Can Northern Ireland handle its biggest-ever sporting event

Northern Ireland has become “the home of events” after its recent record of high-profile successes and is fully equipped to handle The Open golf tournament.

And hosting the tournament is expected to become a regular event, as Portrush is expected to be added to the rota for future tournaments after 2019.

Melita Williams, director of tourism firm Bespoke Ireland, said that Northern Ireland was fully equipped to handle The Open after its record of recent successes.

“The world has seen how Northern Ireland staged events like the City of Culture and the Irish Open, not to mention the Giro d’Italia having the most well- organised start in its history, and the World Police and Fire Games being voted the friendliest ever.

“For Northern Ireland the timing is good; we have top-of-the-range restaurants opening all the time and our five-star properties are up there with the best in the world.

“The television coverage of The Open will ensure that our wonderful north coast scenery is beamed to a massive audience, and the event itself will attract tens of thousands of visitors and provide another golden opportunity to showcase all that is good about Northern Ireland,” he said.

After successfully hosting the Irish Open in 2012, Portrush will welcome The Open in 2019.

Northern Ireland last hosted The Open in 1951 at Portrush.

Hosting the Irish Open north of the border for the first time in over 60 years, Royal Portrush proved a huge success as it boasted the first-ever sold-out event on the European Tour.

More than 130,000 people attended over the four-day event in 2012, leading to the decision to return the competition to Northern Ireland next year at Newcastle’s Royal County Down Golf Club.