The round-up of the day's golf news
Wrongly marked card sees Rock roll out of Irish Open
Robert Rock must wonder what the golfing gods on these shores have in store for him. Denied last year in a play-off by Shane Lowry, the English professional came out of the traps quickly in the first round here at Killarney . . . only to stumble and crash out, after falling foul of Rule 66d for signing for scores on the 14th and 15th that were inverted.
Rock shot an opening round 65 but his marker David Lynn had unwittingly put down the wrong scores on the 14th and 15th holes. Rock didn’t notice the error, signed his card, and headed merrily away for a series of media interviews until David Probyn, the tournament director, informed him he was disqualified.
“I didn’t have a clue,” admitted Rock. “It’s my responsibility to check the card and I didn’t spot it . . . I can’t tell the difference between and three and four apparently.
“You go through the same process every time you hand in your card. I don’t know how many times I’ve done that and I’ve never got anything wrong. So, it’s got to happen at some point I suppose. I’d just prefer it to be when I shoot 80.”
No rest for Lawrie
Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie – who shot an opening round 66 to jump into contention – won’t have much rest when he gets home from the Irish Open. Lawrie, his wife Marian and four friends have committed to walking the 96-mile West Highland Way, starting next Tuesday, to raise funds for the Paul Lawrie Foundation.
McGinley works four-iron magic
There was no doubt which club was Paul McGinley’s favourite in the bag yesterday.
The Dubliner twice used his four-iron like a magic wand: on the sixth, he used the club for his tee-shot, which came to rest 15 feet from the pin and he rolled in the birdie putt. Then, on the seventh, he again reached for the four-iron and hit a 215 yards approach to within a foot for eagle.
“I didn’t even see it because of the sun,” quipped McGinley of the four-iron shot which set up the eagle.
But he was glad see an Irish Open finally get some good weather. “We’ve been dogged with bad weather. It must be ten years since we’ve had a decent Irish Open in terms of the weather or a European Open or even the Ryder Cup.
“If any country is due a few days of good weather, it’s Ireland.”
Manassero misery
Matteo Manassero will remember his first hole in an Irish Open for all the wrong reasons.
The Italian teenager had a two-stroke penalty imposed after he kicked stones, having failed with his first attempt to escape from the hazard down the right of the first. It turned a bogey five into a triple-bogey seven.
