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REPRO FREE *PRESS RELEASE NO REPRODUCTION FEE* EDITORIAL USE ONLY Golf Ireland And The R&A Announce The Launch Of The Road to The Open 5/3/2025 Golf Ireland and The R&A today announced the launch of The Road to The Open at Royal Portrush, an initiative designed to harness the legacy of The Opens return to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA, was joined by Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly, representatives from The R&A, Royal Portrushs Championship Committee, and local schoolchildren who participated in a taster golf session. Pictured is the Claret Jug. The Claret Jug 5/3/2025 PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRLxFRAxNZL Copyright: x INPHO/LaszloxGeczox LG_002894

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REPRO FREE *PRESS RELEASE NO REPRODUCTION FEE* EDITORIAL USE ONLY Golf Ireland And The R&A Announce The Launch Of The Road to The Open 5/3/2025 Golf Ireland and The R&A today announced the launch of The Road to The Open at Royal Portrush, an initiative designed to harness the legacy of The Opens return to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA, was joined by Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly, representatives from The R&A, Royal Portrushs Championship Committee, and local schoolchildren who participated in a taster golf session. Pictured is the Claret Jug. The Claret Jug 5/3/2025 PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRLxFRAxNZL Copyright: x INPHO/LaszloxGeczox LG_002894
Sunday admission at The Open was £130 in 2025 and will cost £150 in 2026. For next year, the R&A has priced the final round at a number that represents a 46% jump from this year. Fans have already worked out what that means for the 155th Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland, and they are not holding back after the price reveal for all the days.
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Golf writer John Turnbull shared the official ticket prices for the event, with practice days starting from £40 and increasing as the week progresses.
The championship round tickets, scheduled from July 15 to 18, are priced as follows:
- Adult admission costs £150 on Thursday and Friday (this is 20 more than what a fan paid to watch the final day’s play at the Royal Portrush in 2025).
- It costs £170 on Saturday.
- On Sunday, it is £190.
Youth tickets, for ages 16-24, are available at half price throughout the week, while children under 16 receive free passes under the ‘Kids Go Free’ initiative.
R&A has revealed ticket prices for next year’s @TheOpen at St Andrews.
Practice days starting from £40. Up to £190 for an adult ticket on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/S5fdVi88gh
— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) June 4, 2026
The prices for 2027 in other categories have seen a significant jump compared to recent editions of The Open Championship.
| Wednesday | 400 | — | 1,000 |
| Thursday | 875 | 1,550 | 3,000 |
| Friday | 925 | 1,650 | 3,250 |
| Saturday | 925 | 1,650 | Sold Out |
| Sunday | 975 | 1,750 | Sold Out |
For example, Championship Day tickets for the 2024 Open held at Royal Troon Golf Club were priced between £95 and £110 for adults. At the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club, adult tickets for weekend rounds reached £120. This year’s regular ticket prices are actually close to, but less than, next year’s.
One of the biggest contributing reasons for that is the demand St. Andrews Links generates. The R&A received 1.3 million ticket applications for the 2022 Open Championship and distributed 290,000 general admission tickets. This would rise for 2027 as the field is expected to comprise some of the world’s best players, like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Additionally, the 2027 championship also marks 100 years since Bobby Jones won at St. Andrews. It is a milestone that makes the event historically significant beyond just the standard Open rotation.

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Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2019 Swilcan Bridge with the R&A Building in the background during third and final round on Sunday at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2025 on the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf Club, Fife, Scotland. 05/10/2025. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit Golffile Fran Caffrey Copyright: xThosxCaffreyx *EDI*
“The Open returning to St Andrews is one of the truly iconic occasions in the sporting world, and the demand to attend the Championship at the home of golf is always extremely high,” said Mark Darbon, chief executive of The R&A.
“We want The Open to be accessible to as many people as possible and are proud to continue offering free admission for under-16s and discounted tickets for young adults as part of that commitment.”
“By attending The Open, fans are also helping to support the future of golf with proceeds generated by the championship reinvested in activities which underpin our recently announced new strategy, which aims to inspire more people to play and engage with golf more frequently worldwide, sustaining the sport’s positive current momentum.”
The announcement drew open disagreement on social media, with fans from across the golf community sharing their frustration.
Fans compare the Open Championship to the Ryder Cup
One fan wrote, “People will pay for St. Andrew’s, but eventually numbers will decline as the prices are becoming silly now.”
The concerns carry weight when considered in relation to the ballot system the R&A uses to manage demand. In fact, the Open Championship at St. Andrews has historically been oversubscribed, which gives the R&A significant pricing power at the venue.
Another fan wrote, “Pfttttt £150 for a Thursday/Friday ticket is edging towards becoming silly money. I do hope The Open doesn’t end up like the Ryder Cup 💰.”
Ryder Cup ticket prices have long been cited as some of the highest in sport, with demand so far outstripping supply. The R&A has consistently argued that The Open revenue funds the growth of golf at every level, from grassroots to elite competition. However, the latest prices go against that argument, as more and more fans find it hard to reach the championships.
One fan connected the pricing to a broader cost picture. They commented, “£100 for the Open at Troon two years ago and now £150 for next year at St Andrews. Not to mention the overpriced merch, food, and drink stalls, too. It’s getting ridiculous now.”
“People will pay for St. Andrew’s, but eventually numbers will decline as the prices are becoming silly now,” wrote another fan.
“Then the cost of merchandise, food, and drinks when there takes the pi**,” said one person.
At the 2024 Open at Royal Troon, the R&A charged £7.5 for a pint of beer on site, a price that drew its own criticism from fans and local groups before a ball was struck. The on-course concession costs are a familiar complaint at major championships.
At the Masters, by contrast, food prices have remained largely unchanged for years. A club sandwich costs $3, a beer costs $6, and their iconic pimento cheese and egg salad sandwiches have stayed at $1.50. So maybe it’s high time the Open Championship starts regulating its price as well.
Another fan went straight to the sports governing body. They wrote, “Shocking prices, how is this growing the game?”
The R&A’s most recent participation data shows 65 million adults now play golf across its affiliated markets, with junior participation also rising sharply. The governing body points to those numbers as evidence that Open revenue is working, but making the tournament itself financially inaccessible to the fans who follow it closely sits uneasily alongside the agenda growth.
Written by
Edited by

Riya Singhal


