ALL eyes are on Portstewart as some of the world's top golfers are set to arrive for the start of the Irish Open.
For the third time in six years, the massive golfing spectacle is taking place in Northern Ireland with Portstewart Golf Club the venue for this year's event.
Local hotels and luxury homes around the north coast are hosting some of the world's finest golfing stars with many already here in anticipation of the start of the tournament on Thursday.
Today sees the beginning of the practice rounds with some of the golfers expected to be out on the fairways to familiarise themselves with the course.
Rory McIlroy will be hoping to defend his title, but it won't be easy as one of the strongest ever fields for an Irish Open will be joining him on the fairways.
Golfers from around the globe including Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Thomas Pieters will be competing as well as Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Andrew Johnston.
It will be also be an opportunity for local golfers Graeme McDowell, who grew up in Portstewart and played the course as a young boy and the 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke who lives just round the corner in Portrush, to play for the title.
Royal Portrush played host to the Irish Open in 2012 and Royal County Down in Newcastle was the venue in 2015, but it is the first time Portstewart Golf Club, founded in 1894, will host the European Tour event.
The Irish Open Pro AM takes place tomorrow with celebrities such as Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, TV presenter Vernon Kaye, actor Jamie Dornan and singer Shane Filan all taking part, while Two Door Cinema Club will be performing at the opening ceremony tomorrow night.
The first day of competition will be Thursday with predictions it will be biggest Irish Open in the tournament's 90-year history. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to go through the doors until Sunday when the tournament draws to a close.
