said Portrush native and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell.

The Open is due to return to Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951.

The renovation includes the building of two new holes to make way for corporate hospitality marquees and spectator villages.

"I can't wait to see the plans evolve and playing the course in major championship-ready conditions," added McDowell.

"It's exciting that the planning permission has come through. My little brother is on the green staff at Portrush and I know they can't wait to get their teeth into the renovations.

"With visitors coming over it will be a huge boost to the economy and so many great things will come out of this opportunity."

The decision to bring the tournament to Portrush followed the successfulstaging of the Irish Open in 2012.

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Irish Open Winners - Ken Brown 1978

Ken Brown is a Scottish former European Tour golfer who now works as a golf broadcaster and writer, primarily for the BBC. 

He also works as part of the commentary team for the international coverage of the European Tour on selected events which are not covered by the BBC. 

He won four times on the European Tour and in his best season in 1978 he finished fourth on the European Tour Order of Merit at the age of 21. He was an outstanding but largely unfulfilled talent; the last of his four top ten finishes on the Order of Merit came when he was just 26. 

He appeared in the Ryder Cup in 1977, 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1987, and had a 4-9-0 win-loss-tie record, including two wins and two losses in singles matches. 

His playing career was terminated by injury when he was in his mid thirties.

European Tour wins (4)

1978 Carroll's Irish Open

1983 KLM Dutch Open

1984 Glasgow Open

1985 Four Stars National Pro-Celebrity

Other wins

1983 Benson & Hedges Kenya Open

The Open

Best finish 1980 T6

Factfile

Date of Birth: January 9th, 1957 

Place of Birth: Harpenden, Herts, England

Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

Nationality: Scotland

Turned professional: 1974

Retired: 1992

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Irish Open Winner Ryder Cup Ready

Sergio Garcia has admitted thoughts of helping Europe to Ryder Cup glory hampered his form at the Tour Championship.

The 32-year-old, who failed to make the European team in 2010 but worked as one of Colin Montgomerie's assistants, finished joint 15th in the final event before the tournament.

And with his level of excitement at being back playing in the Ryder Cup in Chicago "probably a 12" out of 10, Garcia claims he perhaps lost his focus at Tour Championship.

"I had so many things in my head right now - I was probably thinking too much about the Ryder Cup," he said.

"I played every round with one of the American team and couldn't stop myself thinking: 'Right, I'm one up now' or whatever.

"I've always enjoyed the match and I just hope my game gets back to where it was. Hopefully I'll get some nice practice in and get going.

"I want to play as well as I can to help my team, although I've always said that I'd rather lose all my five games and Europe wins than win all five and we lose."

It is four years since Garcia last played for Europe and that ended not only in an American victory, but also him losing the top singles 5&4 to an inspired Anthony Kim.

He did not win a game during the week and was even left out of the second day foursomes - like Lee Westwood the first time he had ever been omitted from a session.

Westwood has since had things to say about captain Nick Faldo's decision then, but Garcia recalls: "I asked to be dropped - the week before I was sick all week and was on antibiotics.

"I didn't have enough energy and said to the captain and vice-captains that I'd love to keep going, but I don't feel like I should and hopefully somebody else will be able to do a better job."

His overall record is still a fine one - 14 wins and four halves in 24 games - and he has gone nine foursomes unbeaten, four of them with Luke Donald.

What European captain Jose Maria Olazabal had planned for him was probably going to become a little clearer today as the countdown to the match intensifies.

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Garcia Chasing Ryder Cup Chance

Murphy's Irish Open from 1999, Sergio Garcia, has given his Ryder Cup hopes a major boost by with a superb seven under par round of 63 in the second round of the Wyndham Championship on the US PGA Tour.

The Spaniard is tied third place in North Carolina on ten under par, one shot behind American Webb Simpson, the current US Open Champion, and two back from his compatriot Jimmy Walker, who shot a round of 62 to lead at the halfway stage.

Garcia, whose last of five Ryder Cup appearances came in 2008, is in 11th place in the World Points List, one spot away from automatically qualifying for the European Team after he was leapfrogged by Ian Poulter following the Englishman’s tied third place finish in last week’s US PGA Championship.

Captain José María Olazábal’s Team will be finalised on Monday August 27 following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles – the last qualifying event. Olazábal will name his two wildcard picks at the same time.

Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts also did his chances of earning a maiden Ryder Cup berth no harm, with a second round of 65 taking him into a share of ninth place on eight under par overall.

Other European Tour Members faring well in America include Welshman Jamie Donaldson – another player with Ryder Cup aspirations – on six under par, plus the South African duo of Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman on five under, and Korean YE Yang on four under.