Carton will test the best
Carton is the luxury 36 hole complex developed by the Mallahan family over the past decade and where the GUI will be setting up their headquarters in the next couple of years.
Carton’s rise to fame began with the opening of the Mark O’Meara designed course in 2001 but the arrival of Monty’s course last July really captured the imagination. Others have tried to develop what they like to describe as an ‘inland links’ in this country but it could be that the controversial Scot has come closest to reaching that ideal at Carton.
“You expect to see the sea just over the wall of the estate but it’s not there,” he says in the publicity blurb. “Carton is a unique project. You can’t call it a links course, but it will play like a links and has all the characteristics of a links. I attempted to go back to a more traditional lay-out, my philosophy was ‘let’s go back, let’s make it different’ and that is what we have achieved here.”
It will be fascinating to see what some of the best amateurs in Europe and even further afield make of Monty’s creation over the next three days. It remains to be seen if the architect’s proud boast amounts to anything meaningful, although one thing is immediately apparent - Carton possesses bunkers that would make some of those on some of our finest links look like mere sand pits!
The traps are both deep and penal and almost every visit will come at a heavy cost. Throw in the cavernous swales and contouring on and around the large greens and you appreciate that this is a truly challenging test.
I will be surprised if an even par total of 288 isn’t good enough to claim the coveted prize on Sunday although the vagaries of the weather and the high quality of the field must be taken into the equation.
GUI General Secretary Shay Smith said last night that they would wait to see the conditions this morning before putting out the tee markers but hinted that the course would play to its full length of 7,301 yards for Sunday’s final two rounds. A repeat of the wind and rain of the last few days and scores will soar - to embarrassing heights in some cases. However, should calm be restored, then we should see at least a few returns in the mid to high 60s.
This is a really powerful field, proof, if such were needed that the Irish Open which went into abeyance between 1959 and 1995 for want of interest, is firmly re-established as one of the premier events on the domestic calendar. The international content is considerable in both quality and quantity although there is disappointment that the remarkable 17 year-old South African Anton Haig withdrew to compete in the British Masters at The Forest of Arden.
He only took up golf in 1999, the same year he was told by doctors that he might disabled by the age of 20. Apparently, he suffers from a disease which causes parts of bone to chip off. Now, however, he is South African matchplay champion and plays off a handicap of plus 5!
Interestingly, though, Haig is only one of a handful of defections, a situation probably brought about by an increase in the non refundable entry fee from €20 to €50! The winner receives a voucher for €700 with €500 for the runner-up all the way down to €200 for 10th place.
Wales have sent their elite six-man squad, led by Walker Cup hero Nigel Edwards, while South Africa, Finland, Czech Republic, Holland, Austria, France, England and Scotland are also represented.
Noel Fox, the holder and winner in 2000, heads a strong home entry that includes European Amateur champion Brian McElhinney from Donegal and most of the Irish team that captured the Home International Championship at Ballybunion last September.
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