Ewen predicts return of glory days
The ‘house full’ signs are already up at the revered County Antrim course as the Irish Open goes back to the North for first time since 1953, and to Royal Portrush’s Dunluce links for first time since Harry Bradshaw won in 1947.
More than 100,000 are expected through the gates for the event starting on Thursday with the European Tour announcing last week that Saturday and Sunday’s third and fourth rounds were a sell-out, the first time in their history they have had to close tickets sales for any day of a regular Tour event.
That the Irish Open has become the best-selling tournament on the European Tour schedule this year is a testament in large part to the success of Ulster golfers Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke.
Sky Sports’ Murray, who as a pro in the ’70s and ’80s played in many Irish Opens and will be leading the commentary team at Portrush this week, said all the signs were pointing to another major Irish success.
“It’s come at the right time because you’ve got G-Mac, Rory and Darren all Major champions in the last two years so golf is very much on everyone’s agenda there. So the timing of it is perfect,” Murray told the Irish Examiner.
“If you go back to when I was playing in the ’70s and ’80s, Royal Dublin and Portmarnock, that Irish Open week was the best of a tournament professional’s life. The atmosphere and the quality of the courses, of which Portrush is not in any doubt, I think it will be a return to that, which is good news for everyone.
“We’re talking about more than half a century since an Irish Open has gone there, they’ve got 108,000 tickets sold, I mean, everything is adding up for it to be one the great events in world golf.”
With Pádraig Harrington returning to serious Major-contending form and looking to a add a fourth title at next month’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s and a field including six other Major champions in addition to the homegrown quartet, the billing is not fanciful. Murray though, would rather there were more American stars pitching up at Portrush this week, following the example of reigning PGA champion Keegan Bradley as well former Major winners John Daly and Rich Beem.
“Keegan has Irish ancestors and he is an outstanding young player but I just wish one or two more Americans were coming over, say a Jim Furyk or young Rickie Fowler. I would like to have seen more Americans but you know how difficult it is to persuade them to cross the water.
“On the PGA Tour there are decent prize funds but not many top, top tournaments and I would put this Irish Open on the level of the World Golf Championships.
“It’s always been very successful in the south of Ireland, say at Fota Island or Killarney, but there’s something special about this. To have three Major champions from that small area [in the North] is remarkable and I just think maybe more Americans could have said to themselves, ‘Maybe we should go there’.”
Murray also had some sympathy with Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, which successfully hosted the Irish Open for the last two years in the teeth of the economic downturn but said it was right to move the tournament around Ireland.
“I’ve known Killarney fairly well for probably 30 years. They put on a wonderful event down there on a top quality golf course but I think the success of these tournaments is to keep them moving.
“Fota Island was another wonderful success when they staged it for two years and we’ve talked about Portmarnock and Royal Dublin and there have been others, so I think the great thing in a country like Ireland is not to have it in one place but to move it around.
“Remember Killarney also had it for three years running at the turn of the ’90s so it’s wonderful that the Northern Irish community, who have been starved of top quality golf of late, have been given a chance to go to Portrush and celebrate their three wonderful champions.
“By all means have a rotation policy among a nucleus of courses. I’d love to see it go back to Portmarnock, for instance, it’s one of the greatest golf courses in the world, but the Dunluce is top 10 right there alongside that and Portrush and the community will benefit hugely from the 100,000 people going there over the four days.”
And if this week’s event goes off without a hitch, Murray is sure the R&A, which last staged the British Open in 1951, will be looking to return its flagship tournament to Royal Portrush.
“I look at Royal Lytham and St George’s and Turnberry and I think why not Royal Portrush? Dunluce is at least on a par with all of those. I feel Muirfield is perhaps one of the most beautiful courses to have the [British] Open on, but why not Dunluce?
“As a forerunner, if you’re looking at over 100,000 people, there has been a worry about the numbers able to attend Portrush, can you provide enough accommodation, is the infrastructure there? Well, we’ll see.”
