Muirfield handed huge Open boost as R&A gives latest on Portmarnock bid

The East Lothian venue last staged the Claret Jug event in 2013, when Phil Mickelson was crowned Champion Golfer of the Year seven days after also winning the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

Its return was almost certainly delayed due to an initial vote to admit women members being unsuccessful before getting the green light at the second attempt, with the first host of the AIG Women’s Open there two years ago being viewed as a significant step towards The Open being staged once again at the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.

“Absolutely, we're going back to Muirfield,” confirmed Slumbers, speaking in his final media conference on the eve of The Open before handing over the reins to his newly-announced successor, Mark Darbon, later in the year. “It's a brilliant golf course. I'll have a little conversation with Mr Kinnings about maybe moving the Scottish Open from The Renaissance.”

He was referring, of course, to Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour’s CEO, and the fact that The Renaissance Club, Muirfield’s next-door neighbour, is the current home of the Genesis Scottish Open, having been staged there since 2019 and scheduled to stay there until 2026.

Which could be the perfect window for The Open to be back at Muirfield in 2027, which is the next available slot on the schedule after it heads to Royal Portrush next year then Royal Birkdale in 2026.

A return to Royal Lytham, where it was last held in 2012, is also likely to be on the cards in the foreseeable future and that could well follow on from a Muirfield visit if, as had been hinted by Tiger Woods since the 150th edition on the Old Course two years ago, the next Open at St Andrews is likely to be in 2030.

The 2013 Open at Muirfield witnessed a drop of almost 20,000 spectators from 11 years earlier, with The R&A blaming a combination of hot weather and other big sporting events taking place at the same time for a disappointing attendance of just over 140,000. In contrast, this week’s event in Ayrshire is a 250,000 sell-out and that’s likely to be the bar for future events across the venues used for The Open.

“I think big-time sport needs big-time crowds,” said Slumbers. “It surprised me when I came here in 2016, 170,000 people in a week around this golf course. It sort of felt empty. Grandstands weren't full very often. The image wasn't that great. The weather wasn't terribly good on Friday, was it.

“But I think big-time sport is so much better when there's lots of crowds and there's lots of noise and there's lots of enthusiasm. Yeah, I mean, every year since then we've hit a record during my time, and I'm sure my successor will be looking to do exactly the same.”

As for the game’s oldest major being held outside the UK for the first time, Portmarnock is still under consideration. “What we've said about Portmarnock is the club has asked the Irish government for support in putting together a business case to stage our championships on the links, and we are fully supportive of the club doing that, and we are actively engaged in making those assessments,” said Slumbers. “But no decisions have been made because we don't even know if it's possible.”