Hype calling for Danny boy as qualifying Opens doors

LAST Saturday, few outside his closest friends in Kerry knew much, if anything, about Danny Sugrue.

All of that changed over the weekend when he surprised everybody, even himself, by qualifying for this week's British Open at Royal Troon.

Suddenly, they all wanted a piece of him. Seasoned professionals who had learned how the Killarney man led the qualifiers at Western Gailes were quick to shake his hand while the club and clothing manufacturers were all over him.

"Here", they insisted, "wear our shirts, try our shoes, try this, try that, fancy a few shots with our irons?"

However, there is one issue still to be decided and that is who will carry the bag this week. Dave Lyons from Frankfield in Cork has performed the role many times and is on his way to Troon. Mark Murphy ("the pair of us have been joined at the hip since birth", laughs Danny) from Waterville failed to qualify and he was on the bag in yesterday's first practice round.

Sugrue, born on St Patrick's Day 1978, made the decision to leave his amateur days behind him in 2002, even though he had played for Ireland at boys and youths levels, was a Munster senior inter-pro and surely destined to pull on the senior Irish jersey sooner rather than later.

The decision to chase his European Tour card at the end of the season was a difficult one, given that he had been involved "in a car crash, a head on-collision and it was a miracle that I came away without serious injury".

"I felt I would have to have a go at the Tour School and I went there and played well and got through to the final school and got a category 11 on the Challenge Tour," he said.

"I had to decide what I'd do with the card. I didn't have any money. So the members in Killarney got together and had a day which raised 20,000 for me. That was huge. I wouldn't have been able to play otherwise. Michael and Eileen Whelan had been helping me since I was a young fella and they organised that and it was a big turn-out.

"That meant I could afford to play and I took in nine or 10 events and a few here and there. I tried to qualify for the Open but I didn't have a clue what I was doing.

"The pro game is a different game. I was working and working and practising, hoping it might eventually come right. I went to the next Tour school and didn't play great but I kept at it, I'd give it a few years and see how it went."

When asked what the financial situation is like now, he laughs ruefully.

"There is a financial situation a negative one. It's not good at all. I don't think I've played a 72 hole tournament since the Challenge Tour last year."

Earlier this year, the €5,000 he received from the Sports Council helped him go to the Golden Bear Tour in Florida in January.

"Again, I didn't play well," he mused. "I chipped in $1,000 per tournament, $1,000 I didn't have. I was trying to pick up a few bits and pieces here and there. I made a couple of thousand but that was nothing like enough to cover my costs."

Sugrue competed in one tournament on the Europro Tour (a third-class circuit, if you like, behind the regular European and Challenge Tours). He has a category on that tour and believes he could also get a few invitations into a few Challenge Tour events.

He admits: "It's been hard. It's been lonely too."

But Danny is confident the uncertainty and dire shortage of cash will make him a tougher and more resolute person. He stresses: that "You have to have belief that you are good enough. If I thought I wasn't good at it, I wouldn't be doing it."

You have to believe that at some stage you will get the rub of the green and get a bit of a break. This is that break, to get a chance to play in a major.

Sugrue is trying all he can to keep his feet on the ground but he can't help looking forward to Thursday and partnering Zach Johnson, who won on the US Tour this year, and the talented South African Louis Oosthuizen, off the first tee at 3.26pm (They play at 10.15am on Friday).

"I'm trying not to get too excited about it," he laughs.

"Playing in the Open Championship is what it's all about. That's huge."

However, all the pain and suffering and empty pockets live too readily in his mind.

He stressed: "Whatever about the fun and the excitement, the important thing is that if you play well and make the cut, it's a big pay day and you have a bit of comfort for the rest of the year.

"So if there's one tournament in the world you ever wanted to play well in, this is the one.

"And I want a sponsor's invite to the Irish Open. I'd love to play in it and if I make the cut here I'd hope to get the invite."