Where The Open at Royal Portrush Will Be Won And Lost
By: Derek Clements | Edited: Fri 01 Aug 2025
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The Open is almost certainly going to be decided in the final stretch of holes at Royal Portrush.
These are the challenges to look out for.
15th, Par Four, 429 Yards
The fairway is pretty generous but there are lots of undulations and humps and hollows that can kick the ball in the wrong direction. The tee shot is uphill on a hole that doglegs from right to left. The approach is downhill to one of the smallest greens on the course, sloping severely to the front and right and well protected by sand on the left.
16th, Par Three, 236 Yards
A brute of a short hole, called Calamity Corner for a reason. Anything short will roll back 50 feet below the green and finish in thick rough. To make matters worse, the elevated green is utterly exposed to the elements. In 2019 the hole gave up just 24 birdies over the course of four days. Anybody who makes four pars here will be making up strokes on the field.
17th, Par Four, 409 Yards
A great risk and reward hole. You cannot see the green from the tee but if the wind is behind do not be surprised to see the likes of Rory McIlroy having a crack. The fairway slopes downhill sharply at 300 yards. There are deep bunkers left and right that must be avoided. And the landing area for those who go for the green is extremely narrow, so caution is required.
18th, Par Four, 474 Yards
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
A wonderful finishing hole - as you would expect.
When Max Faulkner won here in 1951 the hole played as the 16th and the Englishman found himself against the out-of-bounds to the left of the fairway and famously sliced the ball under and around a barbed-wire fence and on to the green. The out-of-bounds remains a threat, while thick rough and a pair of bunkers lie in wait for anyone bailing out to the right from the elevated tee. The biggest challenges on the approach are a deep bunker to the front-right, tall mounds of rough wrapping around the green and a steep drop-off to the left.
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