If Failte Ireland were concerned about the lack of a sponsor for the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland at the end of July, they need not have worried as the golfing gods were looking out for their best interests over the past weeks it seems. Not unlike last year when the Killeen Course at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club hosted the return of the US Open winner at Pebble Beach, Graeme McDowell, an achievement that had not been matched in forty years, since Tony Jacklin in 1970.
This year the same golf club will be welcoming two current major title holders, both of whom are Irish.
Only four years ago it was Padraig Harrington making the breakthrough for Irish golf in the modern era when he saw off Sergio Garcia in the play-off at Carnoustie in 2006, placing golf on the island at the forefront once again after a gap of sixty years from Fred Daly’s achievement in 1947. Within twelve months Harrington had repeated the feat at Royal Birkdale, add a third major by winning the PGA Championship at Hazeltine National in Minnesota a few months later.
Incredible to think now, only 48 months later it is fellow Ryder Cup player Darren Clarke who takes possession of the Claret Jug for the next year.
Only last month Rorymania took over the golfing world when the Holywood prodigy stormed a wire to wire finish at Congressional to match McDowell’s feat within the year, meaning that the trophy travelled only a short distance from Portrush into the hands of Northern Ireland’s newest superstar. With all the pre Open Championship betting focused on Rory McIlroy, the elder statesman and mentor of many younger Northern Ireland golfers, Darren Clarke, arrived to Royal St. George Golf Club this week virtually unnoticed.
But having won the Iberdrola Mallorca Open in May, by three shots, it should have been a warning to even the most wise of golf pundits that the of growing up in the latest golf talent centre, Northern Ireland, and being part of the International Sports Management team stable, gave the Dungannon almost an unfair advantage.
Having himself dropped out of the Lancome Open de France to celebrate with McIlroy after his US Open win, one wonders what Clarke will have planned for himself this week, now that he was won the Open after 21 attempts – becoming the 21st Century Fred Daly.
On his EasyJet flight home from Mallorca that Sunday in May, he offered free drinks to all the passengers onboard en route to London with the 166,660Euro prize money, as he celebrated his first win in three years. One wonders what the locals in Deal and Sandwich will be offered if they meet Clarke on Sunday night having collected a cheque for £900,000.
With the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland on the horizon, a better marketing plan could not have been planned and in all likelihood the record crowds of 81,500 of last year could easily be matched – or beaten – this year. For the now departed sponsor 3 mobile the view in the rear view mirror may look a bit different as the field in two weeks will include the four Irish major winners, who between them have six major titles, A great marketing story for Irish golf if there was ever to be one written.
In the same way that Padraig Harrington became the first Irish winner of the national golf event at Adare Manor in 2007 when he beat Bradley Dredge in a play-off to equal the achievement of John O’Leary in 1982 – a gap of 25 years.
At the 3 Irish Open last year Harrington came close to winning it again, just losing out to England’s Ross Fisher on the Sunday. For Clarke such is the momentum now, he will arrive to Killarney as the latest major winner, only five weeks ahead of the other Irish major title holder, Rory McIlroy.
Both will be odds on to win the Irish Open this year no doubt.
For Clarke it may be an ideal way to overcome the misfortunes of 2003 at the weather delayed Nissan Irish Open at Carton House where he lost out to Thomas Bjorn after his final round of 73 on the Monday. Having been in contention on the Saturday, Clarke could only three-putt after duffing his pitch from just off the green.
However, the Northern Ireland player emerged with enormous credit after an incident on the ninth hole when play resumed on Monday morning after Clarke had pushed his tee shot into heavy rough when play was suspended on the Sunday evening. On returning he found the ball in a much better lie which would have given him the chance to reach the green in two, But Darren insisted on chipping out sideways and ended up with a bogey five.
He said at the time: "Yesterday I had a very poor lie and I got back out this morning and either a lot of people had been looking for it, or a lot of people had flattened the grass around it, it was a much better lie than when I left it," said Clarke.
"I could have hit it onto the front of the green but if I had done I would have held my head in shame, so I just decided to chip it out and play it like I would have last night."
This incident and the role he played in the Ryder Cup victory at the K Club in 2006, very soon after the death of his wife Heather from cancer, typify the esteem and affection he holds within the golfing world. So it was no surprise that his win at Royal St. George was so merited and greeted with massive cheers. Indeed, that popularity was highlighted also in the way to the recorders hut when Mickelson, Bjorn and other players lined up to congratulate him.
On Twitter Rory McIlroy said he was hanging around to congratulate Clarke as well when he finished and join the ISM team celebrations.
McIlroy may need to take the week off as it will no doubt be a long party and as will the homecoming to Portrush later in the week.
But at this stage, golf clubs in Northern Ireland are now expert at these homecomings as it will be third in thirteen months.
For the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland such homecomings can only be good for ticket sales.
