Portrush, Thursday: Northern Ireland’s lengthy wait to host the Open Championship ends on Thursday when for the first moment since 1951 the Royal Portrush golf tournament is being held outside of Scotland and England.
A local and ex-champion of Tiger Woods (1410 GMT) and home favored Rory McIlroy (0909 GMT) will be shot for the first time at the 148th Open at 6:35 AM Local Time at the Tiger Woods attraction (0535 GMT) later in the day to record crowds.
The R&A organizers estimate that before Sunday’s fourth and final round, 237,750 people will take action, which is the second-highest tournament in the history of the championship.
“We’re sure to have the greatest sports event we’ve ever had in Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush,” R&A’s Chief Executive Martin Slumbers said Wednesday. “The sport requires great crowds.
“The Troubles”–a 30-year period of political and religious violence–ruled out a return to Northern Ireland over many years.
But the 1998 Good Friday Accord paved the way for a better future for the area and McIlroy welcomed sport as a unifying force. The accord is a peace deal achieved in 1998.
“Sports can bring individuals together unbelievably. We all understand that sometimes this nation requires it, “said the third world.
“I believe it talks about how the nation now stands and where the locals who reside in this nation are,” he says. “To have this tournament, here again, I believe it talks about where the nation is and where the individuals who reside here are.”
Before a revision of his return to the open rotation, he shot the race record at Portrush at 61 as a 16-year-old with two fresh troops.
However, McIlroy hopes that the turnout will make him feel the stress as soon as the game starts.
“I’m Northern Ireland and play home, but I don’t see myself as the focus,” he said.
Woods usually leads the greatest follower, especially after his 11-year wait, in April, to win a 15th major at the Masters. “This is great for this nation and for golfing in particular.”
The 43-year-old American form since has been hungry for a 4th time Sunday with Claret Jug, especially with a bad weather preview to tighten his troubling back. But Woods was inspired by old-time timers Tom Watson and Greg Norman, who came close to winning the Open in 2009 and 2008 in their 50s.
“The excellent thing is you can do, you can play in an open championship. See what Tom did in Turnberry, and what Greg did in Birkdale, Woods said.
“The goldfield is fast enough, although you don’t have the velocity to take the ball.” Yet, Brooks Koepka looks like he has won the world leader in four of his last nine main shows, ending up in the top two of three majors so far this year. “The golf course is quick enough.
Koepka is yet to win the Open Championship, but this week he will receive local support as his caddy Ricky Elliott is a native of Portrush. “I’ve got a bit more trust this week with him on the bag,”
