Council group visits Royal Birkdale ahead of The Open’s return to Portrush
Mon, July 24, 2017
A group from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council visited The Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport this week.
The tournament will be staged in Portrush in 2019, and the fact-finding trip with Tourism NI was designed to provide a practical insight into the event.
Regarded as golf’s oldest championship, it is set to be the biggest sporting occasion ever held on the island of Ireland with anticipated visitor numbers well in excess of 200,000.
Speaking after the visit, the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, said: “Having recently enjoyed a hugely successful Irish Open in Portstewart, planning and preparation for the return of The Open in 2019 is well underway. The visit to Royal Birkdale gave us a sense of the sheer scale of the event, and the organisational logistics behind it. It was invaluable to hear from our counterparts in Sefton Council about their experiences this year, as well as representatives from Carnoustie where the event will be held next year. It is clear that the return of The Open to Portrush will have an invaluable impact on our Borough, and this will have a legacy well beyond 2019.”
“We look forward to creating a truly memorable event for the world’s best golfers, and the many thousands of fans who they will attract to our Borough.
The Open will be staged at Royal Portrush in July, 2019.
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, pictured during her visit to The Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport.
Councillor George Duddy, Leisure and Development Committee Chairperson, and The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, pictured with representatives from Carnoustie in Scotland where The Open will be staged in 2018.