Royal Portrush golfer Andrew Morris comes from two back to claim first Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Open Championship at Naas Golf Club

As one of the most storied careers draws to a close, the long-time Royal County Down Head Professional and a litany of former pupils take Paul Gallagher for a walk down memory lane.

It all begins with an idea of what a great golf title could be.

Get it done, get it done early. That’s clearly the motto around the greenkeeper sheds at Royal County Down, especially this week when it’s all hands to the pump for the Amgen Irish Open.

History will be made at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush after it was revealed by The R&A that 278,000 fans will gather at the iconic Dunluce links from 13-20 July for the largest Championship held outside of St Andrews.

Excitement among fans at The Open’s return to the Antrim Coast after the success of the Championship in 2019 led to unprecedented demand for tickets in the ballot last year with applications for more than one million tickets.

Unique Royal County Down course has the capacity to be magnificent and brutal in the same round as those playing the Amgen Irish Open will soon discover

For all the late heroics of yesterday’s victor, the Championship Links at Royal County Down was also a winner, as one of the most traditional links layouts of them all more than stood up to the rigours of the modern game at the Amgen Irish Open.

Easy strides and smiles accompany birdies and eagles in Newcastle. Few spectator experiences can compare to watching Rory McIlroy, especially when he’s competing on home soil and in contention. The ‘Rory Roars’ that reverberate around Royal County Down this week have been like no other.