Wakefield in driving seatSimon Wakefield proved every cloud has a silver lining although not many will offer a Renault cabriolet car worth €32,500 as compensation. He also demonstrated an affinity for the number eight. That is the prize the English golfer received for holing out with his tee shot, a nine iron at the 160-yard, par-three eighth on the Palmer Course during yesterday's first round of the European Open at the K Club.
It was the ideal fillip for Wakefield who last Sunday had his clubs stolen at the Open de France, forcing him to play with a new set. Wakefield received the keys from Renault Ireland chairman Bill Cullen and has decided he will give the car to his mother, Carol. He admitted: "I wasn't sure about the yardage. I thought it was an eight iron but Pete, my caddie, felt that it was a nine. I pushed it a fraction but that took it right in line and when I saw it disappear I thought, 'wow, fantastic.' It's the eighth hole-in-one I've had but the first on tour and the first time that I have won anything.
"I will give the car to my mum as she has supported me and I bought my wife, Denise, a new Z4 BMW a few weeks ago (a decent gesture given that his wife had pranged Wakefield's Jaguar recently). We are staying with my parents at the moment and mum still does my laundry and she will be delighted."
Lawrie bites bullet
Peter Lawrie was a late withdrawal from the action yesterday following a problem with his teeth. The Irish golfer has been bothered for a couple of weeks by an aching wisdom tooth but defied the pain to produce an exceptional performance last Monday in qualifying for the British Open championship at St Andrews in a fortnight's time.
Lawrie was joint leading qualifier at Sunningdale Golf Club on the Monday and the following day visited the dentist to have the offending tooth removed. Unfortunately there was an abscess and the infection and soreness meant he was left with little option but to withdraw from the tournament that began at the K Club yesterday.
His misfortune provided an opportunity for German Sven Struver who took Lawrie's place in the tournament.
Carr on a mission
Fáilte Ireland have appointed Roddy Carr in a consultancy capacity to draw up a strategy for increasing incoming golf tourism to Ireland in the wake of next year's Ryder Cup at the K Club. Former tour player Carr will be looking to guarantee an increase in the number of visitors, specifically in the four-year period from 2006-2010. He will be looking to exploit the golfing world's focus on Ireland for the Ryder Cup.
There has been a huge increase in the number of golfers coming to Ireland in the last decade and the country was voted the international destination of the year in 2004, highlighting the appeal of Ireland as a golfing destination.
It was also confirmed former Ireland international golfer Kate McCann has been appointed executive director of the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association (IGTOA). Kate will continue her role with Mount Juliet.
Superstitious mind
It's hardly newsworthy to unearth another sportsman, in this case Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who is superstitious as they are more prevalent than those who are not. However at the K Club yesterday the recent winner of the KLM Dutch Open had substance provided for one particular foible.
The Spaniard who turned professional in September of last year went on to win the eighth card at the Tour school and celebrated his first season with a win in Holland - he has missed the cut in seven tournaments.
Fernandez-Castano has gone on record as saying: "I don't like to start with a birdie! I know that sounds stupid but for some reason I have always preferred to start the round with a par."
He wouldn't have been too chuffed then when he birdied the first on the Palmer course yesterday and less so when he eventually signed for a 15 over par, 87 that included five bogeys, two double bogeys, one treble bogey and a 10 at the par four 15th.
It wasn't a surprise he withdrew from the tournament.
Houston we got . . .
This column wasn't in a position to hear the television or radio commentary but we'd be pretty sure they availed of the opportunity to use a famous line from the Ron Howard film Apollo 13: "Houston we have a problem". Yesterday the Houston in question was Garry, the Welshman deciding to call in a day after the 11th hole with the clubhouse still in sight. At that stage he was nine-over regulation figures, a run that included four double bogeys.
He wasn't the only early casualty as Italy's Emanuele Canonica decided to call it quits after nine holes that included a quadruple bogey.
Tuition in a good cause
O2 Ireland will be helping to improve the golf games of fans at the K Club during the European Open, by providing professional tuition at its Teaching Academy, in association with Wilson, with proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society. The O2 Teaching Academy will be located to the front of the K Club hotel facing the tournament practice range, and will be manned by Irish PGA professionals from 10am to 5pm, Thursday to Sunday.
Ireland's top golfer, Padraig Harrington, will also be making a special appearance during the tournament to lend his expertise to the PGA teaching staff and fans. Catherine Tiernan, head of sponsorship, O2 Ireland, says: "We are delighted to again provide the facility of the O2 Teaching Academy and at the same time raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society."
Adult golf fans can enroll by making a a5 registration donation to the Irish Cancer Society at the O2 marquee in the Tented Village, while under-16s can avail of the tuition free of charge.
