IRISH OPEN COUNTDOWN:PLAYERS WHO arrived here early for the 3 Irish Open were yesterday greeted with a picture postcard view across the lakes to the MacGillycuddy Reeks, an idyllic scene-setter for what could prove to be a low-scoring birdiefest on the Killeen course.
“I think scoring will be low,” conceded tournament director David Probyn.
But, then, as Darren Clarke put it, “What’s wrong with low scoring?”
Indeed, Probyn confessed to being “really pleased” with the course set-up, even allowing for the fact the rough is not as tough as desired.
“We came here in May-June and there was not a drop of rain for two months and the place was really burned out quite badly. So, to see the recovery to what we have got now, it is really pleasing.
“Ideally, we would like to have some more rough,” said Probyn.
“We know we are little light on the rough front. But it has come a long way since the drought of May-June.”
Among those to get an early inkling of what can be expected during the championship were US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, who accompanied Ulster amateurs Paul Cutler and Alan Dunbar in a practice round, playing all 18 holes, while Pádraig Harrington retired to the short game area to work on his bunker play after getting acquainted with the course.
Clarke is still awaiting word on an invitation from the PGA of America. With invitations starting to arrive last week – Shane Lowry, for example, got his ticket to Whistling Straits confirmed last Thursday – Clarke is aware there is another cut-off point next Monday, so he will probably need to jump a couple of places in the rankings or otherwise hope the PGA look favourably on him given his past endeavours in the States and also his proximity to the top-100.
Of course, a good week’s work here would allow him to solve the matter himself.
In Harrington’s case, it is a matter of turning his season around. The Dubliner, whose last win came in the 2008 US PGA, has blown hot and cold this season, most disappointingly at the British Open a fortnight ago where he missed the cut.
“I need a win, yeah,” he admitted. “I haven’t had one for two years, but, then, take a look at the statistics. When people talk about a player being in form or not, they talk about how many top-10s he might have had. It’s not a way of looking at form that I have used in the past. But, over the past year, I have had 14 top-10s and I don’t think throughout my career I have ever had as many as that before. So, I must be in the form of my life!”
What he and the other 155 players in the field will face is a course in fine condition, and playing slightly shorter than planned. A decision has been taken to reduce the 11th – which normally plays as a par five – to a par four for the championship, measuring 444 metres (486 yards) off the forward tee.
“There were a couple of reasons,” explained Probyn of the decision.
“It is short for a (par) five these days and the tee also is hard up against the fifth tee, so it is not a great move for us crowd-wise. It’s better to play off the forward tee.
“It gives a bit of space (around the tee), and off the forward tee it is a good challenging hole. It’s a straightaway par four.”
Consideration was also given to changing the seventh back to a par four, but Probyn resisted this and it will remain a par five of 469 metres (513 yards).
“It’s a dogleg with water around the green. If it does play into the wind and guys can’t get it past the trees on the corner, then you start to look a bit silly,” said Probyn. The course will play to 6,548 metres (7,161 yards), with a par 71.
“I think scoring will be low. There’s a lot of shortish par fours, good birdie opportunities,” added Probyn.
He also made the point that it won’t be a case of target shooting by any means.
“The forecast is 15-20 miles per hour winds every day and we can get the greens at a reasonable pace and tuck the pins away. You’ve got to think your way around this golf course.”
The last of the sponsor’s invitations was divvied out yesterday, with Danny Sugrue getting the call to join Colm Moriarty, Gary Murphy and Philip Walton.
Sugrue’s inclusion, in fact, brings the number of Irish players in the field to 27 – 23 professionals and four amateurs – and the strength is strong on both the numerical and the quality fronts. McIlroy, ranked eighth in the world, is the top-ranked player in the field.
“With the strength of Irish golf at the moment, the top Irishman in the field is going to have a really good chance of winning on Sunday,” said Harrington.
