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Ruaidhri McGee, the highest-ranked Irishman in the Road to Oman Rankings, is hoping that home comforts can drive him to a maiden European Challenge Tour title at this week’s Northern Ireland Open in Association with Sphere Global and Ulster Bank.
The 24 year old has recorded four top ten finishes this season, including a runner-up at the Challenge de Madrid in April and a share of third place at June’s KPMG Trophy, but is yet to register that elusive first victory on the European Challenge Tour.
McGee lives an hour from Galgorm Castle, which is this week hosting the third edition of the best-attended event on the schedule and so will have the rare pleasure of sleeping at home during tournament week.
Having suffered the disappointment of being forced to retire midway through his opening round last year due to illness, the Derryman is relishing the opportunity to return on the back of his good progress this year.
“It will be nice to sleep in my own bed and there is always great support so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“It was really unfortunate last year. I was really looking forward to playing this event. It was shaping up to be a good week and then I got sick. I tried to play - I played six holes - but I couldn’t hit the ball at all. It wasn’t great but I didn’t have a choice at the time.
I'm looking forward to getting back to Galgorm - it's definitely the best tournament of the year for crowds
“I’m looking forward to getting back there now, being healthy and giving it a go. Galgorm is a place that I’ve played at a lot of times.
“It’s a great course, really nice, and it’s tight as well so I think it suits my game. The greens are really good too so it’s a good setup there. I’ve had a few good rounds there in the past so I have good memories.
“It’s a great tournament, the crowds make it – I think it’s definitely the best tournament of the year for that. It feels like a European Tour event and it’s great to play in front of so many people in that atmosphere.”
McGee has struggled with a dip in form in the last month or so and he admits that, having got off to a flying start – at one point reaching third place in the Road to Oman Rankings, he did find himself worrying too much about where he stood on the year-long list at the conclusion of each week.
“I think you end up checking the Rankings out after every tournament to see where you’ve moved to but I think it’s easily done,” he said. “It’s just natural, but I’m going to try and do my best now not to look at it and just look at it in November.
“I feel like I’m playing well, I’m just trying to forget about the Rankings now and get back to playing. Hopefully now I can hole a few putts and get a good strong finish to the year.”
McGee is joined by a host of home stars from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including five-time European Tour winner and this week’s Tournament host Michael Hoey.
He is joined by fellow former European Tour winners Damien McGrane and Simon Thornton, as well as Rhys Davies and Phillip Price of Wales, Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik, Dane Jeppe Pape Huldahl and Englishmen Nick Dougherty, Kenneth Ferrie and Ross McGowan.
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