A burden of history no longer hangs like a leaden weight from the shoulders of home players, although pressure, of a kind, if not so heavy, still exists.
Unquestionably, for all 22 Irishmen in the field, this is one tournament title that each and every one would love to own, ticking a box for some and possibly career defining for others. Only Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington know the feeling of getting the job done.
If yesterday's pro-am was something of a house of fun, what with the giggling teenage girls and mystified elders watching One Direction singer Niall Horan strut his stuff on the fairways, and Harrington's invocation of Lady Gaga's grand delusions, there's no doubt the actual tournament itself will be a different kettle of fish, a true examination of shot-making, fortitude and patience.
Tin cup
With a weather forecast of stiff winds – gusting upwards of 40km/h – on a course playing 7,350 yards (6,719 metres), the quest to claim the €666,660 winner’s cheque will be hard won. That’s how it should be, though, for a title that dates back to 1927 when
George Duncan
was forced to improvise by folding newspapers under his clothing as further protection from the elements in triumphing at Portmarnock.
These days, of course, players are mollycoddled to a far greater degree than Duncan and his ilk could ever have imagined, with modern fabrics to resist whatever the elements might throw at them, yet the ultimate goal remains the same: to get the ball into the tin cup in as few strokes as possible. In that, the challenge is to unearth the best player in a given week.
The fact of the matter is that the Irish challenge is as strong as it has ever been. McIlroy, the world number three, is the headline act for sure – and has promised to donate any of his winnings back to The Rory Foundation for charitable purposes – whilst Lowry and Graeme McDowell, who showed decent form in The Players, are more than mere back-up acts. This is a stage on which they can perform, and win.
“I’d love to win this tournament again, or even to contend,” said Lowry.
And what of Harrington? A trendsetter in winning this title in 2007, which acted as the catalyst for his three Major triumphs, the Dubliner – now 44 – retains the belief that he can again lift the trophy.
“Do I expect to win? I’ve got to stay optimistic, to create my own reality and be enthusiastic, passionate and optimistic . . . I don’t have a problem when I’m under the cosh at the business end of the tournament. So, if I get in contention, I don’t mind who I’m playing. I quite revel in the fact I’d be playing a big name if it came down the stretch.”
And, of course, those big names extend beyond fellow Irish players like McIlroy, Lowry and G-Mac.
For starters, there's golf's newest Major champion Danny Willett to factor in. There's defending champion Soren Kjeldsen, a Dane who actually confesses to liking this weather with its "four seasons in one day".
There's Rafa Cabrera Bella, who has risen from 114th to 30th in the world rankings this season. There's Lee Westwood, a winner of the European Open here. And there's Martin Kaymer, one of eight Major champions in the field.
Then there are the young guns. Matt Fitzpatrick, for one. Andy Sullivan for another. Jeunghun Wang, a name for the present and the future. Paul Dunne.
This is the first time in a decade that the Palmer Course has played host to a big tournament, a time lapse that means there will be little advantage in digging into the memory bank to rediscover past performances.
The prize is a big one, one of the most prestigious titles on tour, with the course – and greens running at 11.5 on the stimpmetre – set to ask the hard questions with help from the weather.
“I like the way it sets up for my game,” said McDowell. “It’s an accuracy golf course. You have to keep it in the fairway. The rough is pretty lush and the new green complexes are pretty difficult, a lot of front-to-back, sloping greens. So you’ve got to be accurate with your iron play.”
Challenge
For sure, it’ll be a big advantage for players who keep it on the fairway. Length, though, will also be a factor; long and accurate will, as ever, be a good combination. However, the wind factor will come into play with strong gusts throughout the tournament. “It’s about acceptance, whatever happens, happens, and you have to move on,” said Kaymer of the challenges that will face players.
The challenge will test body and mind, which is what McIlroy – and everyone – must find a way to combat.
In the run-up here, Harrington observed: “If I hadn’t won the Irish Open, I would certainly feel like there’s something missing in my career. As an Irishman, you really do want to win your national open and have it included in there and tick that box.”
Harrington, first, and then Lowry, in 2009, showed it could be done. McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke et al will know better than anyone what he means. Time to tick a box?
