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Tournament Preview
Rory McIlroy is hoping to win his national open for a third time as he prepares to defend the Amgen Irish Open title at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg.
The World Number Two beat Joakim Lagergren in a play-off after a thrilling finish at The K Club last year, nine years after his first victory at the same venue, and he will now look to join Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie as a three-time winner of the event.
The six-time Major winner is ready to begin what promises to be an exciting run-in to the DP World Tour season on the island of Ireland as he pursues a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title.
The 37-year-old is currently second on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, after a campaign that has already seen him retain his Masters title, and he will now bid to overtake American Patrick Reed at the top of the season-long standings.
Fellow Irish Major Champions Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington are also in the field, both former winners of their national open. Harrington claimed the title in 2007 at Adare Manor, with Lowry famously winning as an amateur in 2009 at County Louth. To date, Lowry is the most recent amateur winner on Tour.
Harrington will write his name into the history books by making his 31st consecutive start at the Amgen Irish Open. Having not missed a single edition of his national open since his debut in 1996, he will surpass Seve Ballesteros’ record for consecutive appearances at the Open de España.
McIlroy and Lowry are two of nine Major Champions in the field, joining Harrington, Jon Rahm, Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed.
Two-time Major Champion Rahm will also be looking to win the Amgen Irish Open for a third time, having claimed victory at Portstewart Golf Club in 2017 and Lahinch Golf Club in 2019.
Former World Number One and Ryder Cup Europe Captain Luke Donald will tee it up on the island of Ireland alongside European Ryder Cup players Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka, Rasmus Højgaard and Nicolai Højgaard, with Rasmus returning as a former Amgen Irish Open champion following his victory at Royal County Down in 2024.
Player Quotes
Rory McIlroy: I got two bites of the cherry coming home last year with Portrush and with The Open and everything up to the Amgen Irish Open. I really wanted to treat, I guess, both weeks like a celebration of the year and everything that I had achieved last year. I started off the week at the Irish Open last year with, you know, doing something in the tented village with all the fans and Green Jacket and Major trophies.
Needing three at the last to get into the play-off and the scenes on the last everything and it was an incredible week. With the way that the year transpired, going into that back end of the season, if there was one tournament that I could have chosen to win, it would be that one. It was a magical weekend, and obviously the scenes of the celebrations and dads and sons hugging each other, it was very fulfilling and I’m glad I got the opportunity to be a part of it.
Pádraig Harrington: I’m somewhat surprised because obviously I started pretty late. You know, you see young lads playing now at 15 years of age in their national opens at times. I played my first one when I was 24. So, yeah, 31 years consecutive, it’s a nice run. It says, I’d like to tell you I never got injured but I think I played a few while injured.
Definitely the atmosphere, the fans. I struggled at the start with that. It was a lot of stress and just put a lot of pressure on you. I think it takes a while for you to figure out that everybody wanting you to do well is not them expecting to you do well. Took a while before I got comfortable with that and I do enjoy that now with the atmosphere, the fans.
I like the fact that the European players who come over loved the atmosphere, love the actual event. They questioned our weather at times, but everybody enjoys the event.
Amgen have come in and really upped the game of the Irish Open. It’s one of the premiere events on the DP World Tour. The players love it. They appreciate it.
Shane Lowry: It’s that long ago, I can’t remember my win. Obviously the Amgen Irish Open is one of the tournaments at the start of the year that you kind of circle in your calendar. I’ve played – I think this is my 18th one. I think I’ve played every one since 2009. It’s great to come home. It’s great to come to some great golf courses around Ireland. It’s great to compete at home and try and go out there and win your national open.
If you had asked me when I was a kid growing up, would I even compete in double-digit Irish Opens, I’d probably have taken your hand off.
Jon Rahm: I don’t know what it is about Irish people, but every time I come they make me feel like I’m at home, so it’s always really fun.
The hospitality I feel when I come to Ireland. I don’t know if it’s everybody or it’s just me, I feel like everybody’s always so friendly and so willing to help and in such a good mood all the time, honestly. It is truly a joy to be out here.
I think that their understanding of golf is very special. As a professional golfer, when you come and you feel that appreciated, it’s really special. It’s unique. I don’t know why, but Ireland is always maybe a very special place to me in my heart.
Obviously golf has also been really, really good on my side. I don’t know why, I can’t pinpoint it, but we always say some weeks are special, and for me coming to Ireland just feels unique and it quickly became one of my favourite golf and tournament destinations and stays that way and it only gets better.
2026 Amgen Irish Open
Venue: Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Doonbeg, Ireland
2025 Champion: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
Prize Fund: US$6,000,000
Points: 5,000
Race to Dubai: Tournament 34 of 42
Back 9: Tournament 3 of 9