James Sugrue will draw on Winged Foot experience for Irish Open debut

Sugrue was treated to a US Open baptism of fire in New York last week

ON HOME GROUND: James Sugrue and caddy Conor Dowling during a practice round ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, Co Antrim. Picture: Brendan Moran

When you have played a course as forbidding as Winged Foot within the past week, pretty much anywhere else would appear to be a walk in the park — but James Sugrue will not underestimate Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort when he makes his Dubai Duty Free Irish Open debut tomorrow.

Sugrue, one of three Irish amateurs in the field alongside Kilkenny’s Mark Power and Holywood’s Tom McKibbin when the national open finally gets underway after a change of date and venue due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was treated to a US Open baptism of fire in New York last week. By his own admission, the Mallow golfer paid the price for not bringing his best golf with him to Winged Foot as he took up the invitation that was his reward for winning the 2019 Amateur Championship at Portmarnock.