First Minister of Northern Ireland congratulates Scottie Scheffler on Open win
The US golfer won the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club yesterday afternoon.
The American, who finished four shots clear of the field on 17 under par, collected the coveted Claret Jug on the 18th green of the Dunluce Links in front of thousands of ecstatic fans.
"I want to congratulate Scottie Scheffler on winning The Open – what a brilliant performance over the past four days,' Ms O'Neill said.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly pictured with the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush Golf Club (Pic: Kelvin Boyles/NI.gov.uk)
"Of course he has had so much success on the PGA Tour and in other tournaments, but I have no doubt this is really special for him as it is his first time winning golf's oldest major championship,' she added.
'This year's Open has been another money-can't-buy showcase for our beautiful north coast and the amazing product we have to offer to visitors and investors. I would like to pay tribute to all the golfers, the organisers, and of course the fans who turned out in record numbers, for making this tournament such a huge success.
"It's been another incredible week for golf fans here, and I know they will be looking forward to The Open returning to our shores in the years ahead.'
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who was in the grandstand at the 18th green to see the world's number one golfer lift the Claret Jug, said she was 'delighted' for him.
"I am absolutely delighted for Scottie Scheffler, winning his fourth major here at the magnificent Royal Portrush Golf Club,' she said.
"The noise was incredible as he walked up the 18th with huge crowds lining the fairway. The atmosphere was electric; what an amazing sight.
'And what a great effort from our own Rory McIlroy, but unfortunately it just wasn't to be. Scottie Scheffler has been magnificent throughout the tournament and thoroughly deserves to be the Champion Golfer.'
She added: "It has been another fantastic Open Championship - yet again showing that Northern Ireland excels at putting on major sporting events.
"The television coverage of this week's event has been seen in more than 190 countries across the globe.
"And this worldwide exposure showing our stunning north coast and Northern Ireland as a must-visit golf tourism destination will attract more visitors to our shores and bring significant benefits for our tourism and hospitality sectors and wider economy."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Football's changed beyond belief since my first game 26 years ago – cling onto fact there's still people kicking a ball
AS CRYSTAL PALACE prepare a complex legal case against demotion from the Europa League, it makes you think. If not, it should do. That within two months of the only genuinely heart-warming moment from a forgettable Premier League season, the one feel-good factor from 12 months of humdrum routine has been blown to smithereens. 9 Crystal Palace beat Man Utd at Wembley to secure a spot in next year's Europa League Credit: PA 9 However, multi-club ownership rules saw them demoted to the Conference League Credit: Getty 9 Eagles chairman Steve Parish will battle the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Yet in less time than it takes for VAR to check for your average offside, the joy has been cut short. Because the growing trend for multi-ownership and the pursuit of power among the world's richest has put football second — again. With Eagles shareholder John Textor also having financial interests in Europa-League bound READ MORE ON FOOTBALL Two clubs under the influence of the same bloke can't compete in the same competition. And fair enough. So, Palace's What was once a little-known legal body based in a mansion in Switzerland is now becoming as big a name as And that Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 9 John Textor has since sold his stake in Palace to fellow American Woody Johnson Credit: AFP Lawyers and business tycoons have replaced centre-forwards and centrefolds as the main players at the heart of our national sport. Let's rewind to July 1999 and compare notes. The only reason I suggest this date is because that's when I started on staff at SunSport. Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas slams Uefa for denying them a Europa League place After bluffing my way through it for 26 years, this will be my last column before leaving so it's as good a point in time as any. Back then, on the cusp of the new millennium, Alan Shearer was widely reported as the Premier League's top earner on £34K a week at Shearer's £1.76million a year is dwarfed by the estimated £18.2m annually Mo Salah will trouser under his new Average wages in the UK for last year were roughly £37,000 per year. You don't have to be Carol Vorderman to work out that the gap has widened considerably. In the summer of '99, The only treble the fans can enjoy these days is a stiff one in the boozer after the latest abject collapse on the pitch at a fallen giant. But at least that's football related. 9 Man Utd completed the Treble in 1999 with a dramatic win over Bayern Credit: Getty 9 Jonny Evans' departure at the end of the season means there are no more players at the club who played under Sir Alex Ferguson Credit: Getty So much of what masquerades as our favourite sport has nothing to do with shirts, shorts and shin pads. And back when Tony Blair was still regarded as a half-decent PM, there was no VAR to kill the spontaneous release that is a goal being scored. In 1999, the beleaguered boss of the referees' union did not have to appear regularly on TV to desperately fight the corner of members. In 1999, not every defeat was considered a national disaster by over-hyped figures in the game. In 1999, clubs were not selling their own hotels back to themselves to get round spending rules. Spending rules brought in to stop nation states hoovering up our best teams at the expense of fair competition. In 1999, there were 17 managers of British and Irish descent working in the Prem. Today it's five. In 1999, the biggest transfer of the summer was Nicolas Anelka's exit from The £22.5m was considered big money. Most pertinent of all, in 1999 Premier League grounds were alive. They were not stop-offs for foreign tourists sitting in silent bewilderment while clutching bags of overpriced tat from club shops. The game hasn't gone these past 26 years but it's going. 9 Somewhere in the middle of all the legal battles, foreign takeovers, stakeholders, rights holders, influencers, extortionate ticket prices, popcorn, VAR, play-acting and social media tripe, there are still people kicking footballs. Cling on to that. CAPTAINCY IS IN LEVI'S GENES FAREWELL NOTE TO CHELSEA: During the Club World Cup, the defender grew in stature so much off the pitch and is emerging as a superb ambassador for a club that can struggle for positive PR. From discussing his secret LEGO passion, to bold declarations that When 9 Levi Colwill was integral to Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph in the US Credit: Getty JUAN-NIL LOSS BARCELONA is 920 miles from London. Marcus Rashford seems to think it is a world away. By refusing to answer any questions in English at his unveiling by the Spanish giants he has already scored a little own goal. You can pretend it's to ingratiate himself with the Catalan locals but nobody over here is really fooled. Rashford might think he has been harshly treated by the English media but I have never met a reporter who doesn't wish him all the very best and wants him to do well for his club and for And more importantly than anything to do with football, his campaign for free school meals is a standout moment as a human being. 9 Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on a season-long loan after falling out with Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim Credit: Getty It's worth remembering that his move to There'll be questions then — and no hiding place behind the lingo.
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Keating tops South qualifiers after overcoming rollercoaster college career
His uncle had a No.1 hit with Life Is a Rollercoaster but Seapoint's Dylan Keating was thrilled to get his career back on more level ground on home soil as he topped the qualifiers for the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at a sun0-kissed Lahinch. The 23-year-old Drogheda talent hit the headlines as a 17-year-old teenager when he won Regional Qualifying for the Open at Baltray. His Uncle Ronan of Boyzone fame frequently gets a mention when he plays well but when officials joked that he had to sing a song from the club balcony for winning the silver medal after he asked if he had any responsibilities, he was happy to hit the high notes on the links. On a day when a light westerly wind led to some hot scoring, Keating added a four under 68 to his opening 69 to top the qualifiers by a shot on seven under. Dooks' Conor Hickey shot a sparkling 65, Tralee's Mark Gazi a 67, Ballybofey and Stranoloar's Ryan Griffin a 68 and Royal Dublin's Sean Downes a 72 to finish tied for second as just seven of the 14 players on two-over made the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay. Former champion Sean Desmond from Douglas was the last man in after a brace of 73s. But it was also an important day for Fota Island's David Howard, the East of Ireland champion, who needed to make the matchplay to keep alive his hopes of winning an automatic spot in the Irish team for next month's Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa via his top two berth in the Bridgestone Order of Merit. After opening with a 75, Howard was five over for the championship with six holes to play but covered them in four-under and shot 70 to make the matchplay with a shot to spare on one-over. He was only marginally less happy than Keating, who admitted he considered quitting the game during his stint at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. 'I felt like I was kind of under forming there for a long time, and to come back home playing well this year, not that I expected to shoot a score like that, it was nice,' Keating said. 'I wouldn't be shy to say it's been a tough last few years. I was in Houston last year and played an event, and I said to Mum and dad, I think that's it for me in golf. Just mentally, I was struggling. I wasn't keeping the ball on the planet. 'My iron play was bad, my driver was terrible, and even my putting left me for a while. 'When I'm home and comfortable, I think that's what brings out the best of me, and that's probably why I struggled in America, just being homesick constantly.' The former Boys international harboured dreams of turning professional for a while but he's put those plans on hold and while he admits it's 'a long shot' he's hoping to win some events and get himself on the selectors' radar for next year's Walker Cup at Lahinch. Making next year's Palmer Cup team on his home course Tralee is a goal for Gazi, who is at Northwestern University in Chicago and looking impressive in west Clare. The 19-year-old made eight birdies in his 67 in just his second South of Ireland appearance and hopes to make a run in the matchplay. 'I've done a lot of match play, especially playing Boys Home internationals,' said Gazi, who is travelling with Tralee's Darren O'Sullivan, who shot 67 to qualify in sixth place on five-under. 'Whoever you are playing, you've just goto to beat the man and make sure you do that. It doesn't matter how you do it, once you do.' Most of the leading lights, such as former winners Caolan Rafferty and Colm Campbell, made the cut with ease alongside veterans such as Douglas' Karl Bornemann (level par after two 72s) and Galway's Joe Lyons, who squeezed through in 63rd place after two 73s. Hickey, who was joint second on six-under, was delighted to make it after making life tough for himself after an opening 73. 'It was a pretty big improvement over yesterday, anyway,' the 24-year-old said after a round featuring seven birdies and an eagle three at the fourth. 'I hit a few nice shots coming in and birdied the 16th and 18th hopefully I am not out at the crack of dawn.'
RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Adam Svensson scorches to 60 at 3M Open; Séamus Power seven back
Séamus Power carded an opening 67 at the 3M Open, but is seven shots behind leader Adam Svensson, who posted an impressive round of 60. Canadian Swensson had already nine birdies on his card before an eagle at the last moved him to 11 under at TPC Twin Cities. He is two shots clear of American Sam Stephens, with compatriot Chad Ramey a further shot back on eight under. Ricky Fowler is among a group of four players tied for fifth on six-under par.
