Record Attendance Expected at Open Championship

The eventual loss to Australian Kal Negle by a shot stopped the Grand Slam talk in its tracks, but Palmer’s appearance at the Old Course forever changed American players' visions of traveling to the UK to play in The Open.

The Open Attendance Records

On Tuesday, the R&A announced that the 153^rd Open at Royal Portrush will set an attendance record of 278,000 fans on the Dunluce links in July, exceeding the 237,750 in attendance in 2019 when Irishman Shane Lowry defeated Englishman Tommy Fleetwood at Portrush in the first Open Championship for the Northern Ireland venue.

When the ballot was opened last year for The Open’s return to the Antrim Coast, applications exceeded one million tickets.

“The passion and enthusiasm for golf throughout the island of Ireland is world-renowned and is clearly reflected in the extraordinary demand among fans to be part of this historic occasion,” Mark Darbon, Chief Executive at The R&A, said. “We look forward to welcoming a record crowd to these spectacular links for a true celebration of golf and seeing who emerges from the 156-strong field to become Champion Golfer of the Year.”

The 153^rd Open will be the largest ever sporting event held in Northern Ireland and is expected to generate more than £213 million in total economic benefit for the country, according to an independent forecast by the Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University.

A record 89,000 spectators will attend the four sold-out Practice Days of the 153rd Open, exceeding the 61,000 fans who attended the equivalent days at Royal Portrush in 2019.