Overview
- The 2026 Amgen Irish Open is being staged at Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg and begins on Thursday, with a White House official saying President Donald Trump plans to attend during his two-day state visit to Ireland this weekend.
- Rory McIlroy said the event will “feel different” with the president present but told reporters players will “keep our heads down and play,” highlighting a pragmatic stance from the tournament’s leading competitors.
- Organisers and security teams have prepared enhanced protection that is expected to shrink spectator access around parts of the course and complicate logistics for the weekend sessions.
- The field is star-studded, featuring McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry and others, and coverage notes ongoing turbulence at LIV Golf that could reshape where some players compete in the coming months.
- Beyond immediate crowd and security effects, hosting a national open at a course owned by the sitting president raises optics questions for the DP World Tour and could influence future event planning and fan access at high-profile venues.