Harrington goes in to bat for Baltray

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON wants to vox-pop as many of the 156-strong field as he can at this week's Nissan Irish Open and ask them to place the links of Baltray in their order of favourite courses.

And he's very confident that the reaction will be entirely favourable.

Most of the great Irish seaside courses have hosted the championship. This is its first visit to Co Louth and if the elements the early arrivals encountered yesterday are anything to go by, then the players have a testing few days ahead. An appreciable wind blew in from the Irish Sea and it was cold and showery. In those circumstances, Gary Murphy, the Irish pro who lives less than a three-minute walk from the first tee, expects a winning score of around six under par. If the wind is of little significance, however, he predicts 15 to 18 under.