Ryder Cup fever: It seems that Ryder Cup 2006 fever has already grabbed the Irish golfing public judging by the number of inquiries received by Fáilte Ireland at their stand at Mount Juliet yesterday. Europe's victory over the USA at Oakland Hills has fired the imagination of the Irish fans, especially with the 2006 staging at the K Club.
The Fáilte Ireland stand was inundated with questions regarding getting tickets for the event.
Staff explained the lottery procedure and then handed out forms to those who wanted to have their names entered in the draw for tickets.
Dogged Goosen
Retief Goosen showed commendable powers of concentration on the 18th to ignore the antics of a loose dog that obviously thought it was play-time. The dog, which looked as if it had been in a couple of the water hazards, came gambolling down the 18th fairway only to narrowly avoid a Goosen backheel as he tried to shoo the canine away.
The South African, though, put this distraction aside to hole a 24-foot birdie putt on the home green for a four-under-par 68.
The dog's day was also at an end as he was finally corralled by one of the marshals.
Catching up fast
The winner at Mount Juliet this week will pick up a cheque for just under €980,000, evidence of the huge financial rewards available for World Golf Championship events.
Two of Ireland's representatives this week are in the top 10 on the list of European Tour career earnings. Colin Montgomerie leads the way winning prize money of €16,916,815 but could soon be caught by either Darren Clarke or Padraig Harrington.
Clarke currently lies third on the list with earnings of €13,476,917 while Harrington is three places further back at sixth with prize money earned of €10,924,560.
Preferred lies
While the club golfer will be well versed with "preferred lies" playing winter golf in Ireland, it's rare to see it being imposed at a professional tournament. But for yesterday's opening round of the championship at Mount Juliet the players could avail of the preferred-lies option because of heavy overnight rain.
The notice given to all players stated: "A ball lying on a closely mown area through the green may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it within one scorecard length of, and not nearer the hole then where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green."
The ball may be placed only once and if the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves it in any other manner he incurs a one-stroke penalty.
McGrane moves on
One man not here at Mount Juliet this week but who would aspire to play in tournaments of this ilk, Damien McGrane, has decided to stand down as club professional at Wexford Golf Club. The Kells native arrived at Wexford eight years ago from Headfort Golf Club where he was an assistant to Brendan McGovern.
McGrane was the number one-ranked golfer on the domestic professional scene for three years and this allowed him to play in several European Tour events. This season in particular McGrane has proved his ability to compete at the latter level.
This was central to his decision to try and devote more time to playing and practising.
"With my time being taken up more and more by the European Tour, which was terrific for me, I feel that I can no longer provide a good enough service for Wexford Golf Club and its members.
"They have paid me for eight years as a full-time employee and as years have gone on I have done less and less so rather than be greedy I have decided to step back."
McGrane has retained his card on the European Tour for next season and can now devote himself to playing full-time without any distractions.
