The Open 2025: Court Approves Licensing For Royal Portrush Championship

Licensing applications for The Open Championship 2025 at Royal Portrush Golf Club have been granted, paving the way for one of golf's most prestigious tournaments to return to Northern Ireland.

The court today approved occasional licenses for the championship, which will run from 13-21 July 2025, with operating hours from 11:30am until midnight on weekdays and from 12:30pm until midnight on Sundays.

Monday 21 July has been designated as a reserve day in case the championship cannot conclude as scheduled on Sunday.

The R&A Championships Limited, the tournament organiser, also secured approval for additional licenses covering two specially-constructed "spectator villages" near the course. These camping facilities will serve visitors attending the event, with licensing hours from 2pm to 11pm daily from 13-20 July.

Neither the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) nor the local council raised any objections to the licensing applications.

The R&A, which governs golf worldwide except in the United States and Mexico, runs The Open Championship - the oldest continuously running golf tournament in the world, having been played annually since 1860.

Television viewership figures for last year's championship reached 668 million worldwide, making it one of the most-watched sporting events globally.

When Royal Portrush last hosted The Open in 2019, approximately 237,000 spectators attended, generating an estimated £100 million for the local economy.

The judge, satisfied with all documentation and the absence of objections, granted the applications without requiring further evidence.