Simon Thornton calls a truce in 'battle' with County Down

Simon Thornton had the chance to play in sunnier climes at the PGA Cup in Oregon, but decided to stay at home so his children could witness their dad playing in the Irish Open.

Simon Thornton of Ireland throws up grass to check the wind direction during day one of the Amgen Irish Open Golf Championship 2024 at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Down. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

People talk about ‘battling’ the elements and the other vagaries that define links courses. Simon Thornton doesn’t view it in quite those antagonistic terms. The 47-year old sees it as an attempt to reach some sort of accommodation with the task at hand.

One of 11 Irish golfers in the field this week, the 47-year old lives a stone’s throw away from the course in Newcastle. His approach was set early on Thursday, long before he even opened the blinds to see the lay of the land.

“We woke up and said it doesn't matter where the pins are and what [the weather is] doing. It's front edge of every green. That's what it is. As soon as you go chasing up the greens, that's when all the trouble comes into it, especially from the rough, which is penal.” 

This just isn’t a place to chase flags.

Thornton had the chance to pass the time in sunnier climes. He could have represented Ireland in the PGA Cup in Oregon this week, but decided to stay at home so his children could witness their dad playing in the Irish Open.

He gave them plenty to remember, his two-over par 73 signed for after a round that produced four birdies, two bogeys and a pair of double bogeys. It left him sitting 66th in the field and more than happy with the day’s work.

“I would have taken 73 at the beginning of the day. Front nine is tougher than the back, as we know as locals. I started off lovely on the back nine, to be fair. I played okay. A couple of bad shots on this golf course penalises you, as we all know.” 

Thornton’s 73 was pretty typical of the Irish experience on day one. Eight of the eleven shot somewhere between 72 and 74 with Mark Power, 12 months after earning €40,000 at this event in what was his first pro start, signing for a four-over 75.

Rory McIlroy’s standout three-under par 68 aside, it was amateur Sean Keeling who came in next best from among the home challengers. The Dublin teenager, finishing in the dark in the second-last group, shot a superb one-under 70.

His scorecard showed 17 pars and a closing birdie.

Max Kennedy of Royal Dublin had finished hours earlier. Another amateur, he could be more than happy with a one-over 72 round that wouldn’t cut it often on the US collegiate tour but qualified as a very good first round at an Irish Open under the circumstances.

“It's funny. Out there I was hitting really good golf shots and I was still only level par. Usually if I played as good as I did today you would like to be a couple under, but one-over wasn't a bad score and I am happy with how I played.

“My pace putting was extremely good, I had a lot of tap-in for pars so that was the biggest thing today I would say. I was extremely comfortable, my playing partners were great. Sam [Bairstow] and the French guy [Julien Guerrier] was great. We had a very good time.”