1888

Founding Fathers

Scots George L. Baillie and Thomas Gilroyare instrumental in the formation of the County Golf Club. The first tournament is played over a nine-hole course.

1889

Old Tom Morris

Legendary four-times Open champion Old Tom Morris plays an exhibition match and advises on a new 18-hole layout.

1892

Breaking New Ground

County Golf Club members are influential in the formation of the Golfing Union of Ireland(the first of its kind in the world)at the Northern Counties Hotel, Portrush. A Ladies’ and Juveniles’Branch is established and in 1893 Portrush becomes only the third member of the Ladies Golfing Union.

1892 - 1895

By Royal Appointment

Renamed the Royal County Club and H.R.H. The Duke of York becomes patron.Three years later in 1895the name is changed to Royal Portrush Golf Club and patronage passes toHRH The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.

1985

Great Scott

Lady Margaret Scott wins the British Ladies’ Amateur Championship and Sandy Herd beats Harry Vardon in Ireland’s first professional tournament.

1903

Leading Ladies

Rhona Adair secures her second British Ladies’ Amateur title. Rhona and May Hezlet, both Royal Portrush members, were the dominant force in the women’s game for almost a decade.

1929

On Course for Change

On the advice of Sir Anthony Babington, Royal Portrush enlist the services of celebrated golf course architectHarry Colt. Involved in the design of over 300 courses during a prolific career,Colt was charged with creating a championship course to challenge the best in the game. 

1933

Green for Go

Sir Percy Greenaway, Lord Mayor of London, officially opens the Harry Colt designed Dunluce Links, now considered by many to be the acclaimed architect’s finest work

1947

Local Hero

Portrush manFred Daly becomes the first Irish golfer to win a Major with victory in the Open Championship at Hoylake. A week later at Royal Portrush, Daly loses out toHarry Bradshaw in the Irish Open. The North of Ireland Amateur Championship, to be played annually at Royal Portrush, is inaugurated.

1951

Joining the Major League

Royal Portrush Golf Club makes history as it welcomes The Open Championship, the first time golf’s oldest Major has been played outside Great Britain since its inception in 1860. Max Faulkner gets the better of defending champion Bobby Locke and a strong field to becomeOpen champion.

1956

Inspirational

Zara Bolton, later President of theRoyal Portrush Golf Club’sLadies’ Branch, Captains the GB&I team to only its secondCurtis Cup victory against the USA.

1960

Carr Clinches "Amateur" Hat-Trick

Legendary Irish golfer Joe Carr wins The Amateur Championship for a third time on its first visit to Portrush. 

1970

15 for "Phil"

Philomena Garvey wins the last of her record 15 victories in theIrish Women’s Amateur Close Championships.

1980

Double Delight

Zara Bolton, later President of theRoyal Portrush Golf Club’sLadies’ Branch, Captains the GB&I team to only its secondCurtis Cup victory against the USA.

1993

Out of the Shadows

Royal Portrush welcomes back The Amateur Championship, a significant step forward for club and country after decades of civil conflict.1985‘Amateur’ champion and long-standing Royal Portrush member Garth McGimpsey wins a record fifth North of Ireland.

1955-1999 & 2004

Senior Status

Royal Portrush Golf Club’s global profile soars as the Dunluce Links is the setting for six Senior British Opens.Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Bob Charles, Hale Irwin and Tom Kite are just some of famous over-50’s who walked the fairways.

2005

Rory's Record

Sixteen-year-old Rory McIlroy shoots a course record 61 in the North of IrelandAmateur Championship.

2010

GMAC is a Major Player

Graeme McDowell wins the US Open at Pebble Beach, emulating fellow Portrush man Fred Daly, Ireland’s first Major winner. GMAC’s victory is the first by a European golfer at the US Open for 40-years.

2011

Champion Golfer of the Year, Darren Clarke

Royal Portrush Golf Club member Darren Clarke joins the Major club at the age of 42 with victory in The Open Championship at Royal St George’s. The record 9th staging of the British LadiesAmateur Championship sees 16-year-old Lauren Taylor succeed Royal Portrush’s May Hezlet as the youngest winner.

2012

A European Tour De France

Royal Portrush takes a major step towards the return of The Open by hosting a highly-successful, sell-out Irish Open won by WelshmanJamie Donaldson.Portrush man Alan Dunbar wins The Amateur Championship and just two weeks laterRoyal Portrush member Stephanie Meadow, who had holed the winning putt for GB&I in the Curtis Cup, is crowned Ladies’ British Amateur champion.

2014

Bradley Beats the Best

Bradley Neil beats a top class field that includes future World No1 John Rahm to win The Amateur Championship. 

2016

Crowning Moment

HRH Queen Elizabeth II attends a civic reception in the Royal Portrush clubhouse,Her Majesty’s first official visit to any golf club.

2018

Dress Rehearsal

The R&A Boys Amateur Championship is played in Ireland for the first time. With the scheduled return of The Open in 2019, the tournament provides a perfect testing ground for changes to the Dunluce Links, including two new holes. 

2019

Irish Eyes are Smiling

The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush proves to be one of most memorable. In front of 237,750 spectators, second only to the attendance at the Centenary Open at St Andrews, Irishman Shane Lowry proves it was worth the wait with an emphatic and emotion-charged win.

2021

Welcome Back

The R&A confirms that Royal Portrush will host the 153rd Open Championship in the summer of 2025.