For the first time in more than 60 years, the British Open is headed across the Irish Sea.

The R&A announced Monday that golf’s oldest championship will return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the first time since Max Faulkner won in 1951. That was the only time it was held outside Scotland or England since the Open began in 1860.

“We have every confidence Royal Portrush will prove to be an excellent venue in every way,” R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said. “There is passionate support in Northern Ireland and we expect there will be huge interest.”

Dawson said it was the “worst-kept secret,” although one mystery remains – the year.

To bring the links course up to modern standards of a major championship, the R&A has recommended using the golf architecture firm Mackenzie & Ebert to create new 17th and 18th holes. Royal Portrush club members would have to sign off on the proposal, though that is likely to be a formality.

The next available date is 2019. Dawson said it could be “a year or two longer than that.”

“It has been more than 60 years since the Open was played here, and it’s been too long,” Dawson said. “And we’re very excited to be coming back.”

For years, there has been a quiet push to bring the Open back to Portrush and the movement picked up momentum with the success of three players from Northern Ireland. Graeme McDowell won the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Darren Clarke captured the British Open a year later at Royal St. George’s. Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open in 2011 and then the PGA Championship in 2012.

Throw in Padraig Harrington, and Irish golfers won seven of 22 majors during one stretch.

What really caught Dawson’s attention was when Royal Portrush staged a wildly successful Irish Open in 2012, which attracted some 130,000 fans for the week. And then Martin Ebert suggested the right changes to the links course to make it all work.

More than just a golf course, the Open now requires room for such amenities as a television compound and a tented village. Dawson said the R&A would be investing several million pounds (dollars), without giving a more detailed estimate.

“No Open venue is immune from the march of time,” he said. “They all move and they all have to keep up. This isn’t any different from that, except that it hasn’t had an Open for a long time.”

Portrush also has held the Senior British Open six times, and is hosting the British Amateur this week.

The British Open this year is being played at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, which had gone 39 years until it returned to the rotation in 2006 with a popular win by Tiger Woods. Turnberry off the Ayrshire coast in Scotland went 17 years without an Open, despite a history that include the famous “Duel in the Sun” between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. That required work on the roads to alleviate traffic.

Dawson said the work involved to get Royal Portrush in shape for an Open “is a little bit more.”

“That perhaps reflects the time gap,” he said. “It’s over 60 years since the championship has been here. The requirements of a modern championship are very different from what they were then. But it’s something that’s manageable.”

ATZENBRUGG, Austria – Mikael Lundberg ended a six-year title drought with a gutsy 40-foot putt in a playoff against Bernd Wiesberger to win the Lyoness Open on Sunday.

The Swede birdied the first playoff hole to deny Wiesberger a second victory at his home event after 2012. It was Lundberg’s third European Tour title after winning the Russian Open in 2005 and 2008.

“It feels fantastic, it was very nice. I made a fantastic putt,” said Lundberg, who was six strokes off the lead overnight. “I knew I was far behind and I even didn’t think I was going to win. I was just hoping to play well.”

Lundberg, who made three birdies in a row on his way to a 65, and Wiesberger, who shot 69, were tied at 12 under after the fourth round.

Defending champion Joost Luiten, who teed off the final day with a two-shot lead over Wiesberger, carded a par 72. The Dutchman finished third, one stroke off the lead.

“I didn’t play great,” Luiten said. “Nothing went my way, really … If you are two clear, you want to win, you want to finish it off. If you don’t do that, you are disappointed.”

England’s Lee Slattery, who was second after Friday’s play, scored 66 to finish another stroke back in fourth.

Lundberg topped the leaderboard for the first two days but looked to have squandered his chances with a 4-over 76 on Saturday.

“I felt a little bit more pressure going into the third round since I was leading,” Lundberg said. “Today was slightly better, not the long shots, but my short game was very good. That changed everything.”

Lundberg’s improved short game helped him overcome several disappointing seasons that left him wondering if he was ever going to win a title again.

Just weeks ago, he started working with coach Neil Jordan, and said he has been gaining confidence from the cooperation.

“I have been struggling,” said the 40-year-old Lundberg, who came through Q School for the last three years. “We started working on a few things. Not very different things, just basics … I worked a little bit more on my short game which is now starting to pay off.”

It was Lundberg’s second win in a playoff after the Russian Open in 2005 . With a victory, Wiesberger would have become the first Austrian to qualify for the U.S. Open. He can still make it but is now dependent on results from the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee, later Sunday.

Wiesberger was loudly cheered through the sun-soaked day by a large home crowd. He soon overtook Luiten with birdies on the first and third hole and stayed ahead of the Dutchman almost throughout.

However, he lost a one-stroke lead over Lundberg with three holes to play.

“I had it in my hands,” Wiesberger said. “He had a great putt, he deserves it but I lost it a bit. I didn’t play great.”

Daniel Im of the United States carded the lowest score of the tournament with a 8-under 64 despite double-bogeying the par-4 fifth. Im had 10 birdies including five on the final six holes to finish 7 under for the tournament.

ATZENBRUGG, Austria – Defending champion Joost Luiten aims to become the first Dutch golfer to retain a title on the European Tour after taking a two-stroke lead over home crowd favorite Bernd Wiesberger going into the final day of the Lyoness Open.

Luiten carded seven birdies and dropped one stroke on Saturday to shoot a 6-under 66 and go 11 under for the tournament. Wiesberger, who won the event in 2012, also had a round of 66.

“I am in the position where I want to be,” Luiten said. “I need to play well again and focus on my own game.”

Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay was four strokes behind Luiten in third, while England’s Adam Gee was another stroke back in fourth.

Overnight leader Mikael Lundberg shot a 4-over 76 and dropped six strokes off the lead. The Swede double-bogeyed the par-4 third and had five more bogeys.

Luiten went top of the leaderboard with five birdies on the front nine. He dropped a stroke on the par-3 14th but birdied two more holes on the back nine.

The Dutchman singled out a long putt on the 17th as his best shot of the day. The birdie helped him stay two clear of Wiesberger, who birdied the 18th to the delight of the cheering home crowd.

“I played really, really well on the first 12, 13 holes,” Luiten said. “I could have done even better but I had that bogey on the 14th. After that I didn’t play great but I kept myself in it. Just one bogey is pretty good on a course like this.”

Wiesberger, who is ranked 69th, will need to win the tournament to enter the top 60 and earn a starting place at next week’s U.S. Open. But the Austrian said he won’t think about a possible trip to Pinehurst, North Carolina, before his home tournament is over.

Wiesberger carded five birdies on the first 10 holes before dropping a stroke on the par-4 11th. He gained two more strokes on the back nine.

“I am very happy,” he said. “I’ve done pretty well and made a good move. I played decent on the back nine … unfortunately I couldn’t take advantage of the par-5s.”

Wiesberger played a final-round 65 two years ago and said he will likely need a similar score to give himself a chance of overtaking Luiten.

“The way I hit the ball today, I can shoot that again,” Wiesberger said.

David Horsey of England carded the lowest score of the day with a 7-under 65 to trail Luiten by six. Horsey gained a stroke on the first hole and then made five consecutive birdies from the fifth. He added two more on the back nine before dropping a stroke on the par-4 17th.

ATZENBRUGG, Austria – Mikael Lundberg exploited perfect playing conditions for early starters in the second round of the Lyoness Open on Friday in a bid for his first European Tour title in six years.

In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over England’s Lee Slattery and two over Paraguay’s Farbrizio Zanotti (68).

Slattery carded a 6-under 66, which started with three birdies on the first four holes and was rounded off by an eagle on the par-5 16th.

“I hit some really, really good shots today,” said Lundberg, who won the Russian Open in 2008. “Starting early means the course was slightly softer. On the back nine it started to dry out and that it made it harder.”

Lundberg said he had been “working really hard the last couple of months so I am glad it pays off.”

England’s Adam Gee, who shared the overnight lead with Lundberg, hit a 73 and dropped to 4 under for the tournament, while Sihwan Kim of South Korea improved to 6 under with a 68.

Defending champion Joost Luiten and Rhys Davies of Wales followed at 5 under.

Slattery missed the cut in his last four events but has regained his confidence at the event where he finished ninth last year.

“We moved house, got married and had a baby so it’s been a really hectic six to nine months,” Slattery said. “It’s nice to find a little bit of form.”

Luiten, who finished the opening day on level par, put himself back in contention with a 5-under 67. Starting on the back nine where he dropped three strokes on Thursday, the Dutchman avoided bogeys this time and hit five birdies in total.

“It was a bit easier as there was no wind today. My swing felt a bit better,” Luiten said. “You have to be on the fairway, otherwise you’re in trouble. Five under is a good score, I am definitely back in there.”

Home favorite and 2012 champion Bernd Wiesberger improved to 3 under with a 70 but Miguel Angel Jimenez, a two-time winner this season, dropped to 1-over par. The Spaniard carded a disappointing 75 after suffering three double bogeys on Nos. 7, 10 and 11.

ATZENBRUGG, Austria– England’s Adam Gee and Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg shot 5-under 67 to share a one-stroke lead on a windy and cloudy opening day of the Lyoness Open on Thursday.

Starting on the back nine, Gee eagled the par-4 14th hole but bogeyed the 18th before carding three birdies on the front nine.

Lundberg hit six birdies and lost a stroke on the par-3 second. The Swede, who came through the European Tour Qualifying School for a third straight year, is looking for his first title since winning the Russian Open for a second time in 2008.

Lundberg said he’s improved since working with new coach Neil Jordan: “I am more solid from the tee onto the green. You have to be careful out there, and don’t take unnecessary chances.”

The pair led a group of four which finished at 4 under, including Wales’ Rhys Davies, England’s Richard Finch and Mattew Baldwin, and American Berry Henson.

Defending champion Joost Luiten from the Netherlands hit three birdies in his opening four holes. Later, however, he struggled to hit the fairways and dropped to 1 over before finishing his round level par with his fourth birdie on the 17th.

Miguel Angel Jimenez overcame three bogeys in the first eight holes to card a 2-under 70.

The 50-year-old Spaniard, who resides in Vienna since marrying an Austrian in May, is seeking his third win of the season. Starting on the back nine, he bogeyed the par-4 11th and 17th and the par-3 14th but recovered with four birdies.

“It’s OK, it’s under par,” Jimenez said. “It’s not easy because of the wind.”

Former champions Jeev Milkha Singh of India, Kenneth Ferrie of England, and Bernd Wiesberger of Austria each shot a 71.

ATZENBRUGG, Austria– England’s Adam Gee and Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg shot 5-under 67 to share a one-stroke lead on a windy and cloudy opening day of the Lyoness Open on Thursday.

Starting on the back nine, Gee eagled the par-4 14th hole but bogeyed the 18th before carding three birdies on the front nine.

Lundberg hit six birdies and lost a stroke on the par-3 second. The Swede, who came through the European Tour Qualifying School for a third straight year, is looking for his first title since winning the Russian Open for a second time in 2008.

Lundberg said he’s improved since working with new coach Neil Jordan: “I am more solid from the tee onto the green. You have to be careful out there, and don’t take unnecessary chances.”

The pair led a group of four which finished at 4 under, including Wales’ Rhys Davies, England’s Richard Finch and Mattew Baldwin, and American Berry Henson.

Defending champion Joost Luiten from the Netherlands hit three birdies in his opening four holes. Later, however, he struggled to hit the fairways and dropped to 1 over before finishing his round level par with his fourth birdie on the 17th.

Miguel Angel Jimenez overcame three bogeys in the first eight holes to card a 2-under 70.

The 50-year-old Spaniard, who resides in Vienna since marrying an Austrian in May, is seeking his third win of the season. Starting on the back nine, he bogeyed the par-4 11th and 17th and the par-3 14th but recovered with four birdies.

“It’s OK, it’s under par,” Jimenez said. “It’s not easy because of the wind.”

Former champions Jeev Milkha Singh of India, Kenneth Ferrie of England, and Bernd Wiesberger of Austria each shot a 71.

MALMO, Sweden  – Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee quickly won a playoff against Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and France’s Victor Dubuisson to clinch the Nordea Masters on Sunday.

Jaidee birdied the par-5 18th at PGA Sweden’s Lake Course while Gallacher and Dubuisson could only make par.

Earlier, the 44-year-old Jaidee hit six birdies and an eagle three on the 11th to finish in 7-under 65 and an overall 16-under 272 for his sixth European title.

“I worked hard today,” Jaidee said. “I started with three birdies in a row, had another one on six, then a good comeback on 11.”

He said he was nervous on the last few holes.

“The golf course is wide open, you have to hit good golf shots and the weather helped a little bit,” he said.

Dubuisson could have avoided the playoff with a birdie on the 18th, but three-putted from just off the green for a 67.

Gallacher (68) appeared to be out of the race when he bogeyed at No. 17, but he converted from 20 feet at the next.

Second-ranked Henrik Stenson (71) shared the lead with England’s Eddie Pepperell after the third round. The Swede found himself needing an eagle on the last to win his home title for the first time but bogeyed after pushing his second off the green and ended fifth behind Robert-Jan Derksen (65) of the Netherlands.

Pepperell (72) went in water at the same hole and finished tied for sixth.

MALMO, Sweden – Second-ranked Henrik Stenson shot an 8-under 64 to share the third-round lead with England’s Eddie Pepperell at the Nordea Masters on Saturday.

Stenson had seven birdies along with an eagle on the seventh hole and a lone bogey, leaving the Swede at 13-under 203 on PGA Sweden National’s Lakes Course.

Pepperell shot a 65 that included eight birdies and one bogey.

Stenson is winless this year after sweeping the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup last season.

“It would be huge to win at home in Sweden. I haven’t done that before so it’s something I really want to do. I’ve got a good chance, but there’s a long way to go,” Stenson said.

The highlight of the day was his 155-yard eight iron on the seventh hole.

“It was an awesome shot. I hit a lot of good iron shots last year, but none that went in so it was about time,” Stenson said.

Pepperell said he was excited to be sharing the lead with Stenson coming into the final day.

“Henrik is one of the best players in the world, he’s in fine form and it is his home country,” the Englishman said. “I couldn’t ask for much more really from a final round.”

Scotsman Stephen Gallagher (65) and Alvaro Quiros of Spain (66) were one stroke behind heading into the last day, while fifth-place France’s Victor Dubuisson shot a 67 for an 11-under total.

MALMO, Sweden – Spain’s Alvaro Quiros shot a 5-under 67 Friday to move to the top of the Nordea Masters leaderboard along with Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and Eddie Pepperell of England.

All three are 6 under after two rounds on the PGA Sweden National’s Lakes Course.

Even though Quiros had two eagles, he was disappointed with his putting.

“I’ve been hitting the ball very well from tee to green, but even with the scores I’ve had I have not putted great,” Quiros told europeantour.com.

Second-ranked Henrik Stenson birdied the last hole to move within a shot of the leaders. Fellow Swede and Masters runner-up Jonas Blixt missed the cut after his second consecutive 74.

“Sometimes golf is tough. Nothing went my way, but I can’t say I made a fool of myself. I played pretty well for 30 holes,” said Blixt, who had two double bogeys on the first day.

Several players struggled in the strong winds including Miguel Angel Jimenez who shot a 73 on the day for a 2-under total.

MALMO, Sweden – Sweden’s Jens Dantorp and Eddie Pepperell of England both opened with 6-under-par 66s to share the lead after the first day of the Nordea Masters on Thursday.

Boosted by the support of family, friends and other fans in Malmo, the 25-year-old Dantorp hit six birdies and no bogeys on his home course.

Looking ahead to the second round Dantorp said: “I cannot promise another bogey-free round but I’ll try to keep playing and putting well.”

Pepperell surged to the top of the leaderboard with three birdies on the last five holes.

“I played well today and I hit the ball better, which is the main thing for me. I’ve not been hitting the ball that well over the last couple of weeks, despite some good results,” he said.

Scotsman Stephen Gallacher, Daan Huizing of the Netherlands, Northern Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and Swedes Rikard Karlberg and Sebastian Soderberg trailed the top duo by one shot.

World No. 2 Henrik Stenson hit seven birdies but four bogeys spoiled things for the Swede, who finished with a 3-under 69.

“No catastrophe, but I feel like I left a couple of shots out there,” said Stenson, who was irritated by spectators not keeping their mobile phones on silent.

“We have problems with mobile phones whether we play in China, Germany and apparently also in Sweden,” he said. “People can take as many pictures as they want, as long as they turn the sound off.”