A US president is expected to attend this week’s Irish Open and may present the winner with the trophy, bringing an unusual political spotlight to the tournament at Doonbeg.
The Story in Pictures
Rory McIlroy leads a strong field as he attempts to defend the title he won in dramatic fashion last year. Twelve months ago McIlroy forced a play-off with a 25-foot eagle at the 72nd hole and prevailed on the third extra hole against Joakim Lagergren, a victory that followed his Masters success five months earlier and preceded his Ryder Cup contribution three weeks later.
The event moves to Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in County Clare for the first time. Trump, who owns the venue, is expected to arrive in Ireland on Saturday as part of a two-day visit that will include meetings with Irish President Catherine Connolly and a bilateral session with Taoiseach Micheal Martin. He may present the Irish Open champion with the trophy on Sunday evening.
On the course, McIlroy faces several established names and rising home hopes. Shane Lowry, Tom McKibbin and Padraig Harrington are among the Irish players in the field, with McKibbin arriving in decent form after a tied sixth at the British Masters where a triple bogey in the final round cost him a higher finish. Seamus Power and three-time major winner Brooks Koepka are also in the line-up, Koepka returning after missing the cut on his Irish Open debut last year.
Jon Rahm joins McIlroy in chasing a third Irish Open title, having won at Portstewart in 2017 and at Lahinch two years later. The Spaniard tees up amid uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf after the breakaway tour ended its season early following the withdrawal of the Public Investment Fund’s financial backing. Several players with LIV links, including McKibbin, Tyrrell Hatton and Joaquin Niemann, are playing in Ireland this week.
The tournament carries a strong European Ryder Cup flavour, with captain Luke Donald among the entries alongside Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard. The Irish Open precedes the tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which is scheduled for next week. Tee times for the Doonbeg event will be released on Tuesday.
First played in 1927, this is the 71st edition of the Irish Open and the tournament has been staged at 21 courses across the island, with Portmarnock hosting a record 19 times. Doonbeg itself was designed by Greg Norman, later redesigned by Martin Hawtree, and was acquired by Trump in 2014. The course features five par-fives and five par-threes, with the par-three 14th a signature hole that can play as short as 111 yards.
