Fota is picture perfect, says Lowry

The countdown officially commenced at Fota Island Resort yesterday as former champion Shane Lowry gave his seal of approval to the 2014 Irish Open venue.

Two-time European Tour winner Lowry, whose first title came as an amateur in the 2009 Irish Open at Baltray, got the official tournament launch underway at the East Cork course with just five weeks to go until the prestigious event and some of the sport’s biggest names roll into town.

With Lowry set to be joined by fellow Irishmen Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, along with another Major winner, the big-hitting American John Daly, Irish Open championship director Antonia Beggs also revealed a further boost to the field.

Spain’s two-time Masters champion and 2012 Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal and Italian stars Matteo Manassero, Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari will also be teeing it up at Fota between June 19 and 22. And Beggs said more names will be confirmed in the coming weeks with vital Ryder Cup qualification points on offer for Paul McGinley’s team at this year’s matches with the United States in September at Gleneagles.

Lowry, who has played the newly extended 7,043-yard Deerpark course three times in the last week, predicted European Tour golfers will like what they see next month.

“The golf course is a fair, tough test,” Lowry said. “If you play well, there’s a low score out there but there’s a lot of trouble on the tight holes too, but there’s a great finish to the golf course and I’m sure it’s going to bring a lot of excitement come the Sunday afternoon of the Irish Open. I just hope I can be there myself.”

Most of the changes made to the course since the Irish Open last visited Fota Island in 2001 and 2002 have been to extend the par-five holes while the par-four sixth also has a new tee box, closer to the water. The work has been part of a €500,000 investment in the resort made by new owners the Kang family, said Fota Island chief executive Jonathan Woods, and the course changes were certainly all to Lowry’s liking.

“The new sixth tee is amazing where it’s set, on the water, and if you’re there in the afternoon, you’ve got the tide coming in there. I see a lot of lads hitting a driver in there.

“The par fives with the new tees are just borderline to be on in two; if you hit a good tee shot, they’re quite tight. The par fives are significant, if you can reach in two, you can make three or four birdies, sixth hole is a good chance.

“Second hole is a strong par four, 17 is a tough par three, 13 tough par three, eight tough par four. If you get through the tough holes, there’s a lot of chances. If you play those tough holes well and the par fives, you’ve got a chance of shooting a very good score.”

As the tournament gets closer, Tour officials expect a surge in advance ticket sales at their website, www.europeantour.com/tickets, with championship director Beggs urging the people of Cork to get behind the event.

“We’re hoping for total crowds of more than 100,000,” Beggs said. “At the moment, the geographical mix is showing the numbers are coming from Dublin and the rest of Ireland. The reason for that is that people need to make plans in advance, in terms of coming away rather than those in the local area who might turn up on the day. So at the moment, the percentages are much higher for visitors coming in to Cork.

“As soon as it was announced we were coming to Cork, the enthusiasm that we encountered from Fota and Cork in general has been so overwhelming. It’s something I wish we could take around the world with us because it’s been remarkable to see and wonderful to meet all the people who are so genuinely enthusiastic about their county, their city and their country and how the strength of the Irish Open can only enhance that.”