Meet the unsung heroes playing a key role in ensuring The Open Championship 2025 is an event to remember

More than 1,800 volunteers are scattered throughout the iconic Dunluce links serving in a number of roles, from stewards to marshals and accessibility officers to drivers, all playing an important role as Northern Ireland stages its first Open since 2019.

Fans have travelled from across the globe to get a taste of the action – some from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand – and the sense of excitement continues to build on the north coast ahead of the tournament getting underway on Thursday.

Most of the star-studded field began to filter in throughout Monday, including home favourite Rory McIlroy, who was amongst the first out onto the course, teeing off at 7am – around 12 hours after he sealed a second-placed finish at the Scottish Open in North Berwick.

Course marshal Paul started his shift on the first fairway at 11am, therefore missing out on McIlroy, but has still watched a host of high-profile names pass through.

This is Paul’s second consecutive Open at Royal Portrush having served in the same role in 2019 when Shane Lowry stormed to victory and he’s excited to have one of the best seats in the house once again this week.

"I’m stationed here at the first but we rotate positions so in an hour we will move down and the rest of the course will move around,” he said. “One day you could start off on the tee box and another you might start on the green.

"I started at 11am today and will finish around 4:30pm. We missed Rory and some of the bigger names because we started later, but we will get to see them throughout the week – I’m doing today and tomorrow, rest day Wednesday and then will be back on Thursday.

"The experience in 2019 was brilliant. The atmosphere on Saturday night was electric as Shane Lowry took the lead and with him being an Irish player the crowd really got behind him.

"On Sunday the atmosphere was great and I’m hoping it’ll be the same this year.”

For Jamie, a keen golfer from England, a chance to get his first experience of not only Royal Portrush, but also Northern Ireland, was too good to pass up and he’s using his holidays to serve as a steward.

He’s currently floating around an area between the first tee and the second spectator village, handing out useful guides to allow fans easy access around the vast course, which is certainly living up to expectation.

"I’m an information steward and we have different locations around the course...we’re here to answer questions and hand out course guides,” he said. “The buzz is getting greater each day and you can feel the crowd building as well.

"I’ll be here all week. I came over from England for The Open and it’s a great opportunity to be part of this tournament – hopefully I’ll get to see some golf after my shifts!

"This is my first time in Portrush and first time in Northern Ireland. I drove on Saturday over one of the hilltops and the sight of it...there were blue skies – people are telling me it’s one of the best days Northern Ireland have ever had!

"Just seeing the course for the first time, the dunes, the undulations of the course, how green it was, how well maintained it is, I’ve never actually seen anything like that before. It was amazing.”

There are hundreds of golf carts roaming around Royal Portrush with some transporting players to various parts of the course, others playing a key role in broadcasting the tournament to a global audience – personnel from Sky Sports and American channel NBC are both flying around making sure everything is perfect for television.

Having a quick chat with one driver as we await the marshals to let a growing crowd flow across the first fairway after competitors tee off, he says: “This is such an iconic course and it’s amazing to be here...I’m not sure how many laps I’ll end up doing this week!”.

While 156 players all arrive in Northern Ireland holding a dream of writing their name into the history books at one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments, there’s only one on everybody’s lips – McIlroy.

The home hope, who set the course record aged 16 after shooting 61 in 2005, arrives in fine form and having completed the career Grand Slam, but there’s something a little bit different about this one, as shown by missing the cut here six years ago.

McIlroy lifting his second Claret Jug on Sunday evening would provide the perfect end to what’s going to be a magical week, and steward Jamie is hopeful he can get the job done.

"I’m almost glad he didn’t win the Scottish Open because I feel it would be hard going back-to-back,” said Jamie. “He’s certainly committed – he finished last night and within 12 years was on the course out here.

"He’s definitely in the right mindset and hopefully he can bring it home.”