THE venue was different buff a traditional Easter challenge remained largely the same, as competitors in the Ulster Bank sponsored West of Ireland Championship braved punishing conditions at Enniscrone yesterday. As it happened, Kieran McCarthy from Kinsale was the only player to match the par of 72 in a strong, north westerly wind.
Generally, scoring hovered around the 80 mark in this, the first round of strokeplay qualifying. In fact the defending champion, Garth McGimpsey, shot 81 and it seems likely that totals as high as 160 will survive this evening when the leading 64 go through to the matchplay stage.
Given the nature of the decision to switch venues, because of the sub standard condition of the Rosses Point greens, Enniscrone responded admirably. Considerable midnight oil was burned so that the new clubhouse extension would be completed in time, while the general condition of the links drew much favourable comment.
With the wind sweeping the course from Killala Bay, the opening par fives soon got the blood pumping. Tom Ford, the 6ft 5ins Co Sligo player, would not be among the more timid of strikers but he needed a drive, three wood and five iron, all well struck, to reach the green at the 551 yard first. And a six iron third shot was necessary at the 535 yard second.
That sort of challenge, difficult enough of it sell, was greatly exacerbated by the painfully slow pace of play. By late afternoon, three balls were taking up to five and a half hours, which might be tolerable in Florida sunshine, but hardly in this circumstance.
East of Ireland champion Noel Fox was among the sufferers. "It's cold out there," he said with some feeling. "Concentration became a major problem and I hit a lot of silly shots though allowing myself to become frustrated.
Most notable among them was his tee shot at the forbidding 13th, an uphill par three of 202 yards, playing almost directly into the wind. Fox thought he could reach the semiblind, bunkerless target with a hooked four iron. But the intended hook became a wretched cut, which was followed by three pitches and the almost inevitable three putts.
McGimpsey suffered on the greens where, by his own admission, he lost confidence as the round progressed. "I hope it's only a temporary problem," he said, before heading to the putting green with his trusty Zebra in hand.
Ford's 74 was interesting, not least for the fact that with an exact handicap of 2.5, he got into the field only as a replacement. "I putted really well," he said. In fact my short game was generally in good shape, which it had to be to score in those conditions." So it was that he completed the splendid approach work of a drive and four iron downwind, to eagle the 540 yard 12th with a 12 foot putt.
Jody Fanagan, on the other hand, had to rely heavily on good course management for a well crafted 77. "I'm still struggling with my game but I concentrated on keeping the ball in play - and it worked," he said.
McCarthy, a 26 year old onehandicapper, is a member of the Cork team which will complete in the final stages of the All Ireland Inter County Championship in two weeks. Belying his lean physique, he had the power to get a rare birdie at the 403 yard 16th. He reached the green with a seven iron into the wind and then holed a 20 foot putt.
Indeed the key to his score was McCarthy's back nine which he covered in two under par 33. "My short game was really sharp, particularly my chipping," he said. After pitching to four feet for birdies at both the 10th and 12th, no further explanation was necessary.
