153rd Open sets 'new benchmark' for on-course fans as well as TV viewers and digital audience

The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush has set a new benchmark for attendance, broadcast viewership and digital engagement, according to The R&A.

On the back of both Sky Sports and NBC and Peacock in the US revealing the event in Northern Ireland had delivered huge TV audiences, the St Andrews-based organisation has announced that it was a huge success as well from both an attendance and a digital perspective.

A record 278,000 fans marked the highest attendance for The Open held outside of St Andrews while, for the first time, all practice days were sold out with a record 90,000 fans attending.

Scottie Schefflertees off on the 14th hole during the final round of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club | Warren Little/Getty Images

In addition, 19,000 children were able to enjoy The Open as part of the long-running Kids go Free initiative while more than 1.2 million applications were received for tickets in the ticket ballot.

On the digital front, TheOpen.com experienced record-breaking traffic, achieving its most daily users and pageviews ever recorded with pageviews up 60 per cent compared to 2024.

The official Open App also saw its highest daily users ever, up 21 per cent, with four days recording over 400,000 users. Social media engagement soared, gaining nearly 400,000 new followers, a 178 per cent increase from 2024, and generating over 436 million views across platforms.

Event received ‘incredible support from the fans’

"The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush has truly set a new standard in attendance, TV viewership and digital engagement,” said Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A.

"The incredible support from the fans at The Open and those watching around the world combined with the outstanding performances on the course to create an atmosphere that will be remembered for years to come.

“These record-breaking figures are a testament to the enduring appeal of The Open and the passion of the fans for links golf at its finest. We are immensely proud of what we have achieved together with our partners.”

The ticket ballot for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale has also seen the highest number of applications since 2022 for the championship held at St Andrews.