Exit can’t take from RoryMcIlroy’s Open pride

He may not have enjoyed his two days’ play at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open but Rory McIlroy had got his missed cut out of his system by Sunday to declare the tournament he hosted an incredible success.

McIlroy’s heavy involvement in the 2015 Irish Open at Royal County Down saw his Rory Foundation support the tournament in an official capacity while behind the scenes the world number one brought in the title sponsor and a host of the game’s great golfers to make last week the strongest field for the event in decades.

A sell-out crowd for each of the four days could have been even higher were it not for the tight confines and difficult terrain of the links at Royal County Down with the weather and McIlroy’s poor performance in missing the cut the only dampeners on the week.

It also meant the Rory Foundation, which supports children’s cancer charities locally and across Ireland but in particular the Children’s Cancer Fund’s Daisy Lodge facility in the nearby foothills of the Mourne Mountains, was a massive beneficiary of goodwill, publicity and much-need money, not least the €140,000 handed over by some wealthy businessmen to play with McIlroy in last Wednesday’s Pro-Am.

“From a foundation perspective, I think for the week, there was a total of 107,000 people here, in spite of the weather not being as we would have liked,” McIlroy said on Sunday at the trophy presentation ceremony for tournament winner Søren Kjeldsen.

“So it has been absolutely incredible. The support this tournament’s got from fans and spectators, volunteers, Royal County Down, sponsors, it has been incredible. So it has exceeded expectations.

“I think one of the biggest things, it’s given it global exposure. The amount of countries that have seen The Irish Open this week, it’s been all over the world and it’s given us incredible exposure and exposure to a lot of people to see what we are trying to achieve and what we’ve been able to do for the cancer funds for children.

“Good to see that Søren won. I think he played really well yesterday and he battled well in the conditions today.

“It’s not often you see a guy shoot 76 in the final round and get the victory.

“Obviously it would have been nice to be out there playing myself and try to climb back up the leaderboard, but I just didn’t do enough on Friday to make that happen.”

Lowry aiming to get back on course with putting

Frustrated by his putting at Royal County Down, Shane Lowry says he will go back to the drawing board ahead of the US Open in two weeks.

Lowry was driven to the point of distraction on the greens at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open last week, or rather the point of destruction as he broke his putter early into his second round and completed the rest of his day using the blade of his belly wedge.

The damage to his score was less dramatic as he escaped with a three-over 74 and it was good enough to comfortably make the cut. The former Irish Open champion even felt he was back in contention for a strong finish following a third-round 71, although it still left him 11 shots off eventual champion Soren Kjeldsen’s 54-hole lead. Yet that became academic as the world number 50 closed with a disappointing 77 on Sunday to finish on 10 over for the week and he acknowledged he has work to do before the second major of the year gets under way at the linksy Chambers Bay in Washington State on the American northwest Pacific coast.

“To be honest I lost confidence early on in the week. Best putting was probably with my wedge,” Lowry joked. “I just found them very hard to read. I’m normally great on these greens. I don’t know what way they are or what the story is with them but I really, really struggled.

“Tee to green I think I was a good seven or eight out of 10 but on the greens only one or two. I’m playing well and I’m driving the ball as good as I ever have. My iron play is good and in control. As I said, I need to sort out my putting.

“Very frustrating week. Obviously a lot was documented about Friday and what happened and I came back and played my way back into the tournament yesterday afternoon and then lost it in kind of four holes to finish.

“But I played good. My long game was good enough to compete this week. Just struggled on the greens. Only thing really I could say is it’s tough out there, from 15, 20 feet, I’m just trying to two-putt which is not really ideal. That’s the way my game was feeling.

“That’s golf sometimes. I just kind of have to go back to the drawing board now and get ready for the US Open.”

Home expectations add to pressure

As an Irish Open winner eight years ago at Adare Manor, Pádraig Harrington may feel the pressure of high expectation a little less than he did before he won his national Open yet he was given a perfect reminder of just how much of burden home players are under when they return to play here each year.

“At the end of the day, the pressure to win any tournament is enough to keep your mind occupied,” Harrington, the first round co-leader at Royal County Down said. “I do say there is more distraction at an Irish Open; the times you hit a golf shot and you’ve actually let people down is not a normal emotion out there. But for sure during the Irish Open, sometimes you hit a bad shot and you want to tell everybody, ‘it was actually really difficult!’“

With a smile, he added: “I missed a putt out there, actually on No.2. I hit it where I wanted. I was toying between hitting a sort of right lip or outside the right lip and it missed. Halfway there I hear a ‘tut tut’. But ‘I did hit it!’

“Emotionally, you do get too involved at times with the support because they are willing you on so much; they care so much, and you’re obviously trying to keep it neutral and not get in too much of a high. So it is interesting, that’s for sure.”

World ranking points on offer in Kerry Scratch Cup

World Amateur Golf Ranking points will be on offer when the 111-year-old Kerry Scratch Cup moves to a 54-hole tournament at Tralee Golf Club later this month.

With Kerry Group continuing its sponsorship of the prestigious event, there will be an increased prize fund of €2,250 on offer when the 2015 Kerry Scratch Cup gets under way on Saturday, June 13 with a maximum 81-player field, the top 30 of whom after the opening day’s 36 holes will return on Sunday in their efforts to succeed 2014 winner Richard Knightly of Royal Dublin. The move to 54 holes made the tournament eligible with the R&A for world ranking points while Munster team ranking points are also up for grabs for golfers from the province and tournament co-directors Alan Kelly and Richard Rafferty believe the event at the Arnold Palmer-designed Tralee Golf Links is going from strength to strength.

“The field last year was one of a very high calibre and we have some major improvements for this year’s event, particularly with the addition of world ranking points along with Munster team ranking points,” Rafferty, Tralee’s 2001 captain, said. “We have completely redesigned our 9th hole and this will be in play for this year’s tournament. The new hole promises to be a great challenge. We have also added a new short game practice facility to further improve our course and facilities.”

There are still places on the entry sheet which cost €60 including lunch between rounds with further information available either via the website www.traleegolfclub.com or by contacting the tournament directors at [e-mail] or [e-mail].

“We are delighted to bring the Kerry Scratch Cup to Tralee Golf Links and I would like to thank our sponsor Kerry Group for their generous support,” Tralee Golf Club captain Ger O’Connor said. “The Kerry Scratch Cup will bring the country’s top amateur golfers to Tralee, as they take on the challenge of our links course — internationally regarded as one of the top 10 ocean courses in the world.”

Strong Irish contingent flies flag in PGA event

An eight-strong Irish contingent will tee off in Somerset today eager to fly the flag on the links at Burnham and Berrow at the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship.

David Higgins (Waterville), Cian McNamara (Monkstown), Padraig Dooley (Drive Golf Performance), Damian Mooney (Nevada Bobs), Liam Bowler (Wexford), Mark Staunton (Delgany), Dan Beattie (Deer Park) and Castle Hume pro Shaun Donnelly will take on the UK’s best club pros in the £91,500 (€127,250) 72-hole championship.

Donnelly, 43, sought inspiration and some links golf tips for his title bid by spending a couple of days up at Royal County Down, where fellow PGA pros McNamara and Mooney were competing in a strong European Tour field at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

“I believe I’m still learning the game, even at 43, and I’ll be watching how they practice, see how they handle the challenge and of course I’ll also be cheering on the local Irish PGA pros taking part,” Donnelly said.

“I still get a thrill from competing, especially in the club pros’ championship,” he added. “The fact it is played over 72 holes, against the best PGA pros in the UK and on a quality course makes it very special. I’m just going to try and make the cut and take it from there but I’m hoping for some windy weather which is always a great leveller.”

Donnelly, though, will take nothing for granted. “I was actually leading after nine holes at Woodhall Spa at four under back in 2005 but managed to miss the cut so I won’t get too far ahead of myself.”

€15,000 target for charity

A West Cork golf club is challenging golfers to help raise €15,000 for charity next month by entering a team in the 29th annual Rotary/MSD Charity Golf Am-Am at Bandon GC.

The two-day fundraiser, organised by the Bandon Rotary Club and supported by global healthcare company MSD, has raised more than €250,000 for 40 local charities since its inception. Organisers are hoping for 150 teams to enter with this year’s event getting under way on Wednesday, July 1, with Ladies Day and men’s teams teeing off on Friday, July 3.

“Bandon Golf Club is home to one of the finest courses in Ireland and every year we look forward to our annual Rotary/MSD Charity Golf Am-Am,” said Robert Merrick, president of Bandon Rotary Club. “We have an ambitious target this year of €15,000 and are calling on all golfers across Cork to dust off their golf clubs and register for our charity fundraiser in July.”

The women’s competition is for teams of three, members’ entry costs €10 per person, visitors €15. The men’s competition is for teams of three, €150 per team. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams across the two days. The timesheet is now open and may be accessed online at www.bandongolfclub.com or through club PRO Paddy O’Boyle at 023 88 42224.