Favourite Smyth delighted to be back on home soil

Charlie Mulqueen, The Heritage

Smyth makes his first appearance in his native championship on the back of a 6th place finish in last week’s US PGA Championship and two wins on the US Champions Tour (the SBC Classic and the Legends of Golf) and currently lies third on the order of merit with the sum of $786,911.

He would loved to have played the Irish Open in the past two years having turned 50 in February 2003, but was too busy concentrating on establishing himself in the United States.

“America has been great to me this year”, said Smyth. “Last year I finished 35th in the money list and so was only third alternate. I knew how precarious my situation was. I knew I had to do something quickly. Now I’m okay for next year through the money I’ve won but if I don’t deliver in 2006, then, bump, I’m gone. I know that if I perform and play well, I’ll be okay.”

Smyth starts as favourite even though the opposition includes Carl Mason, the current maestro of the European Seniors Tour; his two great friends and rivals Eamonn Darcy and Christy O’Connor Jnr, and other established Ryder Cup players like Sam Torrance and Manuel Pinero.

Smyth is under scrutiny for more reasons than one this week with everybody trying to coax out of him the news that he has been confirmed as Ian Woosnam’s Ryder Cup vice captain at The K-Club next year. However, he is remaining tightlipped and will do so until the Welshman formally announces the name at the Smurfit European Open later this month. Sam Torrance, the 2002 Ryder Cup captain has backed his appointment.

“If he doesn’t get a ring, I’d want to know why. Des would actually have been a great captain but unfortunately that’s the way it is. It’s just not possible to get around to everyone. As a vice captain, he’d be just fantastic.

“It’s not important to have an Irishman. The right man for the job is important. If he’s Irish, then great. Woosie was my suggestion for the captaincy. I thought he’d make a great captain last time round. He was fantastic with my side, with the young fellas and the old fellas alike.

“He gave a lot of time to the young fellas and put them right on a few things. It was great to watch because I didn’t want to do it.”

The winner this week will take home E60,000 out of a prize fund of E400,000.

The Irishmen in the field are Smyth, Darcy, O’Connor Jnr, Barbados Open winner Denis O’Sullivan, former winner Joe McDermott, Eddie Polland, Arthur Spring, Liam Higgins, Paul Leonard and amateurs Arthur Pierse, Adrian Morrow and Dermot Morris.