Kerry fingers crossed to host Solheim Cup

FINGERS were firmly crossed in Kerry last night that news was winging its way to the effect that the 2007 Solheim Cup would take place either at Killarney or Ballybunion.

It is understood that they are the front-runners for a match that proved its huge attraction when Europe thrashed the Americans in front of massive crowds at Barseback, Sweden, on Sunday.

Although there were no Irish women in the European side and there are few indications that any will have reached the required standard in four years time, there is little doubt that the golf-mad Irish public would turn out in equally large numbers for such an occasion.

John Solheim, president, chairman and chief executive of Ping and a son of the company's founder, Karsten Solheim, visited the two Kerry venues in recent weeks accompanied by John Clarke, senior vice-president and marketing director of Ping Europe, Becky Brown, client services director of the European Ladies Tour and its commercial director Robin Gibson.

Although Celtic Manor, the massively wealthy Welsh complex and venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, has also thrown its hat in the ring, the belief is that the choice rests between Ballybunion and Killarney. Although it is anticipated that Ping and the European Ladies Tour will show their hand any day now, Ballybunion are concentrating for the moment very much on the Men’s Home International Championship which start there tomorrow.

Amateur golf is on a high right now after Britain & Ireland’s outstanding victory in the Walker Cup and even though some of the heroes of that great week have withdrawn for various reasons, the Home Internationals never fail to provide outstanding entertainment.

The matches have twice previously been held in Kerry (at Killarney in 1953 and again in 1969) and now Ballybunion has the privilege. Unfortunately, through no fault of anybody concerned with the GUI or the organising Council of National Golf Unions, there is a direct clash with the Listowel races and a consequent serious difficulty where accommodation is concerned.

“It's an awful pity this has happened”, said Ballybunion captain Gerard Walsh last night. “The races were brought forward a week to avoid a clash with the ploughing championships. It’s also a shame for the town as the season is now a week shorter than it should be. Three of the teams are being housed in what I would describe as luxury accommodation in the vicinity of the golf course while Ireland are staying in equally good accommodation in the town. There was no point in having them stay in the main hotels which have bar exemptions late into the night and with discos, sing songs and so on, they'd never get to sleep. It’s difficult for all concerned. The hotels have racing clients who come year after year and they can hardly kick them out on the road.

“There has been pretty good co-operation between the town and the golf club over the past seven or eight years although there will always be those who believe the golf club doesn't do a whole lot for business in the town. They would argue that 50% of golfers come to play the course and then move on. Most of our visitors are American who demand very high standards.”

From a purely golfing point of view, this promises to be a very special week in the history of Ballybunion. The four teams arrived on Sunday night and were out sampling the delights of one of the game’s great links throughout yesterday. With the weather on its very best behaviour, there wasn't one dissenting voice when it came to discussing the sheer majesty of the famous links which is regularly voted among the top ten in the world.

“The condition of the links surpasses anything I have seen in all my years as a member of Ballybunion and there are those who think it is better than it was for the Murphys Irish Open in 2000, especially where the greens are concerned”, said Gerard Walsh. “The ground staff, under Dan Blake, are simply magnificent. It’s not just a job for these men, it’s more a labour of love. They want to show the course off at its finest to our visitors this week and they are doing just that. This gives us an opportunity of exposing our course to a whole new generation.

None of the players in the Interprovincial Championship last month had played here before that week and the same applies to the English, Welsh and Scottish players this week. There’s great interest in amateur golf in Kerry, a county that has produced some outstanding players, and we are expecting very good crowds over the three days.”

The 2000 Irish Open won by Patrik Sjoland is, of course, the biggest tournament ever staged at Ballybunion but it has been housing big-time golf almost since its extension to 18 holes in 1927. The legendary Jimmy Bruen captured the Irish Close title there in 1937 when he defeated another great of the Irish game, John Burke of Lahinch, by 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final.

Cecil Ewing, another famous Irish Walker Cup golfer, beat Greg Young in the 1958 final, while Raymond Kane from the Island defeated Martin O'Brien in the 1971 decider. The 1979 championship will be remembered for the atrocious weather of the first few days before Jackie Harrington pipped Mark Gannon (the captain of the Irish team this week) in the final. More recently again, Gary McNeill, now the professional at Royal Portrush, won the Close when he got the better of Niall Goulding.

The first Irish Ladies Close came to Ballybunion in 1932 with Betty Latchford from Tralee winning. Other female champions were Philomena Garvey, Mary McKenna twice and Claire Hourihane.

Ireland have not enjoyed a great record in the Home Internationals over the past decade or so. Defections to the professional game probably hurt the cause here more than in England and Scotland, but Wales find themselves in a similar situation and yet they are the current holders of the Raymond Trophy having whitewashed their way to the Triple Crown over their own Royal St Davids links at Harlech last year.

Prior to that, England had emerged as champions between 1993 and 2001 with the sole exception of 2000 when Scotland broke the sequence. Ireland tied with England in 1992 after sweeping all before them at Lahinch in 1987 and in 1990 at Conwy, Wales, while they also retained the trophy in '91.