Solid opener gives Sugrue chance of making cut

KILLARNEY’S Danny Sugrue enjoyed the greatest day of his 26- year-old life at Troon yesterday when he achieved a cherished ambition of teeing it up in the Open Championship.

For ten holes, he performed like an old master instead of somebody who has yet to play in a significant professional tournament. He was one under par at the time and even if the homeward run took its toll and he eventually signed for a 74, it was a gutsy display of which he can be very proud. He’s here courtesy of coming through the pre-qualifying exercises at Baltray and Western Gailes and making the very best of this wonderful if rather unexpected opportunity.

“It was a bit of everything really”, he related. “I was nervous on the first tee but not too bad. I hit a five iron but thought of a nine because of everything that was going on. There was a big crowd around there, Jim Furyk was out in front of me and Tom Lehman was behind me, winners of major championships, so I just concentrated on keeping my head down and not getting involved.”