A chance to sample treats in store at Ryder Cup 2027

Five years is a long time in any walk of life and Adare Manor director of golf operations Andy McMahon is certainly not going to predict how the course will be prepared for the 2027 Ryder Cup

LUSH: A view of the 18th green beyond the River Maigue from the back of the 15th hole at Adare Manor where the JP McManus Pro-Am starts today. Pic: Dan Linehan

Five years is a long time in any walk of life, not least elite-level golf, and Adare Manor director of golf operations Andy McMahon is certainly not going to predict how the Tom Fazio-designed 7,500-yard parkland course will be prepared for the 2027 Ryder Cup.

“We always get asked ‘how will you change it for the Ryder Cup in terms of set-up?’ The answer is, it’s five years away,” McMahon said on the eve of the 2022 JP McManus Pro-Am.

“You wouldn’t have a clue who the captain is or who the players are. We, Europe, might have the longest bombing players – the Hojgaards (Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus) may be hitting it miles by then or whoever else is coming through – there will be some on that team who we haven’t even heard of yet, they’re still in college.

“Look how much further Matt Fitzpatrick is hitting it now even, and it that’s another great story for us, having him come over off the back of the US Open. Just look at the field, I think we’ve got 10 of the top 12 in the world and what about Tiger? Tiger is the draw, we know that’s who many people will be following, Rory as well and the Irish boys, Shane Lowry and Seamus Power but we’ve also got the likes of John Murphy and others, so a nice home interest as well along with Dustin and Justin Thomas and all those lads.” 

Indeed, Fizpatrick is one of the four reigning major champions in the Pro-Am line-up alongside 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa, 2022 Masters winner Scottie Scheffler and PGA champion Justin Thomas. That’s quite the thought for Irish amateurs contemplating a round at Adare Manor following this year’s Pro-Am, McMahon believes.

“It will be nice to see the way the pros are hitting it to and scoring for the next time you go out there playing yourself. I always like the idea that with certain sports, you can’t play snooker at the Crucible, you can’t play rugby at the Aviva but you can play the same golf course that the Ryder Cup is going to be played on.

“And the great thing is that you’ll play it in a similar condition. We’re not doing anything different. If you walked out there today it’s pretty much the same thing. Yeah, maybe the greens might get an extra roll in the morning if they want to get them a tiny bit faster but the golf course will be in the same condition championship layout as it always is.”