Portrush in quotes

Darren Clarke called it a masterpiece. Tiger Woods talked about the quirks which made it so special. And Shane Lowry said the players were all raving about how good it was.

Royal Portrush was given a glowing review by the world’s best golfers when The Open returned to Northern Ireland in 2019.

Its magical setting, the stern challenge it posed, and the buoyant atmosphere it helped generate all set the scene for an iconic Championship.

So, as excitement builds for this summer, we rewound six years to see what the talk of the locker room was at Royal Portrush last time around.

Woods on what makes “unbelievable golf course” so different.

Tiger has played in The Open 23 times, and few know how to navigate links golf quite like he does.

He pointed to how different the course had played to most links venues he’s used to and shared some interesting insight on how players need to adapt to the setting.

The three-time Champion Golfer said: “This is just a wonderful golf course. It can play so many different ways. [A lot] depends on the wind and what it does. Some of the bunkers here, you wonder why in the hell is it there. And then all of a sudden it's in play.

“The difference between this layout versus most of the Open layouts is that the ball seems to repel around the greens a lot. You're going to have a lot of either bump-and-run chips [or] slow putts coming up the hills. But it's an unbelievable golf course.”

Rickie Fowler, who finished T6 at 5-under-par, felt that the course challenged players in different ways.

“I think this golf course is a great test," he said. "It's very different from what I've seen from a lot of traditional links golf courses. There are a lot of more forced carries and doglegs.

“It does force you to play the ball in the air a bit more and test your ball-striking."

“It’s just a great test of golf.”

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth finished in T11 and T20 respectively, and they also highlighted how much of a test Portrush posed the field.

Thomas, who enjoyed his best Open finish in 2019, said: “It's a beautiful, beautiful course. I feel that it's just a great test of golf. It has a little bit of everything. You're going to have some holes with some short irons, some holes with some long irons, great variety on the par-3s, but an opportunity for different set-ups.

“I think it's just a tremendous golf course.”

Spieth won the Claret Jug two years earlier at Royal Birkdale, and said Portrush “showed its teeth” but spoke about the magic of being there.

“It’s got a lot of character to it that maybe won’t be recognised by just seeing it on TV which makes it really special,” he added.

And that’s why it’s a masterpiece …

Clarke knows Royal Portrush better than most, and in 2019 was given the honour of hitting the opening tee shot.

Although he missed the cut after rounds of 71 and 74, the 2011 Champion Golfer said it’s quite simple – good golf will, more often than not, be rewarded.

“The thing about Royal Portrush, it's a fair golf course," he said.

“If you play well around Portrush you should have the opportunity to score well. If you're missing too many shots you're not going to get around Portrush, and that's the way it is.

“That's why it's a Harry Colt masterpiece.”

“The crowd is going wild”

There are many things which make Royal Portrush a special place, not least the people.

A host of players said they’d never experienced an atmosphere quite like it – and an Irish winner in Lowry certainly helped turn the volume up a few notches.

Lowry paid tribute to the support he received throughout the week, and reflected on a special moment as he closed in on the Claret Jug, telling media: “It was just incredible to walk down 18. The crowd is going wild.

"Singing "Olé, Olé." It's like something that I just couldn't believe was happening to me.”

Tommy Fleetwood’s week was bettered only by Lowry, with the Englishman finishing in second place.

And although he was disappointed not to lift the Claret Jug, the atmosphere generated made a big impression.

“I think people watching today, if they're not into golf, I think it's amazing for the sport," he said. "I think the tournament has done itself proud. They've shown how great the game is and how good it is to watch.

“The atmosphere for us as golfers was just great. I loved it. For or against you, you can't help but appreciate and love what today was.”

And a Champion Golfer gets his wish

It was Lowry who emerged triumphant at the end of The 148th Open and he lifted the Claret Jug to the delight of the home crowd. However, his performance on the course wasn’t the only thing he got right that week – his predictions were also on point.

He said: “Everybody was raving about the golf course. How good it was. I'd be very surprised if it's not back here in the next ten years. Portrush has just been incredible.”

Matt Fitzpatrick finished T20 marking his best performance at The Open to date, and he also made no bones about his desire to return to County Antrim.

He told the assembled media that the course had been fantastic throughout the Championship, and that “everyone loved it”.

Fitzpatrick and Lowry are two of the players already exempt for The 153rd Open, and they’ll be teeing up when golf’s original championship is back in Northern Ireland this summer.