A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Big D misses out: World Cup team stays the same
DARREN CLARKE'S British Open Championship victory was not enough to get him into Ireland's two-man team for the World Cup in China in November.
As world number four, Rory McIlroy had the right to choose Clarke, Graeme McDowell or Pádraig Harrington to be his partner, and he opted for McDowell.
“G-Mac’s the next highest on the rankings, so it will be me and him again,” the 22-year-old said.
Clarke moved up from 111th to 30th with his triumph at Sandwich.
McIlroy and McDowell represented Ireland the last time the World Cup was staged two years ago, finishing second to Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari.
Ireland have twice won what is known as the World Cup: in 1958, in Mexico City, Harry Bradshaw and Christy O’Connor won the Canada Cup, while Harrington and Paul McGinley won in 1997 at Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
Perspective: Crumlin gift
JUST AS Rory McIlroy got some perspective on his life after paying a visit to the earthquake victims in Haiti in the run-up to his US Open win last month, so too Graeme McDowell, who paid what he called an "eye-opening" visit to Crumlin Children's Hospital this week.
The Dublin hospital is one of three children's hospitals to benefit from the Graeme McDowell Foundation, along with the Royal Hospital in Belfast and the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando.
"My foundation is going to be something to give me a little perspective in life. When I'm having a rough day on the course, to be able to think of people that I've met (in the hospital) and realise it's not all bad. It's a sport and it's not life or death."
No hiding: On the radar
HAVING BREEZED in under the radar at Baltray a couple of years ago – and almost bankrupted a number of bookmakers in the process – Shane Lowry comes into an Irish Open these days with a degree of expectation.
In an attempt to quell that expectation, Lowry adopts a different approach.
"I know it's an Irish Open but I'm coming down here just to try and treat it as another tournament, trying to prepare as good as I can and see how it pans out at the end of the week," said the Offaly man.
"I'm going to do my best, prepare my best and try and play my best. If I win, I win, if I don't, if I come 10th or 20th, that's as good as I could have done."
Rock hopes to roll on: Major aim is slot in US PGA
ROBERT ROCK must feel he is due a rub of the green at the Irish Open. Two years ago, he lost out to then amateur Shane Lowry in a play-off at Baltray and, last year, the Englishman was disqualified for signing for a wrong score. A case of third time lucky?
"I got a bit of cash out of it, and I'll be forever grateful for that," said Rock of his near-miss at Baltray when he got to keep the winner's cheque of €500,000, which remains the biggest cheque of his career. "But it would be nice to win this as well," he added.
Rock, who made his break-through win in his 13th year as a professional in last month's Italian Open, heads into the tournament on the cusp of securing a place in next month's US PGA in Atlanta.
Currently 102nd in the world rankings, Rock needs to break into the top 100 to secure an invitation to the season's final Major.
"I feel like I can start trying (to contend in majors). I was expecting better at the Open and it didn't really happen. I just didn't do it, was very disappointed.
"But I feel as if my game is good enough to take to most venues, so I want to keep playing more."
IRISH BIG BOYS HELP AMATEURS
THE FOUR amateurs in the field have been picking the brains of the pros in the run-up to the tournament.
Kevin Phelan, the Florida-based player from Waterford, practised with Pádraig Harrington; Paul Cutler and Dermot McElroy spent time with Shane Lowry; while Alan Dunbar (above) got to play a round with Darren Clarke.
