Daly: pair me with Harrington in Open
The 43-year old Daly birdied three of his closing five holes in a score of 66 to join Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin and England’s Robert Rock, who both had rounds of 68, in a share of second place on 11-under par but six shots behind Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik.
Vanscik, 31, won a second Race to Dubai event and the €216,660 first prize cheque courtesy of 65 for a 17-under par victory.
Vanscik, who jumped 156 spots to 44th on the money list, is the second Argentinean to win in a month after his hero Angel Cabrera captured the US Masters, and revealed he shared in Cabrera’s celebrations two days after his Augusta win.
Daly, who previous best finish was runner-up in the 2005 WGC-AMEX Championship in California, collected €96,940 and jumped 83 spots to 79th on the Race to Dubai money list.
“I had my eye on second and it was nice to experience those butterflies again,” said Daly, currently banned from the US Tour.
Daly first played an Irish Open in 1994, finishing joint runner-up to Bernhard Langer at Mount Juliet but he’s only played on one other occasion, in 1999 at Druid’s Glen.
“Ireland is going to be a blast as I feel like home over there,” he said.
“I’m part Irish and I designed a course over there near Blarney that I might try and get to visit.”
And nothing would delight Daly better than for 3 Irish Open organisers to pair him with Harrington, a fellow British Open and US PGA winner.
“That would be great if we could be paired together because I just love Pádraig,” said Daly.
“Pádraig’s game and mine are a little different and besides he’s just a great guy.
“To play alongside him in Ireland would be fantastic. That would surely swell the crowds.”
Gareth Maybin heads to Baltray looking forward to his first-ever Irish Open but a tinge disappointed to have finished in a tie for eighth in Turin.
Maybin led by three shots on day one with a course record 64 but slipped down the board with progressive scores of a pair of 70s and a final round 72.
The 28-year old Ballyclare star holed a super 15-footer at the last to save par and secure his third top-10 finish in his rookie season.
He said: “This is my third top-10 and now feel pretty confident keeping myself in position so much so that hopefully I can knock one of these events off before long.
“I am now looking forward to my first Irish Open and I feel as though my putting and short-game is in good shape.
“I was down at Baltray the other week with Graeme McDowell and I’m really looking forward to the week.”
Maybin collected a prize cheque for €25,806 and moves four spots to 37th and just ahead of fellow Ulster man Micheal Hoey on the Race to Dubai money list.
Donegal’s Michael McGeady will be hoping 3 Irish Open organisers extend him a late invite to also compete in a first Irish Open.
McGeady missed a top 10 in Turin that would have given him a start in Baltray after a closing round 71 for a six under par tally and 17th place.
Gary Murphy collected six birdies in a 69 for a two under par total whilst Jonathon Caldwell, who was also given an invite to compete later this week, slumped to a 73 for a three over par tally.
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