Christy O’Connor didn’t subscribe to the view that his enormous success on the golf course was attributable to a natural God-given talent for the game.

CHRISTY O’Connor is 80 years young today, another milestone in the life of one of the greatest sporting stars Ireland has ever produced.

PORTMARNOCK is to Irish golf what Croke Park is to the GAA, the Millennium Stadium to Welsh rugby, Lords to English cricket (if such a thing exists any more!), Aintree to horse racing.