MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE MAJOR CHANGES

NEW FINISHING HOLES NEEDED FOR 

PORTRUSH TO BECOME  OPEN VENUE


FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

Weekend reports of an impending announcement of the award were premature – tournament organisers responding that 'some distance' remained from being able to stage The Open in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951.
But it can now be revealed the note of caution was sounded so as not to compromise delicate negotiations involving changes to the famous old course and requiring consent of the Royal Portrush club membership.
The changes which must be made at Portrush to accommodate an event on such a vast scale are so great, they'll be permanent.
And all sides in the talks accept that it'll take more than one 'hit' to justify the inconvenience and expense involved.
In reality, before any sweeping changes can be made to the links, they must be approved by the members of Royal Portrush at an Emergency General Meeting.
And an EGM, which requires two weeks' notice, will only be called in the event of an invitation from the Royal and Ancient to host the Open. Negotiations have been wide-ranging, detailed and supposedly have proceeded smoothly, but they've yet to reach that formal stage.
It's quite a liberty to suppose members of Royal Portrush will row in with the proposals without very careful consideration. After all, this represents a crossroads in the club's history.
Changes include the building of two new finishing holes. After 16, the new 17th would sweep into the adjacent Valley Course, with the 18th heading back towards the clubhouse.