Irish Open:  Is there no justice? Yesterday, on a wet, miserable and unfortunately increasingly typical sort of May day which the forecasters predict is here to stay for the week, those who have pumped time and money into maintaining the Nissan Irish Open's reputation as a prized possession on the PGA European Tour could only wonder at what they had done to draw the ire of the golfing gods.

On the eve of the tournament, one with an increased purse of €2.2 million, of which €366,660 awaits the winner, there was a sense of deja vu.

Just as it had done a year ago, when this pristine course designed by Colin Montgomerie first played host to this grand old championship, the dark clouds and constant rainfall led to what US Open champion Michael Campbell described as "whingeing" in the locker-room.

Was he one of those moaning?

"I'm not a Pom," quipped Cambo, a throwaway line that should certainly add to the banter indoors, if not on the course, over the next four days.

Reactions differ when the weather turns nasty: there are those who sulk and moan, and there are those who don their wet gear, accept the conditions, and get on with it. And it would seem this latest edition of the Irish Open, just as at the first one in 1927, when George Duncan put newspapers inside his clothing to combat the inclement weather at Portmarnock, will be one of survival before determining its champion.

"There's no point whingeing about it, you've just got to get on with the job. That's the bottom line," added Campbell, who estimated that, "if the weather is cold and wet and windy before we tee-off, more than half the field will have given up already.

"Why worry about it? My whole thing is just to go out and play golf and see if you can win against the elements as well as your peers."

Campbell, rightly, is one of those favoured to be in contention come the business end of the championship on Sunday. The defection of Order of Merit leader David Howell due to a back injury means the New Zealander is one of only nine players from the world's top-50 in the field, and, at 21st in the rankings, only Henrik Stenson (12th) and Darren Clarke (20th) of those competing here are ahead of him.

The bookies have installed Padraig Harrington, without a tournament win in 11 months, as favourite, with Clarke as second favourite. That brought a rare smile to Clarke's face yesterday.

"Good old Irish bookies, they're definitely trying to get people to bet with their hearts and not their brains," remarked Clarke, who claimed to be "struggling with my ball-striking . . . I can't get the club face square. I can't control my ball flight and, therefore, I can't control my distance. So, I'm going to be in trouble an awful lot of times. I'm just really struggling with my game at the moment."

This is not a course on which to bring anything other than a game in good shape. You need to drive the ball long and straight, to place approach shots on to the right part of the green, and to putt well.

"The rough is very thick, very penal. The bunkers are very tough, (but) the greens are fantastic. If somebody does play well and gives themselves chances, they are going to hole putts because the greens are so good," observed Clarke.

The consensus of the players is that the course is in superb condition but that it will play extremely difficult, just as it did last year when Stephen Dodd triumphed after a play-off with Howell.

"It's going to be a very long, long four days out there," commented Campbell, who, like Clarke and Paul Casey, was in contention in last week's British Masters only to falter on the homeward run.

Campbell, who defends his US Open title at Winged Foot next month, is a proven winner on Irish soil. He captured the European Open at the K Club in 2002 and the Irish Open, in Nissan's inaugural year of title sponsorship, in 2003.

Last week, at the Belfry, he worked hard on his game with coach Jonathan Yarwood and believes he still has considerable room for improvement.

"Everything about my game can be improved by 20 per cent in each department, in chipping and putting and mentally," said the Kiwi. "I can see a lot of improvement, which is quite a wonderful feeling that I could go out there last week with my 'B' game and really did have a chance to win. I've seen all the top players in the world go out there with their 'B' games and still win golf tournaments."

In the opinion of Montgomerie, the man who crafted this so-called "inland links", which has characteristics more readily associated with seaside courses, this is a course that will reward quality play. As such, the world rankings are a good guide of those most likely to contend: Stenson, Clarke (despite his doubts), Campbell, Monty himself, Angel Cabrera, Harrington, McGinley, Thomas Bjorn and Niclas Fasth.

And, of course, there is the hoary chestnut of whether an Irish player can end the drought since John O'Leary's triumph back in 1982. Could this be the year?

"I'm in the situation here that I am actually looking forward to it," said Harrington. "If it happens this year, great. If it doesn't, well there is always next year."

Given the weather gods appear to have frowned upon the tournament (again!), having a number of Irish players - and there are 19 in the field - in contention would be very acceptable.

Is that too much to ask?

We'll see.