Pros advice

Wales has never had an Open contested on its land – could Royal Porthcawl be the venue to finally host one?

It is a land full of lush landscape and beauty, the ideal setting for a major golf tournament. And yet Wales has never been given the opportunity to host a single Open event, a fact which some are trying to rectify.

Wales hopes of attracting the Open for the first time is backed up by Royal Porthcawl being touted as a possible venue.

The R&A has staged golf's oldest major in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"There are opportunities to host more golfing events and I'm keen to discuss with the R&A the potential of Wales to host the British Open," said economy minister Ken Skates.

"I think it is right that if we call it a British Open that it should be hosted in Wales and I'm too keen to make sure that discussions take place with the R&A on that.

"I'll be meeting with the R&A again this summer to discuss how we take forward the potential of a British Open being staged in Wales. I think it is our time," he said.

The R&A has previously stated it had “no intention” to stage the event in Wales.

At Royal Troon last year, the Open hosted some 175,000 fans. Royal Porthcawl hosted the Senior Open in 2014, attracting 43,000 through its gates.