The British Open is ready to close out what has been an exciting major season in golf.
Rory McIlroy opened the year with a thrilling win at the Masters to complete his career Grand Slam. Then, Scottie Scheffler added to his dominant run with an impressive win at the PGA Championship in May. Finally, J.J. Spaun survived a brutal U.S. Open at Oakmont to win the first major of his career.
Perhaps one of those three golfers will come out on top during the British Open, or perhaps a fourth golfer will join them as major champions this year.
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While the Open Championship is mainly known for taking place in Scotland and England, Northern Ireland occasionally gets a chance to play host. This year, the tournament heads west once again in what should be a raucous environment.
Here's a breakdown of this year's British Open course.
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Where is the British Open in 2025?
- Course: Royal Portrush Golf Club
- Location: County Antrim, Northern Ireland
The British Open returns to Northern Ireland for the third time ever, with Royal Portrush playing host to all three events. Portrush hosted the Open Championship in 1951, but the tournament didn't return to Northern Ireland until Portrush played host again in 2019.
The past two times Royal Portrush hosted the British Open, Max Faulkner won the tournament in 1951, then Shane Lowry followed suit in 2019. Portrush has two courses: The Dunluce, which will serve as the 2025 Open Championship course, and The Valley.
With Portrush being in Northern Ireland, it is also partly known for its connection to Northern Ireland's own Rory McIlroy, who shot a course-record 61 at just 16 there in 2005.
Royal Portrush Golf Club details
- Par: 71
- Distance: 7,381
Royal Portrush has undergone much work since 2015, largely to prepare the course for the 2019 British Open. The course is located on the north shore of Northern Ireland, with some holes overlooking the North Sea.
The last glimpse of our course before grandstands and marquees take over. We won’t see this view again until September—but what’s here over summer isn’t too bad either... pic.twitter.com/ItS7bfc8i8
— Royal Portrush G.C. (@royalportrush) April 21, 2025
Here's a look at how long the course will play this week:
| Hole | Par | Distance (Yards) |
| 1 | 4 | 420 |
| 2 | 5 | 575 |
| 3 | 3 | 176 |
| 4 | 4 | 502 |
| 5 | 4 | 372 |
| 6 | 3 | 193 |
| 7 | 5 | 607 |
| 8 | 4 | 434 |
| 9 | 4 | 432 |
| OUT | 36 | 3,711 |
| 10 | 4 | 450 |
| 11 | 4 | 475 |
| 12 | 5 | 532 |
| 13 | 3 | 199 |
| 14 | 4 | 466 |
| 15 | 4 | 429 |
| 16 | 3 | 236 |
| 17 | 4 | 409 |
| 18 | 4 | 474 |
| IN | 35 | 3,670 |
| Total | 71 | 7,381 |
Royal Portrush British Open history
| Year | Winner | Score |
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | -15 |
| 1951 | Max Faulkner | -3 |
The Open Championship has only been played at Royal Portrush twice before, first in 1951 and again in 2019. Most recently, Shane Lowry took home the tournament with a commanding six-stroke victory over Tommy Fleetwood.
MORE RORY MCILROY NEWS:
- What to know about Rory McIlroy's Northern Ireland roots
- Revisiting Rory McIlroy's disappointing 2019 British Open in home country
- How 16-year-old Rory McIlroy set a course record at Royal Portrush
Future British Open sites
| Year | Course | Location |
| 2026 | Royal Birkdale Golf Club | Merseyside, England |
| 2027 | Old Course at St. Andrews | Fife, Scotland |
The Open Championship locations are only set through the 2027 tournament. Next year, the British Open heads to Royal Birkdale, which last hosted the event in 2017 when Jordan Spieth won. Then, the tournament returns to St. Andrews as part of a five-year rotation for the course's record 31st time hosting.