Trump set to attend star-studded Irish Open at Doonbeg
Trump set to attend star-studded Irish Open at Doonbeg. US President Donald Trump – who owns the Doonbeg venue – is expected to attend the Irish Open.
What happened
BBC Sport looks ahead to the Irish Open with Rory McIlroy trying to defend the title and President Trump poised to attend. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Defending champion Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry are three of the biggest names competing this weekByMatt GaultBBC Sport NI senior journalistPublished7 September 2026, 07:52 BSTWith the dust settling on Great Britain and Ireland's dramatic Walker Cup win at Lahinch, the action shifts 16 miles further down the west coast of Ireland as a quality field descends on Doonbeg for the 2026 Irish Open.
With several star names in action and no shortage of storylines to follow throughout the week, here is everything you need to know about the Irish Open. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, McIlroy's 72nd hole eagle earned rapturous acclaim from The K Club crowd last yearWho to look out forWhile McIlroy will attract much of the attention in Doonbeg, he must fend off a high-quality field if he is to join European legends Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie on three Irish Open wins.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Rahm returns to the Irish Open in fine form after being crowned the LIV Golf individual champion for the third consecutive yearWill Trump be there? Donald Trump to meet Irish president on two day visitPublished4 days agoIrish Open tee timesThe tee times will be released on Tuesday. Twelve months ago, The K Club staged an Irish Open for the ages as home favourite Rory McIlroy captured his second title in dramatic fashion.
The wider picture
The Irish Open precedes the tour's flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which will be played next week. The win – which came nine years after his first Irish Open title – provided a well-timed boost for McIlroy just three weeks before he helped Europe retain the Ryder Cup with victory over the United States at Bethpage Black in New York. Two-time major winner Jon Rahm joins McIlroy in chasing a third Irish Open win after successes at Portstewart in 2017 and Lahinch two years later.
In addition, there is a strong European Ryder Cup flavour in the form of captain Luke Donald, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, who pipped McIlroy to the 2024 Irish Open at Royal County Down. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka also returns after missing the cut on his Irish Open debut last year. Trump will be in Ireland this week as part of a two-day visit during which he will meet Irish President Catherine Connolly and hold a bilateral meeting with the Taoiseach [Irish prime minister] Micheal Martin.
He is expected to arrive in Ireland on Saturday and may present the Irish Open winner with the trophy on Sunday evening. A brief historyThe Irish Open was first staged in 1927 and this week is the 71st edition of the event.
What has been reported
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The par-three 14th has a stunning backdropFormerly known simply as Doonbeg, the links course was designed by former world number one Greg Norman and opened in 2002. Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMichigan will continue to start Bryce Underwood at quarterback despite struggles in the season opener, although coach Kyle Whittingham added Monday, "At some point, we've got to turn a corner. " It comes shortly after Icelanders voted to reject restarting EU membership negotiations and as Trump renews his push to acquire Greenland on national security grounds.
The startup paused some of its AI research and training after the Hugging Face attack, but the security incidents haven't stopped OpenAI from releasing new products. The six-time major winner again headlines a stellar field as Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in County Clare hosts the tournament for the first time. Five months after completing the career Grand Slam with a memorable win at the Masters, McIlroy sealed an emotional win in front of an ecstatic Irish crowd by beating Joakim Lagergren in a play-off.
The 2019 Open champion finished tied 15th last year. Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and two-time PGA Tour winner Seamus Power add further Irish interest.
What happens next
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1 overall recruit, began his second season as Michigan's starter and first under Whittingham by completing 12 of 20 passes Saturday against Western Michigan, including a 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown to JJ Buchanan as time expired to secure a 13-12 win. After engineering an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the game, Underwood and the Wolverines did not score again until the final play. Underwood started throughout 2025 as a true freshman, passing for 2,428 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and he was a top priority for Whittingham to retain after Michigan hired the coach in December.
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The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk, espn.com, cnbc.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.