Sugden ‘delighted’ to welcome the Open to Portrush

“I am delighted that Royal Portrush has been confirmed as the venue for the 2019 Open Championship.

“This is the biggest golf tournament of all. Millions of people watch it around the world. To have it coming to the north coast of Northern Ireland is a fantastic story for this constituency.

“The R&A have been pleased with the ongoing work in advance of the tournament. This demonstrates the hard work behind the scenes to make sure that 2019 is an unforgettable Championship.

“Royal Portrush is being revamped to include two new holes, and the surrounding area developed to ensure that we have the necessary infrastructure to welcome thousands of people. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase Portrush, the North Coast and Northern Ireland on a global stage, and to boost our local and regional economies.

“It has been 68 years since The Open was in Portrush. A successful tournament will mean that we are on the rota at 8-10 year intervals. The wider opportunities which this will bring are incredibly exciting.

“There is something very special about golf in Northern Ireland.

I am confident that we will be ready to stage one of the best ever Open Championships in 2019.”