Thornton Talks Straight at Concra Wood

European Tour player Simon Thornton has warned competitors playing the Kingspan Concra Wood Open that straight hitting will be required to succeed at the Christy O’Connor Jnr designed course in Castleblayney.

Newcastle Co Down based Thornton, who recently finished 33rd at the Irish Open at Royal Portrush, holds the course record at Concra Wood; a 68 carded in a PGA Sprint event in 2010.

“Concra Wood is one of the best courses in the country – full stop. It is absolutely fantastic,” said Thornton.

“The players will have to find the fairways off the tee. The fairways are not very wide but at the same time there are bail-out areas. It is important to know where you cannot hit it off the tee.

“The second shots are not overly difficult but there is often no point in hitting with the driver all the time. Sometimes you are going to have to lay back and hit full shots into the greens which are superb putting surfaces.”

Elliot Saltman’s stunning final round of 61 at Fota Island last week saw the Scotsman surge to the top of the Order of Merit, with Hampshire’s Martin LeMesurier just £8.33 behind in second.

Paul Reed is currently third on the Order of Merit and will be looking for further success in Ireland after previous Tour wins at Fota Island (2011) and Galgorm Castle earlier this season.

Entry is free for all spectators and young golfers can avail of free coaching lessons courtesy of Junior Golf Ireland, who will be on site during tournament week.

The Open Prize Money Unchanged

The winner of next week's Open Championship at Royal Lytham will earn £900,000 - the same as Darren Clarke at Sandwich last summer.

The total purse of £5million has also been kept the same, with the runner-up picking up £520,000 and the top 10 also walking away with six-figure cheques.

Everybody surviving the halfway cut will earn at least £9,000, which is more than double the amount Tony Jacklin won for lifting the Claret Jug on the course in 1969.

Seve Ballesteros' two victories in 1979 and 1988 were worth £15,000 and £80,000 respectively, while David Duval collected £600,000 on Lytham's last staging of the championship 11 years ago.

American Webb Simpson is still officially in the field for next week even though he has been saying ever since his US Open triumph last month that he does not intend playing with his wife due to give birth just afterwards.

There could be more than the usual 156-strong field this time and because of all the exempt players current first reserve Ben Crane would not automatically replace Simpson if he does pull out as expected.

Portrush Prepared Padraig for Links

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Padraig Harrington believes the best preparation for The Open Championship is to direct his burning focus towards next week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart Golf Links.

The Irishman, who won back-to-back Opens in 2007 and 2008 to provide the catalyst for The European Tour Membership’s Major Championship domination from 2007-2011, believes next week’s £2.5 million showcase in the Home of Golf provides the ultimate platform to prepare for golf’s oldest tournament.

“I’m fully focused on winning The Scottish Open,” said Harrington during a teleconference on Friday afternoon.

“I won’t be thinking of The Open when I’m playing at Castle Stuart – I’m thinking of The Scottish Open all the way through. The Scottish Open is a big enough title that you want to win it in its own right. From next Thursday morning onwards, I will only focus on the Scottish Open for four days and trying to get into contention.”

Given his recent form, Harrington could very well be contending to steal World Number One Luke Donald’s crown at Castle Stuart. The meticulous Irishman has started to marry his ever-improving level of performance with the only currency that matters in any sport – results.

A tie for fourth place in the US Open and then a joint-seventh place finish at the Irish Open saw Harrington back in genuine contention at two of the most important events on his schedule, where we saw the famous Harrington focus in those Irish eyes.

It was the same look he showed the world when closing out successive Open Championships as well the 2008 US PGA Championship, and Harrington is well aware of his growing confidence and belief in the changes he has made to his game under coach Pete Cowan and psychologist Dave Alred over the past year.

“I've had two substantial changes by starting to work with Dave Alred and Pete Cowan in the last year, and certainly both of those are absorbing all my thoughts and energies at this stage,” he said.

Another reason for the spring in the Harrington step is the time of the year. Links time, that is.

Having played the Irish Open at Royal Portrush last week, Harrington cannot wait to get to Castle Stuart to continue fine-tuning his links expertise ahead of The Open at Royal Lytham St Annes.

Harrington and links golf are a marriage made in heaven. Challenging, engaging, fascinating and infinitely perplexing, you can never be too sure of what you are going to get: the mark of any great links course or sportsman.

“I like to play links golf before I get to The Open,” he said. “I think it's a distinctly different form of golf than what we regularly get. The big advantage this year is having the Scottish Open on a links golf course again a couple of week after the Irish Open was held on a links golf course.

“The Scottish Open has one of the most important dates on the European calendar being the week before The Open and it just wasn't good preparation to go to a beautiful parkland course the week before a links golf course.

“Now that they have changed it, it's fantastic. I know some people don't like playing the week before a major, but there's no substitute for playing competitive links golf.

“You cannot compare how far the ball goes on a soft parkland course to how it goes off links turf. You cannot compare the wind and the effect it has on the golf course. It might be the same strength of wind but it affects it totally different on a links course.

“There are so many things, and yes, you can go and practice on a links and that is a help, but being competitive, when you have one go at it and a card in your hand, that is when you feel the difference.

“This year, if you played the Irish Open and now you're going to play the Scottish Open, you have two great chances, up to eight competitive rounds of golf where you're going to pick up the differences. I think that's the best preparation that you can get for playing The Open. Links golf is just not the same thing as what we normally play.”

Why Not a Clarke Kent Repeat

A year ago Darren Clarke travelled to Kent content that some form had returned in Mallorca two months previously, securing his first European Tour title since August 2008. His three-shot victory over Chris Wood and David Lynn in the Iberdrola Open ended a barren spell, which the Dungannon had calmly dealt with as Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy made major history. Especially as for years it was the colourful Clarke who was supposedly pre-destined for golf’s greatest prizes.

It must have been a tough and lonely time, compounded by his own personal challenges following the passing of his wife Heather in 2006 – all of which he was handled with discretion and dignity. 

The scenes on the final green at Royal St. George in Sandwich last July proved that in sport there is some natural justice, and fairy tale endings, as at 42 years of age Clarke joined that fats growing list of Irish major winners. In doing so joined the hallowed company of Fred Daly – about whom he would have heard many a tale growing up in Northern Ireland – who won the first major at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake in 1947. It was a fitting ending for Clarke who arrived surrounded by a lack of form at The Open Championship, still forging a relationship with his caddie, and facing some financial uncertainties, according to post event reports by his manager Andrew Chandler – all of which must not have been easy. 

The one thing that week was, Darren was playing a links course and anything could happen, particularly at Royal St George. Just ask Tiger Woods. Or Thomas Bjorn. Or indeed the winner in 2003, Ben Curtis. 

However Darren is well versed in the fine margins that are play in The Open Championship having led the event on the final day at Royal Troon in 1997, when in his pairing with Jasper Parnevik he shanked his 3 iron shot on the second hole and ended the momentum garnered on the first days – when he signed for a 67 and 66. Although the winner signed for a 65 that day, Clarke must think what might have been that bonnie day in Scotland, had things been different, which may have never given Justin Leonard his chance. Hence all the joy and emotion was understandable a year ago. 

In many ways though Clarke’s 2011 win should not have been a surprise as his record at the Open Championship is very good. 

At Royal Lytham in 1996 he finished (11th on his and was third when it returned in 2001, which bodes well for this year’s event. Clarke’s St Andrew's record shows a 7th and 15th with second place behind Leonard in 1997 at Troon followed by an 11th place at the same venue in 2004 – signing for a round of 68 on the final day. Although his two Open outings before Sandwich would have hardly given the bookies any worries as in 2010 at St. Andrew’s was more than non descript, finishing 44th , and 2009 at Turnberry a 52nd place. But those two years also coincided with a slump in form as he went about basing himself in Portrush - returning to Northern Ireland after years living in England. 

As The Open Championship looms next on the Major calendar Clarke will come to realise that the media pressure that comes with winning the Claret Jug pales into insignificance when compared to the scrutiny when having to defend the title. Which makes Padraig Harrington’s achievements at Royal Birkdale in 2008 really Tigeresque, as those who have been able to achieve that are virtually all from the Hall of fame – Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Walter Hagan, Bobby Jones. Previous to Harrington’ s back- to-back win it was 1983 when Watson notched his name, with Australian Peter Thompson the only one to better that with three consecutive titles – 1954, 1955 and 1956. 

The assessments of the Open Champions' form over the past few weeks have increased and the relief of making the cut at Royal Portrush last weekend at the Irish Open offered palpable relief. 

Unlike more recent seasons where wins just proved elusive, Clarke’s problem this year has become a battle with the dreaded cut as in eight outings Darren has only made two of them. At Royal Portrush, his home course, it required a 69 on day two to ensure safe passage into the weekend in an event he had spent most of the year promoting, planning and supporting. In the end rounds of 73 and 71 secured only a share of 39th place, which was a disappointing given the hours, days and years dreaming of lifting a winning trophy on the 18th green of the Dunluce course. However it has also been a few months plagued with a groin strain that has hampered his season since it first became an issues at the Masters in April. 

Missing the cut at Le Golf National on Friday in the Alstom Open de France, after a quadruple bogey at the third last, put him one shot on the wrong side of the cut. Attracting much of the unsolicited pre-Open scrutiny. 

In the last visit to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2001 Clarke ended day one in 21st place after an opening round of 70, and four shots off the pace set by Colin Montgomerie of 65. By the end of Friday the 2010 Ryder Cup captain gave up five shots to narrow the lead to one, with Darren Clarke coming home in 69 strokes for a six way share of 9th place. In exalted company too as he was joined by Tiger Woods, Des Smyth, Brad Faxon, Rory Sabattini, Billy Andrade, Mark O’Meara and Ralph Jacquelin. On the Saturday Clarke repeated his sixty nine to secure fifth place ahead of the final day and just none shot off the lead - held by David Duval, Ian Woosnam, Billy Mayfair and Alex Cejka. 

Going into Sunday paired with Parnevik once again for the final day of The Open, Clarke carded a round of 70, enough to take third place as the challenges all in sundry collapsed on the day With Duval one of the few to hold form and sign for a championship winning 67. 

No different to his final Sunday at Royal St George’s at last year’s Open Championship o where a final round 70 was enough to secure the Claret Jug with other about him seeing their challenge wily tint he Kent coast weather. With the young US pretender Dustin Johnson unable to muster an assault on the back nine, and Masters champion seeing his 68 fall three shots short of a play-off. Not unlike the way the course took it’s toll in 2003, the script for Curtis was written that day, as it was for Bjorn. Bo doubt as it was for Darren Clarke, who was winning more than his fair share of those much needed lucky bounces on the Open courses. Or indeed for Harrington in both 2007 and 2008 when his fellow challengers fell by the wayside as the pressure retched up. 

At Royal Lytham & St. Annes Clarke returns as champion to a links that holds favoured Open Championship memories no doubt, and do so knowing he is one of those few golfers that have won a major. Not worrying about a bad day at Le Golf National. The only fear maybe the cut. 

But Portrush proved that it’s not really a problem when needed. 

There is still also a feeling that there us another fairytale finish left in this story. 

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Clarke and Company Miss Paris Cut

Open champion Darren Clarke, on the other hand, paid a huge price for one nightmare hole — a quadruple-bogey eight at the seventh, his third last, that meant he missed the cut on four over, along with Michael Hoey.

The 43-year-old Ulsterman, playing his last tournament before he defends the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham in a fortnight, had been in 20th place as he stood on the tee. But his second shot found gorse and after taking a penalty drop he went into a bunker, came out short of the green and took three more from there.

Clarke dropped another stroke on the next, but his 76 was still four better than playing partner Paul Casey. For the former world number three that meant a second successive 80, as the shoulder dislocation he suffered while snowboarding at Christmas takes its toll. He made his exit in last place of the 155 players.

Peter Lawrie just sneaked into the weekend's action on three over after a 72, but Damien McGrane and Gareth Maybin were well off the pace on 12 over and seven over respectively.

At the top Marcel Siem led the Alstom French Open in Paris on Friday and had his title hopes boosted by a dramatic collapse from world number three Lee Westwood.

When Westwood chipped in at the 10th just after an 80-minute thunderstorm delay he was in a tie for third place, but he took penalty drops on three of the next five holes - once from heavy rough and twice from water - in dropping five shots. He did come back with a birdie on the short 16th, but a two-over-par 73 left him seven adrift of Siem.

Winner of the World Cup with Bernhard Langer in 2006, Siem has had only one European Tour victory in approaching 300 starts. But only a fortnight after going close on home soil at the BMW International Open back-to-back 68s put the 31-year-old in the driving seat heading into the weekend.

He double-bogeyed the 17th immediately after the resumption on play at 5pm, but then covered the front nine in a superb four-under 32 with birdies at the first, third, fifth and seventh to lead Sweden's Alexander Noren by one. Soren Hansen of Denmark and South Africa's George Coetzee are two shots back on four under.

At least Westwood was still in it after his horror stretch over the same four holes that cost him four strokes on the opening day.