McCandless welcomes return of the Open to Royal Portush

“The news that the most prestigious golf tournament of them all, the Open, is to return to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951, is a massive coup for the whole Causeway Coast and Glens.

“It will build on the success of the Irish Open in 2012 and is thanks in no small part to the fantastic work done by ambassadors such as Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, who have been campaigning and lobbying on our behalf. I am absolutely delighted that their efforts have paid off.

“This is tremendous news for the local economy, given that independent financial surveys suggest that staging the tournament can bring in between £55m and £70m in the year of the Open to the wider community in the venue’s area.

“In addition to the many thousands of visitors who will be attending the tournament between the 18th and 21st July 2019, live television coverage will be beamed across the world and bring the beauty of this area to a worldwide audience. This area will reap the benefits for many years to come.”