Graeme McDowell wants the "British" open played at Portrush, Co.Antrim - huh ?

vicwatson

Irish Independent website today-

Star golfer Graeme McDowell has declared it his dream to play the Open Championship in his hometown of Portrush as he vowed to help bring Major golf back to Northern Ireland.

"I know myself and Rory would be behind a Northern Ireland event with the potential of then getting the British Open back to Portrush, that would be something," he said, stressing the importance of securing sponsors.

"That is a dream of mine. To play the Open Championship in Portrush is a wild dream, to play a European Tour event in Portrush is an achievable dream and I will do everything I can to make it happen."

Since when is Co.Antrim in "Britain" ?

PseudoFamous

vicwatson wrote: »

Since when is Co.Antrim in "Britain" ?

Since the partition? Granted, it's only part of the UK, but the UK open doesn't sound right.

TiGeR KiNgS

PseudoFamous wrote: »

Since the partition?

about 600 years before that ?

chave

FYI - It's called the Open championship.

amcalester

The competition is referred to as The British Open but its actual name is The Open Championship.

So this is a non-story.

The King of Moo

Well it's not in Britain, the island to the east of us, but it is in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which I think is close enough to allow it to qualify to host it,

Riskymove

vicwatson wrote: »

Since when is Co.Antrim in "Britain" ?

happened before

It was July 1951 when Royal Portrush made real headlines on the world stage by becoming the first (and last) golf course outside Great Britain to host the British Open Golf Championship, an event won by Max Faulkner with an aggregate score of 285 over four rounds.

the Senior Open Championship has been held there too

Riskymove

The King of Moo wrote: »

Well it's not in Britain, the island to the east of us, but it is in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which I think is close enough to allow it to qualify to host it,

surely the authorities could choose to host it anywhere they like? I dont think there are any legal requirments

KeithAFC

Hopefully it happens. Rory and McDowell, two great players.

Rabidlamb

There is no storm, there is no teacup either.

RMD

It can be played in Northern Ireland, I don't see why this is such an episode OP.

Lustrum

I can't believe we let the French have the Tour de France here in 1998!

At least a load of us speak the language of Britain, it's close enough

The King of Moo

Riskymove wrote: »

surely the authorities could choose to host it anywhere they like? I dont think there are any legal requirments

Maybe they could, what with it technically being called The Open Championship. Maybe it's like the way they have different parts of The Tour de France in other countries.
I'm guessing the organisers would like to at least keep it in the Commonwealth though.
I remember a few weeks back someone was looking for tips on being the ultimate troll. He should start a thread suggesting it be held in the Republic and named the Queen Elizabeth II Open.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

TiGeR KiNgS wrote: »

about 600 years before that ?

Not really, seeing as Ulster was the last province conquered by England. I'd say Portrush was fairly late falling under British control. And the concept of 'Britain' didn't really exist until 1707.

Micky Dolenz

NI is part of Britain. I don't get the outrage.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

NI is part of Britain. I don't get the outrage.

No its not. Its part of the UK.

Micky Dolenz

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

No its not. Its part of the UK.

Yeah, whatever. You can get a British passport if you are from NI.

My name is URL

It's never referred to as the Great Britain Open, and we do live on an island situated in the British Isles, so..

GavRedKing

Let them play there, they have my support.

Riskymove

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Yeah, whatever. You can get a British passport if you are from NI.

well you can get an irish pasport if you like, so that doesn't really prove anything

ScumLord

It was July 1951 when Royal Portrush made real headlines on the world stage by becoming the first (and last) golf course outside Great Britain to host the British Open Golf Championship, an event won by Max Faulkner with an aggregate score of 285 over four rounds.

Doesn't sound like it went to well.

2ygb4cmqetsjhx

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

NI is part of Britain. I don't get the outrage.

Yes. And I really have three testicles!

KeithAFC

I really don't see the problem. People from the Irish Republic can easily travel up to Northern Ireland and to Antrim to see it. Bit of a baffling thread to be honest.

Riskymove

ScumLord wrote: »

Doesn't sound like it went to well.

its more that there are a lot more courses in England, Scotland and wales competing to get it......Portrush is probably the only oine in NI with enough history and quality to get a look in

Micky Dolenz

Be pedantic all ye like.

Senna

ScumLord wrote: »

Doesn't sound like it went to well.

Last, to date.

Would love to see it played in Portrush, or even Royal Co.Down. Hopefully both their resent success will mean its a possibility.

Lustrum

KeithAFC wrote: »

I really don't see the problem. People from the Irish Republic can easily travel up to Northern Ireland and to Antrim to see it. Bit of a baffling thread to be honest.

Exactly! I'm sure there are plenty in this part of the island who would love the chance to get up and see some of the best golfers in the world. We all saw the support for McIlroy over at the US Open, imagine what it would be like in Portrush, it would be Special-Olympics-opening-ceremony-2003 tingling

CdeP

It would be great if The Open Championship (!) were to be held at Portush although, as Graeme seems to be acknowledging, it's unlikely. The necessary facilities simply aren't there.

No reason why the Irish Open shouldn't be held up North, though.

mike65

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Yeah, whatever. You can get a British passport if you are from NI.

Riskymove wrote: »

well you can get an irish pasport if you like, so that doesn't really prove anything

It proves Nordies can have their fcuking state subsidised cake and eat it till they spew!

citytillidie

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Yeah, whatever. You can get a British passport if you are from NI.

Its a UK passport not British

CdeP

Riskymove wrote: »

its more that there are a lot more courses in England, Scotland and wales competing to get it......Portrush is probably the only oine in NI with enough history and quality to get a look in

Well Royal County Down certainly has "enough history and quality" but unfortunately those aren't the only criteria which determine where The Open is held.

weemcd

fúck this type of retarded recurring thread, could do with being closed already.

"wear not British"
"noo, wtffook are ye talkin about, dis map says British Isles, hurr"

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Micky Dolenz

citytillidie wrote: »

Its a UK passport not British

You do know they are the same passport, right.

pickarooney

OP, since when is After Hours in the golf forum?

ejmaztec

pickarooney wrote: »

OP, since when is After Hours in the golf forum?

He's a bit below par today, 800 to be exact.:(

Browney7

I never thought I would ever agree with KeithAFC on anything but I'm in agreement here. Total non issue. It would be brilliant if it came but I doubt it will happen for a while yet.

recyclebin

not another nordy thread. boring....

haydar

Who cares what its labelled? I think it would be great to see another big sporting event on this island. It would be great for Rory and Graeme too

Orando Broom

Padraig Harrington had to convert to protestantism to claim the Open trophy. He is now called Peter Mountharrington.

Zebra3

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

You do know they are the same passport, right.

There is no such thing as a British passport.

Wazdakka

Rabble rabble rabble...

Up the RA!
800 Years!
Murdering Bastards!
I'd ride Mary Lou McDonald!

Rabble...

Wolfe Tone

Who the fcuk cares

And its not pedantic to point out that no part of Ireland is part of "Britain".

Fratton Fred

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Who the fcuk cares

And its not pedantic to point out that no part of Ireland is part of "Britain".

Not even Dublin?

LondonIrish90

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Who the fcuk cares

And its not pedantic to point out that no part of Ireland is part of "Britain".

Why Britain in quotation marks?

That fabled land the travellers say lies across the big misty water? :pac:

Bottle_of_Smoke

Portrush may not be on the island of Great Britain but "British" is shorthand for citizen of "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

There is no such thing as a British passport.

The UK passport has "British Citizen" on it. Pissed my flatmate from Derry off no end last year every time I pointed it out to him. (he went with the British one because he needed it for a last minute trip and the Irish one would have taken longer)

ejmaztec

Good for tourism, as some of them might decide to come down here, mingle with the natives, and hand over some cash.

Fratton Fred

ejmaztec wrote: »

Good for tourism, as some of them might decide to come down here, mingle with the natives, and hand over some cash.

There's a lady in Ballybrack that'll let you mingle all you like for cash.

I think she's eastern european though.

Wolfe Tone

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Not even Dublin?

No, not even Dublin lol

Sid_Justice

I think the original poster follows the train of though that Britain refers to the island east of Ireland containing England Scotland and Wales, Great Britain is the same island including Northern Ireland and the channel islands or what ever.

I think in political terms and in very common and widespread usage, Britain is used to describe things of the United Kingdom. So you don't have United Kingomish currency, you have British currency. You don't have United Kingomish nationality you have British nationality. While maybe people in Britain would refer to themselves as English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish as appropriate I think the most correct description of their nationality is British.

So in my opinion I don't think it's incorrect or misleading to call an event taking place in Northern Ireland that's representative of the United Kingdom to be called British.

Fundamentally I think the logic behind the original posters comments are flawed, he is wrong. There is no problem here (if there even was as someone said it's only colloquially referred to as the British Open).

LondonIrish90

Zebra3 wrote: »

There is no such thing as a British passport.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/britishpassports/

orourkeda

vicwatson wrote: »

Irish Independent website today-



Since when is Co.Antrim in "Britain" ?

Theres this new thing called the six counties which happen to be a part of the united kingdom