‘Open Championship is the jewel in our golfing crown’ – McKevitt

SDLP Culture, Art and Leisure Spokesperson, Karen McKevitt MLA has welcomed the announcement that the Open Championship is to come to Portrush in 2019.

McKevitt said that the news is the jewel in the crown of Northern Ireland’s golfing success.

She said, “Sport in the North, and across the island, is now synonymous with golfing success. Our global domination of the game with players like Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and a long list of others has seen the reputation of our local courses rocket over the last number of years.

“Where once our links courses were hidden gems, they’ve now led to the jewel in the crown of our global golfing success. The Open Championship is the most prestigious event on the golfing calendar and it’s great news that it’ll be coming to Portrush in 2019.

“It’s important that we learn the lessons from hosting the Irish Open in Newcastle and that the local economy benefits from the visitor number we’ll see. Our plan allowed ticket holders to go beyond the ropes, allowing them to experience the town and local businesses before returning to the course.

She added, “That approach maximises both local benefit and the visitor experience. Again, this is great news and I look forward to watching the world’s best players descend on the North in 2019.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on Oct 22 2015. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry