Clarke renews calls for Open to N. Ireland

Newly crowned British Open champion Darren Clarke on Tuesday made a fresh call for the tournament to be staged in Northern Ireland following the stunning recent success of golfers from the country. Clarke joined Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy on Sunday as the third player from Northern Ireland to win one of golf's four Majors over the previous 13 months, an unprecedented run of success for the region. Now Clarke believes the Royal and Ancient Club should attempt to capitalise on the surge of popularity for golf in Northern Ireland by bringing the oldest tournament in the sport to Royal Portrush. R&A chief executive Peter Dawson has not ruled out a move to the course but has repeatedly cautioned the body needed to assess whether Portrush was capable of meeting infrastructure needs. However Clarke was adamant that Portrush was fit to host the event for the first time since 1951. "There is a lot of momentum behind it and this course is fit to host any tournament," he said at a homecoming press conference at the club. "Logistics are tough when it comes to staging majors like the Open, or the Irish Open. "But, if the R&A look at it, we play at Royal Lytham, which is a smaller acreage than here, and hopefully they can reassess. "With us doing so well it would be great to see us get a major championship here." Clarke has also donated his Open winners medal to the Royal Portrush club, where it will be displayed alongside that of Fred Daly for his 1947 success. "I have been fortunate enough to have played around the world but, living in Portrush, this is the best course in the world and I am privileged to give them the medal so people can come into the club and see it," Clarke said. "It maybe would have ended up in a drawer at home so I am glad people can come here and see it.