FRANCIS HOWLEY is taking rather a circuitous route from Sun City to Durban to compete in the FNB Players' Championship which starts on Thursday. Instead of a short, internal flight in South Africa, the 26 year old is travelling there via Sligo and Nairobi. And compatriots Padraig Harrington and David Higgins could be confronted with a similar problem.
It's all part of the tough baptism which these Irish rookies are facing on the PGA European Tour. For Howley and Higgins, the problem stemmed from an anxiety to guarantee themselves competitive action. It led them to Nairobi on Sunday to claim places in this week's Kenya Open, which has now become part of the European Challenge Tour.
There, they met up with Harrington who had travelled from Dublin. A rapidly changing situation in the Tour's entry department, however, has resulted in Howley and Harrington both gaining places in the Durban field for which Higgins is currently seventh reserve.
Howley, who was informed of the change after only six hours and nine practice holes in sun drenched Kenya, has jumped at the chance of competing in another European Tour event, albeit at considerable expense. Harrington's prospects, however, rested with the International Management Group, which was yesterday attempting to get their client a South Africa visa.
"I've become a real jet setter," said Howley, who has travelled almost 20,000 miles in the last six days. He was in South Africa until last Tuesday when he decided to fly home to Rosses Point instead of to Kenya because "I was fed up with the weather."
He went on: "I got into Nairobi yesterday to prepare for the Kenya Open. Now I'm off again." With financial help from the Milltown and Co Sligo clubs, he has already spent almost £2,000 on air fares, not counting today's trip to Durban. "It's all money, money, money but I've got to grab the chance of playing the main tour. The experience will stand me in good stead."
Harrington, on the other hand, is reluctant to withdraw from the Kenya Open which is being played on the splendid Muthaiga course in Nairobi. "This is a very nice place and it would be a shame to leave so soon after getting here," he said yesterday.
Like Howley, however, he couldn't afford to turn down the chance of playing in Dutan. So, on the assumption that a visa is forthcoming, the pair will be on the lunchtime flight out of Nairobi today: Higgins won't know his fate until this morning.
Meanwhile, David Feherty will head the Irish challenge there, after a splendid performance in claiming runner up position in the South African Players' PGA Championship yesterday morning. The weather affected event left competitors with a tight travel schedule insofar as they were on the move within two, hours of yesterday's finish.
Other Irish challengers at Durban CC will be Ronan Rafferty, Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Darren Clarke, John McHenry and Paul McGinley. Raymond Burns and Philip Walton have returned home. The event is a particularly daunting one for Clarke insofar as it is being held at a venue where he has yet to break 76.
Jack Nicklaus needs only one more tournament victory to reach a significant milestone in his remarkable career. By winning the GTE Suncoast Classic on the US Seniors' Tour last weekend, Nicklaus recorded his 99th victory worldwide, and so has won at least one tournament each season since he entered senior ranks in 1990.
Significant progress is being achieved in the senior scene in Europe, where the overall prize money has increased from £1 million to £1.44 million for the coming season. The top event in a schedule increased from 11 to 13 events is the second staging of the Senior British Open at Royal Port rush where challengers will be competing for a fund of £350,000.
