Latest news with #RandA
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside incredible five-star hotel Rory McIlroy stayed in for The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy was given a hero's welcome at Royal Portrush during The Open Championship, where he stayed at a brand new five-star hotel overlooking the famous course Rory McIlroy and his family enjoyed the luxury of a five-star hotel during this year's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. The golfing superstar, originally from Holywood just outside Belfast, opted to stay near the course rather than commute from home, which is roughly an hour away from the renowned Dunluce Links. McIlroy, the recipient of a career grand slam in April of this year, chose the Dunluce Lodge for its proximity to the action. Perched with views over the fourth fairway of Portrush, the Lodge opened its doors in time for the 153rd Open Championship - which was won by Scottie Scheffler. The lavish establishment, owned by a US investment group, boasts 35 suites, a cutting-edge spa, and even its own nine-hole putting green among other top-class facilities, reports Belfast Live. Room rates at the retreat range from £350 to £955 per night, varying with room selection and demand. The hotel also offers an exclusive private lodge with eight suites, believed to be where McIlroy and his family resided as he made an emotional return to his home. Constructed at a cost exceeding £14million, Dunluce Lodge is set to benefit from the recent boom in golf tourism spurred by the Open Championship. The Lodge shared a moment on social media, posting a picture of McIlroy with their staff that said: "What an unforgettable week. It was an incredible honour to host Rory McIlroy and his family at Dunluce Lodge during The Open." They added: "Welcoming one of golf's all-time greats, just steps from Royal Portrush Golf Club was truly special for our entire team. Thank you, Rory, for choosing to stay with us. We hope it felt like home." McIlroy was greeted with rapturous applause at Royal Portrush as he became the centre of attention, with massive crowds trailing him throughout the tournament. The Holywood-born star looked set to make a run for the Claret Jug once more, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't quite catch up to Scottie Scheffler, who led the major championship from the outset. Reflecting on the event, McIlroy, who finished tied for seventh, said: "It's been an awesome week. I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us. "It's been an amazing week. I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd. Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the RandA decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am. "It's just been incredible to come back here and to play and at least feel like I had a chance today going out there. Just an awesome week."
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Open 2025: Portrush tee times could be changed due to Orange Order Parade
The RandA are reportedly deliberating whether to adjust the tee-off times for the third round of the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. This comes as the Portrush Sons of Ulster plan their parade in the coastal town on the Saturday evening. Over 60 bands are expected to participate, with the procession set to kick off just after play ends, coinciding with the exit of countless golf enthusiasts. Months of negotiation to resolve this clash haven't led to any change as requests to delay the parade were turned down. The RandA's worries revolve around the logistical headache of accommodating the influx of spectators for the two simultaneous events, with the Open traditionally wrapping up by 8pm and the parade slated to begin a mere quarter of an hour later. According to The Guardian, the RandA is contemplating an earlier commencement of Saturday's play at the prestigious tournament, resulting in an earlier conclusion on the legendary links course, reports Belfast Live. In a press release, the RandA stated: "We are working on plans to minimise disruption for our fans leaving the championship due to the event taking place in Portrush." However, one potential hiccup could be the live US television broadcast, which might be affected if even a minor tweak is made to the start time along the North Antrim coast. Royal Portrush is poised to host the 153rd Open starting July 17, with an unprecedented number of spectators expected to converge on the famous Dunluce links. The RandA has confirmed that a staggering 278,000 spectators are set to swarm the north coast for what is shaping up to be the largest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland.
Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
LIV Golf star won't play at The Open after being disqualified during qualifying
Sam Horsfield was one of 15 LIV Golf members in action at the final qualifying tournaments for The Open Championship, but saw his bid to qualify end in bizarre fashion LIV Golf's Sam Horsfield has seen his Open Championship hopes destroyed after being disqualified from the competition during a qualifying tournament on Tuesday. Horsfield, who was born in England but spent most of his childhood in the United States, where he attended the University of Florida, was aiming to secure one of five qualifying spots at West Lancs Golf Club. However, his attempt to reach Royal Portrush ended abruptly - after just nine holes. Horsfield, who is a member of the Majesticks team alongside Ryder Cup royalty Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, carded a seven-over-par 43 on the front nine. It's not uncommon for players to withdraw from tournaments under such circumstances, with their chances of salvaging their qualification hopes over the remaining 27 holes extremely slim. However, the RandA – the governing body that oversees The Open Championship – confirmed to Mirror Sports US that Horsfield failed to inform tournament officials of his withdrawal - therefore, resulting in his disqualification. Horsfield was only one-over-par for the event and still in the running when he reached the seventh tee. But a disastrous streak of three consecutive double bogeys led him to cut short his participation. The 28 year old joined LIV as a founding member in 2022. He currently ranks 37th in the breakaway league's standings this season, with his best finish of T7 achieved in Adelaide in February. Horsfield was among 15 LIV members vying for a spot in the year's final major. Former world No.3 Paul Casey, Abraham Ancer and Branden Grace were all set to participate in one of the four 36-hole qualifiers across the UK, but pulled out before play began. Anirban Lahiri, Caleb Surratt, and Jinichiro Kozuma are the LIV members in action at Burnham and Berrow on the southwest coast of England, while Poulter, Graeme McDowell, and David Puig are among the stars in action at Royal Cinque Ports in the southeast, where LIV reserve player Luis Masaveu is also in the running. Lucas Herbert, Harold Varner III and Andy Ogletree are in contention at West Lancs, while Westwood and Adrian Meronk are battling it out north of the border at Dundonald Links on Scotland's Ayrshire coast. The RandA confirmed that 30 players withdrew prior to the start of play on Monday, including 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett. He was scheduled to play at West Lancs, but will instead tee off at the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour, which kicks off on Thursday. Former LIV members Eugenio Chacarra and Hennie du Plessis were slated to play at Burnham and Berrow, but they were among those who withdrew. Alex Noren, a member of Europe's triumphant 2018 Ryder Cup team in Paris, also pulled out ahead of play. The Swede was due to compete at Dundonald Links.
Daily Record
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Gary Lineker nicked my job at the BBC and we haven't spoken in 20 years
Steve Rider has been left unimpressed by Lineker's career with the Beeb which came to an end earlier this year Steve Rider has acknowledged that he hasn't spoken to Gary Lineker for a long time and harbours resentment over being replaced by the ex-Match of the Day host for BBC golf coverage. Rider, who's embarking on retirement after 45 years in national television, including recent work on ITV4's British Touring Car Championship, has been an iconic figure in sports broadcasting. His extensive career includes coverage of major events such as Olympic Games, Rugby World Cup, F ormula One - notably Ayrton Senna's tragic accident at Imola - and the Champions League working with both ITV and BBC. Beginning his career at ITV, Rider switched to the BBC where he served nearly two decades before heading back to ITV in 2005. While at the BBC, Rider was the principal golf presenter, covering prestigious tournaments like the Ryder Cup, the Open and the Masters. His departure saw a surprising choice in former England footballer Lineker to become the new face of BBC golf, which disappointed Rider substantially. It wasn't until 2015, following Lineker's controversial comments labelling the RandA 'pompous' and suggesting they saw themselves as 'superior beings', that Rider decided to publicly voice his opinions, reports the Mirror. Speaking to the Golf Paper, Rider gave his blunt assessment: "I hold Gary Lineker in the highest regard as a football presenter, but his reflections on his experiences as a golf presenter need a huge reality check. "For four years, the RandA and most other observers knew that Gary was the wrong man in the wrong job. Hazel Irvine has just delivered once again at the Open presentation skills of the highest quality. Not many people can do that and Gary certainly came up short. "Roger Mosey, the head of sport, knew Gary was a golf fanatic and was further encouraged by Gary apparently volunteering for the Masters vacancy within a few minutes of my exit from Television Centre. "But if Mosey thought long and hard before offering Gary the golf job, it's even more baffling. Match of the Day is scripted and rehearsed. Golf presentation, especially at Augusta, is seat of the pants, unpredictable and demanding." Rider hasn't spoken to Lineker since then, as reported by The Telegraph. Now the 75 year old has given his opinion on Lineker's recent departure from the BBC. Lineker hosted his last Match of the Day programme last month. He was anticipated to leave next year, after the World Cup, but his exit was pushed forward following an Instagram post criticising Zionism, accompanied by an image of a rat. Lineker has claimed he wasn't aware of the historical context of rats being used to portray Jews in anti-Semitic imagery. "To put forward his opinions so energetically, you need to step outside the framework of the BBC," Rider asserts. "That message was never convincingly conveyed to him by the BBC, and that's where they are at fault. He needed people looking after him before he pressed the button on some fairly volatile retweets. "He needed to be saved from himself. So, there was a kind of inevitability about it."
RTÉ News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Gavin Tiernan on cusp of glory after semi-final win at Amateur Championship
Gavin Tiernan from the County Louth club in Baltray is just one match away from the Amateur Championship title at Royal St Georges in Kent. The 19-year old Tiernan is ranked outside the top 1000 male amateur golfers in the world at 1340th. This afternoon, in breezy conditions, Tiernan easily defeated Riccardo Fantinelli of Italy (ranked more than 1000 places above him) in the semi final by 4&3. The second Finalist of the 130th Amateur Championship, Gavin Tiernan 🏌️♂️ — The R&A (@RandA) June 20, 2025 The winner tomorrow gets invitation to the Open next month in Royal Portrush and also the 2026 Masters and US Open along with one of the most coveted titles in men's amateur golf worldwide. Tiernan will play the World No 7 ranked player Ethan Fang of the United States in a 36-hole final starting just after 8.30 tomorrow morning. The last Irish winner was James Sugrue of Mallow in 2019. He won the title at Portmarnock when ranked 232nd in the world. Tiernan is seeking to become the ninth Irish winner of the Amateur Championship, with Jimmy Bruen the first back in 1946.
