It was always going to be a very special week with The Open returning to Royal Portrush for a first occasion in 68-years and the AGWs annual dinner seemed to reflect the occasion.

Some 280 AGW members and guests gathered in the Links Pavilion to honour Francesco Molinari, the AGWs 2018 ‘Golfer of the Year’ who had everyone laughing when he spoke of possibly now taking the AGWs trophy to bed ala 2018 Ryder Cup.

Graeme McDowell needed to be asked just one question by MC Iain Carter for all in attendance to understand why he was the recipient of the ‘Arnold Palmer Open’ award.

And there was Wilma Erskine, the long-time Secretary at Royal Portrush who was overwhelmed in receiving the AGWs ‘Services to Golf’ Award.

Indeed, Wilma was afforded a standing ovation in being handed the award by newly-appointed AGW Chairman Martin Dempster.

Earlier, Martin had singled out all Irish members of the AGW in attendance to stand and be recognised for their own collective reporting efforts in The Open returning to Northern Ireland.

Table setting for the 2019 AGW annual dinner

Table setting for the 2019 AGW annual dinner

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Francesco Molinari of Italy receives the AGW Golfer of the Year Award from Martin Dempster the chairman of the Association of Golf Writers during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND – JULY 16: Francesco Molinari of Italy receives the AGW Golfer of the Year Award from Martin Dempster the chairman of the Association of Golf Writers during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland receives the Arnold Palmer AGW Open Award from Martin Dempster the chairman of the Association of Golf Writers during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Graeme McDowell receives the Arnold Palmer AGW Open Award from Martin Dempster, Chairman of the Association of Golf Writers during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images).

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Wilma Erskine the secretary-manager of Royal Portrush Golf Club receives the Michael Williams AGW Services to Golf award from Roddy Williams during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Wilma Erskine, SecretaryManager of Royal Portrush Golf Club receives the Michael Williams AGW Services to Golf award from Roddy Williams during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019.(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Gary Player of South Africa is interviewed by the master of ceremonies Iain Carter of BBC Radio 5 Live during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Gary Player interviewed by AGW MC Iain Carter of BBC Radio 5 Live during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland is interviewed by the master of ceremonies Iain Carter of BBC Radio 5 Live during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Graeme McDowell interviewed by AGW annual dinner MC  Iain Carter of BBC Radio 5 Live during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

AGW award winner Wilma Erskine with Ardglass Secretary, Paul Vaughan, North & West Coast Links, John McLaughlin & Bert MacKay, Secretary/Manager at Castlerock GC

AGW award winner Wilma Erskine with her fellow Secretary/Managers – Ardglass Secretary, Paul Vaughan, North & West Coast Links, John McLaughlin & Bert MacKay, Secretary/Manager at Castlerock GC.

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

The Irish Times Philip Reid with Wilma Erskine at the AGWs annual dinner. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: during the Association of Golf Writers Annual Dinner and Awards at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Members of Northern Ireland Tourism at the AGWs annual dinner held at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019.  (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, Iain deserves enormous praise for his part in ensuring another highly-successful dinner that again has been reflected in so many emails received from our VIP guests.

Thank you to all those AGW members in attendance and for your support in the lead-up to the dinner.

For more photographs from the AGWs dinner go to:-