It may be a little early to lend relevance to past rivalries, but Paul McGinley and Stephen Hamill remain fascinating leaders of the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship. Impressive, six-under-par 67s at opposite ends of the draw, dominated the opening round at Baltray yesterday.
When the event went to Fota Island three years ago, the pair dominated the closing stage before McGinley eventually edged clear to capture the title. Conditions were much improved on the wretched wind and rain of Wednesday's pro-am, but McGinley still had to contend with a chilling, north-west wind when he set off the 10th tee at 9.10. But in rising temperatures, conditions had improved considerably by the time Hamill came up the 18th in the late afternoon.
The 34-year-old from Ballyclare seemed set for a course record when he was seven under par on the 12th tee. A drive into rough, however, culminated in his only bogey of the round and he parred in, making a fine par at the long 18th where he was twice bunkered.
Features of Hamill's round were an outward 32 - five under par - and eagles at the 482-yard second, where the wind strength could be gauged from an eight-iron second shot, and at the 481-yard 11th, which he reduced to a drive, six iron and a 30-foot putt. By comparison, McGinley's exploits were more evenly spread through the card. He, too, eagled the 11th where a glorious, seven-iron second shot of 175 yards left the ball within a foot of the target. From there, he went on to card five birdies and had his only blemish at the short 17th where a three-iron tee-shot was pushed into the right, greenside bunker.
His best shot of the round came into the teeth of the wind at the 419-yard ninth, where he hit a 179-yard four-iron approach to within 10 feet of the pin. And the pleasure was enhanced when he sank the putt. In fact he hit 17 greens in regulation and took a total of 29 putts, reflecting much improved form with the blade.
After indifferent recent form, defending champion Neil Manchip was clearly inspired by the occasion, while shooting six birdies in a three-under-par 70 to claim third place. Among the other former champions in close attendance is Philip Walton on 71.
The Malahide player, who is heading for the Tour School next month, birdied only one of the par fives - the 531-yard sixth. But there was partial compensation in a birdie at the 179-yard 17th where a beautifully-judged four-iron into the wind, came to rest less than five feet from the pin. "I can't say I'm pleased, but there's a long way to go," he said.
