Rory McIlroy believes the R&A are "seriously looking" at staging the Open Championship outside the UK for the first time, with Portmarnock a possible venue.
The world number two sang the praises of the north Co Dublin links following an opening round of 69 in the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club.
"I think they are seriously looking at it. I think it would be fantastic," McIlroy said.
"I was looking forward to Portrush but [concerned] in terms of how it would do commercially; there's so many other considerations to hosting a major championship apart from it being a great golf course.
"There has to be a lot of stuff that makes sense, but having a course that's so close to a major city, so close to a major airport, having a great golf course, I think it would be amazing."
Portmarnock is eligible to stage R&A events after voting in 2021 to admit women members for the first time in its history, with nine women elected as full members in December last year.
The course will host the 121st Women's Amateur Championship in 2024, although infrastructure and access could remain an issue for bigger events like the Open.
Watch the Horizon Irish Open for all four days on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 1pm during the week and 1.10pm at the weekend
