Adare Manor named 2026 Ryder Cup Venue

Adare Manor in Ireland has been confirmed as the host course for the 2026 Ryder Cup.

Adare Manor has been confirmed for the 2026 Ryder Cup venue as the biennial tournament returns to Ireland for the contest between European and the United States.

Ryder Cup Europe today announced the five-star resort will follow in the footsteps of Whistling Straits in Wisconsin (2020), Marco Simone in Italy (2022) and Bethpage Black in New York (2024).

It means The Ryder Cup will be staged in Ireland for the second time, 20 years after The K Club hosted the 2006 contest when Team Europe – under the captaincy of Ian Woosnam and featuring three Irishmen who would go on to captain Europe over the next decade; Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley – memorably defeated the United States by a record margin of 18½ – 9½.

Guy Kinnings, European Ryder Cup Director, said: “We are delighted to announce The 2026 Ryder Cup will be staged in Ireland at Adare Manor which is a world class venue, both in terms of the golf course and the wider resort facilities.

“Today’s announcement would not have been possible without the support of An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Irish Government who are in receipt of our grateful and heartfelt thanks. Months of careful negotiation behind the scenes have seen us arrive at this point and we could not be happier to be able to take golf’s greatest team contest back to Ireland.

“Equally in receipt of our appreciation are Adare Manor owners JP and Noreen McManus and their entire team at the magnificent County Limerick venue. JP has shown unwavering support for golf and the European Tour over many years and we are delighted that Adare Manor will be the venue to showcase the next chapter in Ireland’s Ryder Cup story in seven years’ time.

“Aside from having provided three Captains over the past four editions, in addition to world-class talent such as Rory McIlroy, Irish players such as the late Christy O’Connor Jnr, Philip Walton, Eamonn Darcy, Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley are intrinsically linked with providing Europe’s winning moments over the years.

“Added to that the fact that Irish golf fans are rightly recognised as some of the most knowledgeable and passionate in the world, as was shown during Shane Lowry’s emotional Open Championship triumph at Royal Portrush on Sunday, there was no question in our minds that the time was right.”

The government agreed to sign off the proposal on Thursday morning to be in charge of the funding and infrastructure costs they would incur – expected to be tens of millions of euros – but the actual cost of hosting the event will be entirely taken up by Adare Manor and owner JP McManus. The benefit to the economy is estimated at more than 160m euros.

The news comes just a few days after Irishman Shane Lowry won the Open Championship at Royal Portrush on the major’s first return to Ireland since 1951, with record breaking crowds in attendance.

What you need to know about Adare Manor

Adare Manor is an ode to ambition. When bought by horse racing billionaire JP McManus in 2014, it was already one of the world’s elite golf resorts. But McManus had grander plans, hoping that one day in the not-far-off future it would host the Ryder Cup. So he drafted in Tom Fazio (with the help of Padraig Harrington) and gave the financial backing to turn Adare Manor from special into peerless.

Robert Trent Jones Snr’s original 1995 routing has not been changed, but it now looks and plays very differently. More than 180,000 tonnes of sand, SubAir systems for every green and miles of drainage piping now sit under the pristine turf, ensuring the course is always immaculate.

Comparisons with Augusta are inevitable, and not just because Fazio redesigned both. The greens are fearsome and the slopes subtle. Misjudge your approach (or putt) and white sand bunkers and large run off areas await. And if they don’t catch you out, the many lakes, streams or the River Maigue might. These water hazards now intersect all but four of the holes, while 12 hand-cut stone bridges add to the many ‘signature’ features that occupy the 842-acre estate.

Among them is a five-star castle hotel, which reopened in November and houses a 42-bedroom wing, ballroom and cinema. The entire property is dripping in prestige and has the star power and a billionaire owner to boot, and was named the world’s best hotel for 2018.

The cost of the €70 million redevelopment was funded by owner JP McManus, who has made no secret of his desire to play host, and said he was delighted with the announcement.

“I am delighted that the prestigious Ryder Cup will return to Ireland. We were very happy that Adare Manor was chosen as the venue for this world renowned tournament in 2026 and we look forward to welcoming our worldwide visitors.  

“It is a wonderful tribute to the many great Irish golf ambassadors and success stories Ireland has had in golf over the years and a nice follow on from Shane’s momentous Open win on Sunday in Portrush.  The nation was behind Shane, it was a great achievement and very well deserved. 

“I am confident that the people of Ireland will get behind The Ryder Cup and take the opportunity to showcase Ireland on the world stage and ensure that The 2026 Ryder Cup will be an outstanding success.  

“I hope the many tourist, golfing and business organisations will work together to identify all the opportunities for the benefit of The Ryder Cup, the Irish economy and across the south west community.”

What the players say about a Ryder Cup at Adare Manor

Paul McGinley

“It ticks every single box you need for a Ryder Cup,” says the 2014 Ryder Cup captain. “There’s loads of space, loads of space for corporate hospitality, loads of space around the 18th, the golf course is really strong and in an incredible position.”

Rory McIlroy

“There is nowhere in Europe – definitely not in Ireland – with greens as fast and as firm as these are. There’s a great variability in how the course will play. The whole idea behind the setup is that it can be changed so the holes can play distinctly different.”

Padraig Harrington

“Condition wise, the golf course could not be any better. I could stand on that apron by the 18th green and pitch all day. I think it’s an amazing facility. The condition of the golf course is just unbelievable.”

Shane Lowry

To be able to play a golf course of this standard in Ireland is unique. Tom Fazio is the Rory McIlroy of golf course architecture. I’m 100% behind this being a [Ryder Cup] venue. It would represent the European Tour incredibly well.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley was also suitably impressed when he visited the course last month. “The golf course is an absolute masterpiece, truly remarkable. The condition is impeccable and the design is as good as I’ve seen.”