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A record crowd of 237,750 will attend this week’s Open at Royal Portrush, the R&A has confirmed.

The 148th edition of the championship will set a new attendance record for a championship staged outside of St Andrews, eclipsing the 235,000 who attended Royal Birkdale in 2017.

It is also the second-best attended Open of all-time behind the 2000 championship at the Old Course.

A record-breaking 61,000 fans have attended practice days this week Open, surpassing the previous high of 52,000 set at Hoylake in 2006.

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Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, said, “This is a huge week not just for The Open but for golf as well. We are making history with a record attendance for a Championship staged outside of St Andrews and the levels of excitement among fans this week have been phenomenal. 

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Royal Portrush

“I said last year that big time sport needs big time crowds and we certainly have that at Royal Portrush as we stage the biggest sporting event ever to be held in Northern Ireland. The eyes of the sporting world are firmly set on Royal Portrush.

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“We would like to thank all the fans for their passion and enthusiasm as we look forward to finding out who will lift the Claret Jug on Sunday. The Open would not be the success it is without the spectators.”

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Overall, 30,000 fans under the age of 25 are attending The Open, which includes 21,000 children under the age of 16 who attend free of charge thanks to the long-running Kids Go Free initiative.

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The Open Camping Village continues to prove a popular accommodation option for fans with more than 6,300 fans booking a place to stay at on site this year, up from the 4,000 spectators who stayed at Carnoustie in 2018.

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A third of those fans staying at the campsite are under 25 years old meaning that The R&A has now provided over 8,000 free bed spaces for under 25s over the first four years of The Open Camping Village.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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