Carefully picking his words so as to leave no doubt about the quality of what he had just done, Colin Montgomerie informed us: "I don't often say it, but that was a good shot." Minutes earlier, a five-iron from a downhill lie had flown precisely 210 yards with wind assistance, to set up an eagle-three on the 18th hole in the Murphy's Irish Open at Fota Island yesterday.
In delivering a course-record 63, the lowest first round in the history of the tournament, it gave the Scot a two-stroke lead over Ireland's Eamonn Darcy and the almost inevitable Swede, Fredrik Henge, on six-under. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Montgomerie's round was that it contained two bogeys.
The leader made a particular point of praising the highly appreciative galleries. And from an overall standpoint, scoring matched expectations, even with a fresh breeze sweeping the course. It was set up generously by the European Tour and with medium-paced greens putting beautifully throughout the day, quality players reaped a rich harvest.
But there were other factors at work. Like the copper band, known as a Q-Link, which Gary Evans wore around his neck en route to a 66, the same score which brought him individual victory in the Smurfit Christy O'Connor Pro Am at The K Club last Monday.
"It's meant to put your body back in sync with your bio-rhythms and all that," he explained helpfully. "You know, with all the mobile phones out there and all the other stuff with the rays, it is meant to deflect them."
Indeed one could well see how it might. And having worn it so successfully for the first time, Evans has no intention of parting with it - not yet anyway.
Ireland's challengers performed well. Darcy's round apart, there was special merit in the performance of Athlone amateur Colm Moriarty and the spirited resurgence by Padraig Harrington who, level par for 12 holes after starting on the 10th, completed his final six in birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, par for a 67.
But there were also disappointments, notably in the way Philip Walton slipped from three-under after 10, to finish with a 74.
The influence of the wind could be gauged from a glut of birdies and six eagles at the 507-yard 18th. The 500-yard 10th was also vulnerable, though the presence there of trees, right and left, presented a potential for disaster to which Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin succumbed, while running up a triple-bogey eight.
Harrington exhibited no ill-effects from the wrist injury which was a source of worry earlier in the week and was decidedly upbeat about his sparkling finish.
"I'm really delighted to have turned things around like that," he said. "I certainly would have taken four under, starting the round." As usual, he went on to blame early lapses on poor concentration.
The turnabout started on the long fourth which he reached with a three-wood second shot for a two-putt birdie. And he went on to birdie the long fifth where he pitched to four feet. Then came three in a row, courtesy of a holed six-footer on the next. And the good work was effectively completed when a 12-footer found the target at the eighth. "It's really great to have been able to do a decent score in front of a home crowd," he added. "Naturally, their mood became somewhat brighter when I started making a few birdies."
Those who might feel that a successful tournament player has little to concern him other than taking delivery of his next luxury car, would have had an eye-opener yesterday. Even with the comfort of an estimated nest-egg of about £20million, Montgomerie is still tormented by the memory of his US Open failure at Congressional in 1997, when he was runner-up to Ernie Els.
"If I don't win a major, I will look back on the second round at Congressional as the time I gave it away," he said. "After an opening 65, which remains the best golf of my career, I threw in a 76 on the second day. Then I came back with 67 and 69 to be beaten by a shot. I have a 50-minute video of that performance which I play over and over again in an attempt at recapturing the mood."
The latest viewing triggered something which he began to feel during the back nine of the pro-am on Wednesday. "I'm not saying what it was, but among other things, my hands went back on the putter in an orthodox grip and you've seen the result today," he said.
He went on: "It also helped greatly to have such wonderful crowds cheering me on. I feel very welcome here - and that's important. The support I have is like playing in Scotland. That probably explains why, of all the opens I've played around Europe, my best record is in Ireland."
Without a win in Europe since the Volvo PGA 13 months ago, Montgomerie laid the basis of his victory in negotiating the par fives in six under and taking only 25 putts. There were birdies at the fourth and fifth, an eagle at the 10th, which he reduced to a drive, six-iron and 30-foot putt, and that wonderful three on the 18th, where he had to hole no more than a four-footer.
Professionals like to insist, sagely, that you can't win a tournament on the opening day. Given the huge psychological impact of yesterday's exploits, however, Montgomerie might make this a notable exception.
