The Amgen Irish Open is under way on the Clare links. Trump International Golf Links & Hotel at Doonbeg hosts the DP World Tour event from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 September 2026, with Rory McIlroy back to defend the title he won last year.
Round 1 brought classic west-coast golf weather — gusts strong enough to move balls on greens and slow groups to a crawl between tee boxes. Early colour from the course had Chile’s Joaquín Niemann posting a sparkling 65 that looked like a course-record marker, while McIlroy reached the turn in a tidy two-under 34 before the afternoon got tougher. Treat any mid-round numbers as a snapshot — for the live board go straight to the DP World Tour leaderboard rather than a social screenshot.
Home names to watch
Beside McIlroy, the Irish interest includes Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Séamus Power and Mark Power, with Tom McKibbin among those making early noise on the card. Big overseas names in the mix include Jon Rahm and Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed — field depth that makes every session worth following even if you are watching from Dublin rather than the dunes.
Getting there — do this properly
Park-and-ride is the way in. Access around Doonbeg village and the resort is restricted for the week; the N67 and R484 corridors will be congested, especially once Saturday’s presidential visit traffic adds to the golf crowd. Do not trust satnav to invent a clever shortcut through closed local roads — follow official event and Garda diversion signs.
If you are still in the capital first: Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo stay closed until 6pm Saturday for the Dublin leg of the visit — practical detail in our park and Zoo closure guide.
At a glance
- Event: Amgen Irish Open 2026 (DP World Tour)
- Where: Trump International, Doonbeg, Co Clare
- When: Thu 10 – Sun 13 September 2026
- Defending champion: Rory McIlroy
- Travel: park-and-ride · expect N67/R484 restrictions · ignore clever satnav hacks
- Live scores: europeantour.com
LoveBelfast has a shorter NI companion for fans following from home: Irish Open at Doonbeg — Rory defending (Belfast angle).
