Harrington is our best chance of success

EUROPEAN Tour golf of the highest standard has been a constant in Ireland since 1975 when the Irish Open was revived after a 23 year gap.

As inevitably happens, however, the public, and especially those living in and around the greater Dublin area, have become somewhat blasé about such occasions and tend to demand more and more. While the Open at Adare in May proved a great success and attracted 23,000 people on the final day, one wonders how many would have turned up had Pádraig Harrington not been in a winning position.

Those behind the Smurfit European Open have learned from their own event over the years as they worked to make this week’s renewal as attractive as possible. Free entry on day one has already proved a huge hit. But they also needed to put the strongest possible field on the course and by and large they have succeeded in doing so.

Angel Cabrera is one of the main draws. The powerfully built Argentine has had six top ten finishes in his 11 previous appearances at the Straffan complex and was runner-up in 2000, beaten a stroke by Lee Westwood.

Seven European Ryder Cup players, Harrington, Paul McGinley, Paul Casey, David Howell, Robert Karlsson, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood, are also in the field while the 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell makes a welcome return. Things have been quiet of late for this popular character but he will have his confidence boosted by his victory in the European Open in 2002 while he also captured the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock the following year.

Harrington is the latest to try and complete the Irish-European Open double in the same year. Campbell and Stephen Dodd have both missed out by a year and even if this week’s championship takes place over the neighbouring Smurfit Course, Harrington has good memories of the event having tied for second over the Palmer lay-out in 2001 and ‘02.

Harrington is all set to go, regarding the intensity of the European Open followed by the Irish PGA Championship over the links of the European Club as ideal preparation for the Open Championship at Carnoustie on July 19-22. It is difficult to look beyond him when searching for an Irish winner.

IN SPITE of his weekend flop in the French Open, Paul McGinley has a feel good factor after his remarkable finish 12 months ago. He had left Straffan at a time when it looked certain he had missed the cut and his clubs were aboard a flight to London when he was advised that he should return to the K Club where the scores had soared in the worsening weather conditions. He qualified on the cut mark and duly shot 67 and 69 through the weekend to get into a share of 4th place and pick up the 126,600 points that played a large part in clinching a Ryder Cup place.

However, McGinley’s bitterly disappointing 75, 75 finish in the French Open after the earlier promise of a couple of 69s suggests he is still a distance away from regaining his best form. Peter Lawrie also fell away badly in Paris whereas Damien McGrane finished in a blaze of glory, shooting a brilliant 65 that earned him a career high cheque of €190,000.

It remains to be seen, however, if McGrane can maintain or more realistically get close to repeating that level of performance through four rounds of a big tournament like the European Open. Graeme McDowell, who looked to be on the right road in the Wales and US Opens, missed the cut in Paris and it doesn’t help that former winner Darren Clarke is an absentee on this occasion.

It isn’t often that you see the generous side of a financial institution but for the second year in a row, fans on Thursday’s opening day of the European Open on the Smurfit Course at The K Club will watch the golf and enjoy the many side attractions free of charge thanks to the inspired decision of the Ulster Bank to sponsor the gate money charge. 29,000 people took advantage last year and this time 30,000 had signed up by the closing date.