Pádraig on course to reign at K Club

HERE we are in the height of summer and preferred lies have already been agreed to for the €3.6 million Smurfit Kappa European Open, beginning over the Smurfit Course at The K Club this morning.

Tournament director Jamie Birkmyre of the European Tour arrived here three weeks ago. On that first day, the sun was shining. He reckons it hasn’t stopped raining ever since.

Leading Irish players like Paul McGinley fear it’s affecting the quality of the entry and spoke of how his Ryder Cup team-mate Miguel-Angel Jimenez told him recently that “I’ll have my feet up in 30 degrees back home in Spain smoking a cigar and sipping a Rioja while you fellows are playing golf in the rain.”

It is undoubtedly a great pity, as Gerry Byrne and his dedicated K Club staff have done everything to get the “second” course at the Straffan venue into perfect condition.

Sadly, it is now good and waterlogged and the weather forecast doesn’t hold out much hope for an improvement over the next few days.

Thirty thousand are expected to turn up for today’s “freebie” courtesy of Ulster Bank and all one can really do is wish them well!

US Open champion Angel Carbrera would obviously like a touch of Argentinian sunshine but is philosophical about it: “It is no good for anyone but it’s the same for everyone.”

Pádraig Harrington agrees: “It’s unfortunate because the golf course would be in great condition only for the rain. Still, you have to think that it will suit me. I’ve got to think it’s taken a majority of the field out and gives me a better chance.”

An interesting theory and one on which he was happy to expand: “As a kid, my old coach, Howard Bennett, gave me a great piece of advice. You go out on a bad day and 50% of the field don’t want to be there and 50% of the 50% that are left haven’t got the capability or the preparation to deal with it. So on a bad day you’re only competing against 25% of the field.

“When it gets colder, there are Asian players and those from the southern hemisphere who don’t want to play in those kinds of conditions. They never get warmed up. It’s like they can’t play unless they’re warm.”

Cabrera snorted at this, pointing out that “I have been 11 years on the European Tour, so I don’t think it’s going to be a complication for me”.

Harrington may or not be right about being suited by the elements but he was quick to laugh off suggestions he represented good value as favourite at 10-1 and will become the first man to complete the Irish-European Open double in the same year.

“Isn’t that great, you go win one and the expectation is to win two,” he grinned. “But that’s good. I’m looking forward to trying to do it.”

Harrington appears the only realistic chance of keeping the title at home. Graeme McDowell, whose rounds of 67 and 64 that saw him lead the British Open qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday, may be running into form but has been unable to prove over the past year or two that he can stay the pace over 72 holes.

Paul McGinley’s miserable run continued in Paris at the weekend when he finished the French Open with two 75s, having played himself into contention with a couple of 69s.

Damien McGrane shot a wonderful 65 to jump up to third place in Paris but, like McDowell, he has yet to prove himself capable of putting four good rounds together.

We will leave the last word to Padraig Harrington: “No matter what the field, to win any tournament you have to play great golf. There’s always going to be somebody playing the best of his life that week. So to beat him, you’ve got to be on top form.”

The winner picks up €593,580 with €395,710 for the runner-up and €222,948 for third.