IT’S OFFICIAL -ROYAL Portrush has today been announced that it will host the 2019 Open Championship on Tuesday.

The Royal and Ancient confirmed this summer the Northern Ireland course would host for a second time at some point.

Now the R&A has decided that in four years time the world’s greatest golfing tournament will be coming to Portrush for the first time since 1951.

Temporary First Minister Arlene Foster said: “This great news for our wee country.

“I want to praised Darren Clarke for since his Open win in 2011 Royal Portush has been back on the map as a venue for the tournament.”

Deputy first minister Martin McGuinnness said: “I am absolutely delighted at this news and I want to thank Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and also Padraig Harrington who have all done so much for this island in terms of their golf.’

“The announcement by the R&A is a tremendous vote of confidence in the transformation that has happened here politically and security wise over the course of the last 20 years.”

Welcoming the news that Royal Portrush will host The Open in 2019, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “It is wonderful news that The Open will return to Northern Ireland in 2019, after an absence of 68 years.

“The staging of golf’s oldest major tournament at Royal Portrush, one of the world’s top links courses, will present Tourism Ireland with an invaluable opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to golfers and prospective visitors around the world.

“We will be pulling out all the stops – in Great Britain, the US and in all our important golf markets – to capitalise on the potential of this prestigious sporting event.”

Two new holes are made on the links course which are expected to be completed by next year.

The 2019 event is expected to bring in around 300,000 visitors to Portrush course.

It is also expected to bring in around £100 million into the local tourism economy.

Northern Ireland’s golfers have had huge success in recent years, with Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowall and Darren Clarke all winning majors.

All three have led calls for Royal Portrush to host the Open, with McIlroy claiming it would be the pinnacle of his career if he could win it there.

Now the trio are poised to play for the Claret Jug on home soil, with McIlroy and Clarke having both already claimed it once.

Portrush successfully hosted the Irish Open in 2012, with around 100,000 fans attending and dispelling any doubts about its capability to accommodate large galleries.

An official announcement is anticipated at the seaside links course, with the Northern Ireland Executive to support the event.