Irish Open Thread - spoilers within

Trampas

Just thought I start a thread for the Irish Open next week.

I am sure SS will be following Barrie TRAINOR next week

Following non regular players have made it

John KELLY St
Philip WALTON
Robert GILES
Simon THORNTON
Eamonn BRADY
Damian MOONEY
Barrie TRAINOR
John DWYER
Eoin ARTHURS (AM)
Shane LOWRY (AM)

I know Walton is in

PhilipMarlowe

Sponsors Invites:
Noel FOX
Des SMYTH

Kimbot

Lads,

Where can I get a full list of all that are playing that week?

Blunder

Unfortunately I have to work this year (I usually take this week off to go to the Tournament) but I hope to get up Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Weather looks like its going to be ok based on the 10 day on weather.com. This will help the event. I also expect the wind to blow adding to the challenge of the course. I was up there a few weeks ago and the course looks in good nick.

There is a good field this year with some big names turning up. Its going to be a great event and I cant wait!

Trampas

jonny24ie wrote: »

Lads,

Where can I get a full list of all that are playing that week?

www.europeantour.com

f22

jonny24ie wrote: »

Lads,

Where can I get a full list of all that are playing that week?

http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid={AEFB93B0-EFF5-4C05-AB0F-FD08D947D944}&eventid=2009036&infosid=10

Mister Sifter

Got a few minutes to kill? Give this a blast...

http://game.3irishopen.ie/

See if you can beat my world-beating +27.:o

Blunder

Right so, The weather looks poor for this. Wind is going to blow pretty hard so my money is on either someone like Paul Lawrie or an Irish winner for this. Harrington is not hitting it straight enough for me to be considered winning. However it might just be how he'll like it as he seems to thrive on adversity.
Local knowledge is going to be vital I think this week and there are a few players who are regulars to the course and have won events around the track in the past. Some crazy odds for golfers who would fall into this category.
Paul Lawrie is 100/1, has won twice over links courses on the tour and I think is a good each way shout as links golf is his game and the conditions at Baltray this week will be Scotland-esque.

Any one have any thoughts?

Hope to get Friday, Saturday and Sunday at this. Its going to be a good week.

Morrisseeee

^^ nice link/game Graeme1982
....but I ran up a 12 on the 5th !! :eek:

whatawaster

Blunder wrote: »

Right so, The weather looks poor for this. Wind is going to blow pretty hard so my money is on either someone like Paul Lawrie or an Irish winner for this. Harrington is not hitting it straight enough for me to be considered winning. However it might just be how he'll like it as he seems to thrive on adversity.
Local knowledge is going to be vital I think this week and there are a few players who are regulars to the course and have won events around the track in the past. Some crazy odds for golfers who would fall into this category.
Paul Lawrie is 100/1, has won twice over links courses on the tour and I think is a good each way shout as links golf is his game and the conditions at Baltray this week will be Scotland-esque.

Any one have any thoughts?

Hope to get Friday, Saturday and Sunday at this. Its going to be a good week.

Are you Paul Lawrie?

Blunder

No. Next question.

PhilipMarlowe

Looking for a good show from Gary Murphy this week... god knows he needs it. He had a very good Irish Open last year in Adare, finishing 3rd (12th in 07). Had an ok Italian Open last week (if you ignore the 8 on a par 5 grrrrr)
He also should be very familiar with the course in Baltray.

Blunder

Well he cant have any complaints of not knowing the course seeing as he can p!$$ on it from his house!:D I'd expect a good show from him also.

whatawaster

I have a feeling we could have a big week for the Irish at Baltray. Harrington, McIlroy, McDowell, Maybin, Clarke Lawrie and McGrane – I could see any or all of them up there challenging.
But I think John Daly will triumph this week. He’s in great form at the minute, and has a bit of previous on links courses.

Blunder

Reading in the paper today that he reckons he'll have to be patient with the course. Accuracy is going to be a big thing for him. Dunno how tight they've set up the course but he'll have to reign in the driver to have a chance, especially in the windy conditions. Also don't know if he'd hold it together if he got into contention on Sunday. Despite finishing 2nd last week he was never in contention. Not a bad shout but I think a top ten would be a good result for him.

redzerdrog

the 2 for me to back are brett rumford 66/1 and tomas levet 55/1

rumford won the irish open last time it was here and levet is in good form winning a couple of weeks ago on tour.

Blunder

Redzerdrog, What will the traffic be like in Town at around 8 in the morning? Any handy way to avoid the traffic coming from the M1?

BombSquad

Blunder wrote: »

Local knowledge is going to be vital I think this week and there are a few players who are regulars to the course and have won events around the track in the past.

Looking at the recent Irish Opens at links courses... Patrick Sjoland, Michael Campbell and Brett Rumford had no local knowledge prior to winning. Same with Ben Curtis at the British. Add Todd Hamilton to that and none of these are big hitters but all have good short games. Rumford is supposed to be one of the top bunker players. Paul Lawrie's nickname was "Chippy" because of his chipping skills. Harrington is known more for his short game than for his big hitting.

I'd be looking at an accurate guy who can chip and putt. Maybe Oliver Wilson or Soren Kjeldsen? Peter Lawrie could do well also...

Blunder

Fair Point. I think though that with the weather this week, some of the guys who have history around Baltray will benefit. Especially given the last time the open was played at Baltray it was pretty benign for 3 of the days. I'll probably be wrong though.

whatawaster

I really hope the weather is very variable. There's nothing quite like watching top pro's having to battle to break 80 at the open. I know a lot of people love birdie fests, but i'd much rather them having to graft for pars. Makes them seem more human.

PhilipMarlowe

Round 1 tee times

whatawaster

Harrington, Westwood and Jimenez. Great group to watch.

redzerdrog

Blunder wrote: »

Redzerdrog, What will the traffic be like in Town at around 8 in the morning? Any handy way to avoid the traffic coming from the M1?

shouldnt be bad at 8 in morning but anything after half 8 it can be a right pain in the ass. Just make sure you take the drogheda north exit and you will avoid most of the town traffic.

22moomoo

Blunder wrote: »

Redzerdrog, What will the traffic be like in Town at around 8 in the morning? Any handy way to avoid the traffic coming from the M1?

Eh avoid drogheda like the plague, of course it will be busy with the open on.
Take the drogheda north exit and head for monasterboice, follow the signs to termonfeckin and then baltray. Very good event signage on this route.

Aidric

Que 4 days of wind and rain.

Trampas

Not good start for some of the home players

Rory +2 after 4
Mc Dowell +3 after 4

mike65

Who's short game is in good shape right now?

Mister Sifter

Kudos to the man who said Paul Lawrie earlier this week. You prompted me to put a fiver on him. -4 so far.

Shane Lowry just had an eagle on a par 4 to go 1 under.

Trampas

-5 now :eek:

Mister Sifter

Actually, i see it was a birdie for Lowry, not an eagle. Eurotour site got it wrong. Still, he's 1 under.

Rory up to -1, Paul Lawrie now 6 under par.

Blunder

Lawrie and Dougherty finished on -6. McGrane and Mcilroy best of Irish after the morning session on -3. Shane Lowry -3 after 14. Des Smyth finished level par. McDowell having a mare on +5.

Blunder

Shane lowry in with a 67. Great shooting. Would he qualify for Wentworth next week if he finished in the top 10? I've a feeling he wouldnt as its the PGA event. Anyway there is a long way to go before sunday!

stevire

Commentary on RTE is pretty bad, honestly can't stand the guy Warren something? Put me off watching some of the coverage!

Dolph Starbeam

Blunder wrote: »

Shane lowry in with a 67. Great shooting. Would he qualify for Wentworth next week if he finished in the top 10? I've a feeling he wouldnt as its the PGA event. Anyway there is a long way to go before sunday!

Great round, especially after a bad start, 2 bogeys in his first 4 holes i think. I was expecting it though (well maybe not that good) as he really likes the course. He wasn't planning on turning pro until after the Walker Cup like what McIlroy did but who knows after this.

Blunder

I think He'd be mad to turn pro before it. He'll walk into the team at the moment. No point giving up the chance of one of the highest amatuer honours at this stage. Especially when he is young. He'll have a long enough career ahead of him!

Dolph Starbeam

Blunder wrote: »

I think He'd be mad to turn pro before it. He'll walk into the team at the moment. No point giving up the chance of one of the highest amatuer honours at this stage. Especially when he is young. He'll have a long enough career ahead of him!

Ye for sure, i don't think he will either, he could of turned pro over a year ag but said he was waiting for the Walker Cup. Another exciting prospect though, and word around the midlands, is that he is a better prospect than McIlroy:eek: But being 5 mins from Tullamore and Esker Hills and him being a member in both courses thats what you would expect to hear lol.

stevire

What's with Daly's pants?? They're normal!! Must not have waterproofs in multicolour!

BunkerMentality

Some round Edfors is having so far... 10 birdies, 2 bogeys and 3 pars

rkeane

The commentary is pretty bad but the picture quality is absolute muck. There is a lot of ghosting around the players swings and on the golf ball movement, particularly noticeable during putting. What the hell is going on? I witnessed the same thing on the Sony LCD in my bedroom.

Trampas

Lucky I am watching on Sky

rkeane

I'm watching RTE on regular Sky, I have to say the picture quality is crap.

Trampas

Someone needs to grab Harrington and give him a few smacks in the head to tell him to stop tinkering with his swing and just trust it.

Don't win 3 majors swinging bad

bigtimecharlie

Cut has moved to -4 which means Harrington will have the weekend off. McDowell is on the same score but still out on the course. Clarke and McGinley will be safe but the joint leader is amateur Shane Lowery!

First round leader and course record holder F Molinari signed for an incorrect second round score and has been disqualified.

Paul Lawrie has had a hole in one at the 17th so the Audi cabrio is Scotland bound.

Course looks good this afternoon but tomorrow is not great. 2 tee start in 3 ball's to get most of the players out before the worst of the afternoon showers. Wouldn't be an Irish open without the weather that the rest of us play.

madds

McIlroy messing around on the greens again today. He should be 3 to 4 shots better as he's played well from tee to green.

Sky have just shown Lowry's tee shot on 13. He really has a lovely rhythm to his swing.

PhilipMarlowe

I'm getting text updates from a friend following Murphy and he has had countless lip-outs...

f22

Holy ****, Lowry -9 through 16. Leading the tournament on -14 with 18 still to come which is well reachable in 2 today! Unbelieveable stuff

BunkerMentality

62 for lowry...

KARENGILLIAN

With a bogey on the 11th, that's bloody amazing !

KARENGILLIAN

What the fxxk was Hoey's caddy thinking of carrying 15 clubs for 2 days, got to be a sackable offence :cool:

thegen

Well day two belongs to two Irishmen. Lowry leading and shooting 62. McDowell shooting 61. effin amazing. Feel sorry for the lads that went out this morning in the worst of it. I'd say Harrington thought he'd done enough to play the weekend.

Marshy

Yeah saw an interview with Harrington on Sky just after he finished and he didn't seem to be at all worried about missing the cut.

Incredible scoring from the afternoon players and outstanding from Lowry in particular. I wonder if he can keep the brilliant play going.