TIMELINE
130+ Years of Championship Golf
Over the last 117 years Portmarnock Golf Club has hosted some of the greatest tournaments in golf. We have welcomed the greatest Amateur and Professional golfers to have played the game, from Arnold Palmer to Padraig Harrington. In an open competition in 1899 the great Harry Vardon established a record of 69 over a course measuring 5,810 yards.
1893
Milestone
The Discovery
William Chalmers Pickeman and George Ross conducted a historic site visit, recognizing the championship potential of the Portmarnock peninsula.
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1894
Milestone
The Club Opens
On December 26th, Portmarnock Golf Club formally opened with nine holes. Mungo Park, the 1874 Open Champion, designed the course.
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1896
Course
First Clubhouse Erected
A timber clubhouse measuring 57 x 47 feet with corrugated iron roof was erected, with the verandah oriented toward the first fairway.
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1899
Championship
Irish Amateur Open Championship
John Ball claimed victory with an overwhelming 13 and 11 margin. Harry Vardon won the professional prize, establishing a course record of 69.
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1901
Championship
First Irish Ladies Championship
Portmarnock hosted the inaugural Irish Ladies Championship. Rhona Adair defeated Maud Stuart in the final.
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1906
Course
Fire & Renewal
Fire destroyed the original clubhouse. A new structure costing £4,500 opened in October, portions of which remain today.
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1909
Milestone
First Group Photograph
The first members group photograph was taken, now hanging proudly in the clubhouse as a treasured piece of club history.
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1927
Championship
Inaugural Irish Open
The first Irish Professional Open launched with a £1,000 prize fund. George Duncan won while five-year-old Joe Carr watched from the clubhouse.
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1931
Championship
British Ladies Championship
The British Ladies Championship came to Irish soil for the first time. Enid Wilson defeated Wanda Morgan 7/6 in the final.
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1938
Championship
Bobby Locke's Victory
Bobby Locke became the first non-British Irish Open winner. The field included Henry Cotton, Max Faulkner, Jimmy Bruen, and Joe Carr.
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1946
Championship
Fred Daly Makes History
Fred Daly won the Irish Open, becoming the first Irish victor. He would go on to win The Open Championship at Hoylake in 1947.
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1949
Championship
The Amateur Championship
Following Ireland's declaration as a republic, Portmarnock hosted The Amateur Championship — the first held outside Great Britain.
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1950
Milestone
Harry Bradshaw Appointed
Harry Bradshaw, who lost a playoff to Bobby Locke in The Open Championship at Royal St George's, was appointed Club Professional.
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1956
Milestone
Canada Cup Dreams
Pierce Purcell explored bringing the Canada Cup to Portmarnock after attending the tournament at Wentworth, planting seeds for 1960.
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1960
Championship
The Canada Cup
Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer claimed victory for America in this prestigious world golf championship, with Palmer experiencing links golf for the first time.
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1963
Milestone
Shell's Wonderful World of Golf
The famous television series filmed at Portmarnock, featuring Billy Casper versus Harry Bradshaw with Gene Sarazen providing commentary.
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1970
Championship
Alcan Golfer of the Year
Bruce Devlin dominated with 278 strokes. Paddy Skerritt won the Alcan International Tournament, claiming the richest prize for an Irish golfer on home soil.
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1972
Course
Yellow 9 Opens
The third nine holes, designed by Fred Hawtree at a cost of £3,500, finally opened for play after being proposed in 1935.
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1976
Championship
Irish Open Returns
The Irish Open returned to Portmarnock, beginning a remarkable sequence of 13 events through 2003 that would define an era.
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1991
Championship
The Walker Cup
Ireland hosted The Walker Cup for the first time. Future stars Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Padraig Harrington, and Paul McGinley competed.
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1994
Milestone
100 Years of Excellence
The Centenary year featured celebratory events. David Higgins defeated Padraig Harrington on the 20th hole in the Irish Amateur Close Championship final.
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1997
Championship
European Amateur Championship
Spain won the team event with teenage sensation Sergio Garcia. The field included future stars Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.
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2002
Course
Hawtree Redesign
Martin Hawtree upgraded the course ahead of the 2003 Irish Open, extending it to 7,466 yards through strategic reconfiguration.
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2012
Championship
St Andrews & Jacques Léglise Trophies
The Continent of Europe defeated Great Britain & Ireland in both prestigious amateur international team matches.
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2015
Milestone
R&A Captain
Gavin Caldwell became the second Portmarnock member honored as Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
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2019
Championship
The Amateur Championship Returns
James Sugrue defeated Euan Walker by 1 hole, becoming the 8th Irishman to win The Amateur in the club's 125th anniversary year.
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2024
Championship
Women's Amateur Championship
Melanie Green defeated Scotland's Lorna McClymont by two holes to become the first American winner since Kelli Kuehne in 1996.
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