Crowds flock to see golf’s men of the moment
The Fine Gael leader had a slight edge having played the Killeen course a few short weeks ago, just 24 hours before he hopped on the saddle to compete in a gruelling 180-kilometre charity cycle around the Ring of Kerry.
The all-action Mr Kenny, who plays off 13, was still very much in awe of the sheer brilliance of the swashbuckling 22-year-old McIlroy who was right back on his game yesterday following a brief rest in the wake of his sensational US Open triumph.
McIlroy was joined on the charity Pro-Am team by his three-handicap father Gerry, while the Taoiseach brought along his son Ferdia as his caddy.
Joining them for the big occasion was golfing enthusiast Darragh Kinsella, who was the winner of a novel competition with the grand prize of getting to play a round with the US Open hero.
Despite light early morning rain, the crowds flocked to the magnificently manicured venue for the exciting Pro-Am where the warmest welcome was reserved for newly crowned British Open champion Darren Clarke who formed part of a Fáilte Ireland fourball with Paddy Burke, Jack Wall and John Flaherty.
Clarke, who swapped the wheel of his Jaguar for a seat in Tedso O’Connor’s traditional rowing boat to enjoy a fishing trip on the Lakes of Killarney on Tuesday, declared: “I would love to do the double and win the Irish Open after winning at Sandwich. I’ll be trying my best to and I’m sure the home support will help me along the way.”
Among the other notable guests displaying their chipping and putting skills, or in some cases exposing a lack of them, in the Pro-Am yesterday were business tycoon Dermot Desmond, Kerry county manager Tom Curran — who played alongside Graeme McDowell — Apprentice star Bill Cullen and Fáilte Ireland chief Redmond O’Donoghue who had an opportunity to play 18 holes with Padraig Harrington and they were joined by Killarney hotelier and outgoing Fáilte Ireland board member Conor Hennigan.
With organisers anticipating a significantly bigger attendance over the next four days than the 82,000 fans that flocked to Killarney for last year’s open, what have been described as Ryder Cup-style crowd safety measures are being put in place to ensure men-of-the-moment McIlroy and Clarke can rely on some distance being placed between them and the star-struck cameraphone wielders and anxious autograph hunters as they attempt to tame the tough course that is referred to locally as Killer Killeen.
With McIlroy the big box office hit, European Tour chief George O’Grady described the Holywood, Co Down, star as the Elvis Presley of professional golf and it is probably safe to assume that not even Tiger Woods could be a bigger lure this weekend.
“We’ll have to introduce crowd control a bit more like the Ryder Cup with wider walkways... if it’s all too tight everybody will want to shake Rory’s hand and he probably would shake everybody’s hand but he’s also got a championship to play,” said O’Grady, who presented McIlroy and Clarke with honorary life memberships of the European Tour in recognition of their recent achievements.
It might not come as any great surprise that McIlroy has been installed as 5/1 tournament favourite with Graeme McDowell at 16/1 and Darren Clarke available at 25/1.
But locals have been queuing up to grab odds of 18/1 on Padraig Harrington — a firm local favourite— who is very familiar with the Killarney course and could well be on the winner’s podium by teatime on Sunday.
Last year’s runner-up, affable as always and happy to pose for photographs and sign autographs for a long line of young local fans, might have been edged out of the world’s top 50 but he insists he is not feeling any pressure going into this morning’s opening round.
“I’d just like to win a tournament. It will be interesting to see how I get on,” he said.
“Obviously I did a lot of things right last year. I got plenty of good breaks and I shot 16 under par.”
Meanwhile, the no vacancy signs are a familiar sight everywhere in the bustling town of Killarney which is fast approaching full capacity with a real party atmosphere prevailing.
Live music sessions in the pubs are in danger of being drowned out by the constant jingling of cash registers as thousands of visitors to the open join in the celebrations that will continue right through until the early hours of Monday morning.
The annual SummerFest jamboree which coincides with the feast of golf, has ensured that Killarney is Ireland’s official fun capital for the weekend with novelty street acts, jugglers and buskers competing for prime locations on the packed and wonderfully decorated streets.
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