The Irish Open 2026 moves to County Clare this week as a world-class field arrives at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg following Great Britain and Ireland’s dramatic Walker Cup victory at Lahinch.
The tournament is being staged 16 miles down Ireland’s west coast from Lahinch and comes one year after Rory McIlroy produced a spectacular finish at The K Club to claim his second Irish Open title.
The six-time major champion returns as one of the headline attractions at Doonbeg, where he will face a strong field before the DP World Tour moves to England for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth next week.
McIlroy’s dramatic Irish Open victory
McIlroy enters the Irish Open 2026 as defending champion after one of the most memorable finishes in last year’s tournament.
Five months after completing the career Grand Slam with his Masters triumph, the Northern Irishman defeated Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren in a dramatic play-off at The K Club.
McIlroy was two shots behind heading into the 72nd hole but produced a remarkable 25-foot eagle putt to force a play-off. He eventually secured the championship on the third extra hole.
The final round featured a tense battle involving McIlroy, Lagergren, overnight leader Adrien Saddier, Angel Hidalgo and Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who moved into contention after making a hole-in-one at the third.
The victory was McIlroy’s second Irish Open crown, nine years after his first, and gave him important momentum ahead of Europe’s successful Ryder Cup defence at Bethpage Black three weeks later.
Irish Open 2026 field packed with stars
McIlroy will be among several major names competing in County Clare, with Jon Rahm also targeting a third Irish Open title.
Rahm won the tournament at Portstewart in 2017 and again at Lahinch in 2019. The Spaniard arrives after securing the LIV Golf individual championship for the third consecutive year.
The home challenge is led by Shane Lowry, who famously won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009. The 2019 Open champion finished joint 15th last year and is looking for his first individual victory in four years.
Young Irish star Tom McKibbin is another player to watch. The 23-year-old was in contention at last month’s British Masters before a triple bogey early in the final round dropped him to a joint-sixth finish.
Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and two-time PGA Tour winner Seamus Power add further strength to the Irish contingent.
Ryder Cup stars and LIV players
The Irish Open 2026 field also features several players with strong Ryder Cup connections, including European captain Luke Donald, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard.
Rasmus Hojgaard famously finished ahead of McIlroy to win the 2024 Irish Open at Royal County Down.
Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is also back after missing the cut on his Irish Open debut last year.
Several LIV Golf players are competing as well. McKibbin, England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Chilean Joaquin Niemann are among those from the breakaway circuit taking part.
Rahm’s appearance comes amid continuing uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf following the early conclusion of its season after the withdrawal of financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Trump expected at Doonbeg
US President Donald Trump, who owns the Doonbeg resort hosting the tournament, is expected to attend the Irish Open.
Trump is due to visit Ireland for two days, with meetings planned with Irish President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
He is expected to arrive on Saturday and could present the Irish Open trophy to the winner following Sunday’s final round.
Irish Open history
The Irish Open dates back to 1927 and this year’s tournament represents the 71st edition.
The championship has been staged at 21 different courses across the island of Ireland, including some of Europe’s most famous links venues.
Portmarnock has hosted the tournament more often than any other course, with 19 editions. Royal Portrush and Royal County Down are among the other renowned venues that have welcomed the championship.
The tournament has also attracted generations of elite European golfers. Previous winners include McIlroy, Rahm, Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance and Ben Crenshaw.
With McIlroy seeking another home victory, Rahm targeting a third title and a deep field of major champions and Ryder Cup players, the Irish Open 2026 promises another highly competitive week of golf in County Clare.
Internal link suggestion: Link “Rory McIlroy” to your previous article about his 2025 Irish Open victory, and link “Ryder Cup” to your related Walker Cup or Ryder Cup coverage.
