Paul McGinley considered his position as a former junior member of the host club. But before he could look to any consequent edge in the £108,000 Smurfit Irish Professional Championship, which starts at Co Louth this morning, he found himself saying: "Everybody loves Baltray." In the event, their affection for this fine venue is certain to be enhanced by an impressive, £1 million facelift which was completed a few days ago. Started last June after the end of the East of Ireland Championship, it involves a new reception area, new professional shop and significantly upgraded locker-room and shower facilities, all at the rear of the clubhouse.
Quite a deal of other work, however, is out of sight, below ground level. "We installed a new effluent treatment plant, along with new plumbing and heating," explained secretary/manager Michael Delany. It is yet another example of sound management in an eminently sensible club. Co Louth have long been admired for the emphasis they placed on getting their course up to the highest standards before they concentrated on clubhouse improvements. Now, they can be proud of what has been achieved, outdoors and indoors.
This is their fourth staging of the national championship, which was won by Harry Bradshaw in 1947, by Des Smyth in 1985 and by Philip Walton in 1987.
Meanwhile, the leading challengers this week have their own individual reasons for wanting to do well. McGinley would like to justify his status as favourite for the title for the first time, while Walton could use a boost before heading for the Tour School later this year. And as Smyth pointed out: "It would be nice to win here, especially in view of my comeback to the Dunhill Cup team next week."
But Gary Murphy had, arguably, the most practical reason of them all. "I've just bought a house in Kilkenny and I can really use the money," he said of the first prize of £16,600.
The defending champion is Neil Manchip, the Royal Dublin teaching professional, who was a surprise winner at The Island last year, when he finished three strokes clear of Darren Clarke.
In the absence of Clarke and Padraig Harrington, who are competing at Wentworth, McGinley is the clear favourite, not least for his recent form on the European Tour. Winner of this title at Fota Island in 1997, his last three finishes in Europe were 15th, seventh and 14th for a cumulative reward of £28,000. And he produced a timely 64 in the German Masters, before the final round in Cologne was washed out last Sunday.
In terms of local knowledge, he and his caddie, J P Fitzgerald, could be considered worthy rivals for local man Smyth. Fitzgerald, twice runner-up in the Irish Close Championship, has been a member of Baltray for the last 20 years, and actually played regularly there with McGinley when they were teenagers.
Despite yesterday's wind and rain, the course remained in outstanding condition, especially the greens which putted beautifully - fast and true. McGinley is a logical favourite, but Smyth, who has a special feeling for this event, will be extremely difficult to beat on home terrain.
Selected tee-times
9.10 (10th tee) - Gordon Fairweather, Michael Allan, Paul McGinley; 9.20 (1st) - Gary Murphy, Leslie Walker, Peter Hanna; 12.30 (10th) - Martin Sludds, Michael McGuirk, Neil Manchip; 12.40 (1st) - Kevin Morris, Damien McGrane, Philip Walton; 12.40 (10th) - Phillip Collins, John Dignam, Eamonn Darcy; 1.10 (1st) - Damien Mooney, Des Smyth, Brendan McGovern.
Pro-Am
In heavy rain and high winds, Des Smyth carded seven birdies to take the top professional prize in the pre-championship ProAm at Baltray yesterday. His supremacy was such that he achieved a two-stroke margin, despite a bogey at the long 18th which was playing into the teeth of the wind.
Ashbourne professional John Dwyer led in the winning team with a highly creditable 89 points, given the conditions. Nine-handicapper Michael Quish, a member of the winning team last year, made an impressive contribution of four gross birdies.
