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Irish Open Completely Sold Out
McIlroy Looking for Home Turf Boost
Mcdowell Remains Grounded depsite Portrush Buzz
Clarke Relishing Home Advantage
Irish Open Completely Sold Out
The Irish Open has made European Tour history by becoming the first regular Tour event to sell out completely over all four days of this year’s championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
In recent weeks, the Tour has closed the sale of tickets, firstly for the weekend’s play, then Friday’s second round. Now the sale of tickets on the gate for tomorrow’s opening round has ceased, creating an unprecedented sell-out.
A total of 27,000 people each day will descend on Royal Portrush between Thursday and Sunday as Northern Ireland welcomes an Irish Open to its shores for the first time since 1953. Spectators are advised that no tickets will be sold at the gate for the duration for the tournament.
The combination of the sell-out and one of the strongest fields on The European Tour Schedule has resulted in a Major-like atmosphere at the County Antrim links course, even before a competitive ball has been struck.
Over 4,000 people attended the opening practice round at the Dunluce Links while a crowd of 14,225 added an exciting dimension to the star-studded Wednesday Pro-Am.
“The 2012 Irish Open has exceeded all expectations in terms of advance ticket sales. Following the announcement that the last three days were sold out, we had a considerable up-take for Thursday which has culminated in us putting up the ‘sold out’ signs,” said Championship Director Antonia Beggs.
“We urge spectators not to arrive at the gate in hope of purchasing tickets, as there will be no further sales for the 2012 Irish Open.”
The European Tour hope to make an announcement later this week about the sale of tickets for the 2013 Irish Open at Carton House near Dublin from June 27-30.
McIlroy Looking for Home Turf Boost
Rory McIlroy is determined to dispel the cloud of uncertainty hanging over his game by embracing his favouritism heading into this week's Irish Open at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy is among eight Major winners in the field including local Portrush residents Graeme McDowell, winner of the 2010 US Open, and Darren Clarke, who has 25 days left as reigning Open Champion.
Also in the field and contesting his first ever European Tour event is reigning PGA Championship titleholder, American Keegan Bradley who will play the first two days of the European PGA Tour event in the company of McIlroy.
McIlroy holds the Royal Portrush course record of 11-under par 61, set in his only competitive appearance on the course during qualifying for the 2005 North of Ireland Amateur titles.
"Everything was on song that day apart from missing a six foot putt for birdie at the first," he said.
However a question on the minds of a sell-out 27,000 crowd over the first two days is whether McIlroy's game is on song for a sixth Irish Open appearance.
He's missed the cut in two of the biggest events this year, the Players Championship and last fortnight's US Open in San Francisco.
"The last couple of years I didn't quite enjoy the tag of home favourite heading into an Irish Open," he said.
"I just didn't feel very comfortable with it.
"But this year I really want to embrace the tag. You look at so many people and where they have got a home advantage, it is an advantage, and it should be not just for me but for the other Irish guys here, as well.
"It's something that you really have to embrace, and that's what I am going to try and do this week."
And McIlroy revealed he intends also taking a further leaf out of Tiger Woods' book and plans to play Royal Lytham and St. Annes in the week before the July 19th commencing British Open.
"I'll go up to Lytham for a couple of days the week before The Open, and just get ready that way," he said.
"I played three Lytham Trophies and the British Amateur there. I had a real good chance to win the Lytham Trophy twice, and Danny Willett beat me 5-up in the first round of the British Amateur.
"But Lytham is a great golf course and I'm looking forward to playing there."
And McIlroy will be looking to fare better than last year's Open at Royal St. George's where he and World No. 1 Luke Donald crashed out after two days.
Bradley has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support he's received since arriving in Northern Ireland after finishing in a share of 29th in last week's Traveler's Championship in Connecticut.
"The area is unbelievable and the people are extraordinary, and I did not expect it to be like this," said Bradley.
"Everywhere I go around the course hundreds of people have told me, ‘welcome home', which gives me chills almost every time they say it.
"It's such a neat thing to be able to say to me because I wasn't sure how I was going to be accepted over here, and to hear people saying ‘welcome home' is a pretty special feeling."
Bradley has relatives in the Cork region of Ireland and travelled to Ireland once before when he was seven years of age.
His next appearance in Europe will be next fortnight's British Open.
Mcdowell Remains Grounded depsite Portrush Buzz
Graeme McDowell, runner-up at the US Open a fortnight ago, does not want to be swept up by what is happening in his home town this week.
Portrush stages the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland for 59 years, but McDowell said on Wednesday: “It would be easy to get lost in the whole emotion of it. I want to enjoy it, but I want to enjoy it at the business end of things on Sunday.
“I would rate winning this just outside the majors. It’s about winning in front of your home fans. Northern Ireland has had its problems, but the town’s buzzing and there’s a sense of pride to see this great event here.”
After narrowly missing out to Webb Simpson two weeks ago at The Olympic Club, McDowell has certainly received a welcome boost from returning to his homeland.
“When I got here Monday morning, just driving to the golf course I got a sense of pride to see this great event here,” he added.
“It’s been a great run the last couple of years for Northern Irish golf, and I guess to be part of the reason why this tournament is here is very humbling. Growing up in this town, you dream of having a big type of event here, and it’s a culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.
“There’s been a huge amount of excitement in the town since the announcement that we were coming here. The town has been buzzing, and there’s been a lot of work done around the area. I think we are all very, very excited.
“Personally, I’m proud to be able to have The European Tour come to my part of the world, and the golf course is it in great condition. The weather forecast wasn’t great this morning, but we got away with it and fingers crossed for a great weekend.
“It’s exciting – 15,000 people out there watching a Pro-Am this morning was incredible. It’s really good for all of the players, and just gives us a sense of what people have thought of what we have achieved the last few years.
“There’s no doubt that people are proud of this golf course and they are proud of this part of the world, and they are coming out in masses to welcome a great European Tour field to this golf course.”
Clarke Relishing Home Advantage
Darren Clarke believes Royal Portrush could be the perfect place to rediscover his form at this week’s Irish Open.
The Northern Irishman moved back to Portrush four years ago, and believes the switch was a major factor in his Open Championship victory at Sandwich last year.
The Irish Open has broken European Tour records with unprecedented ticket sales, as Friday, Saturday and Sunday are already a sell-out, and Clarke is hoping to draw on the huge crowds as inspiration.
“The Irish Open has always been one of my favourite tournaments and to have it here in Royal Portrush with this amount of people here already coming to the tournament – sold out for the first time in European Tour history – makes me very, very proud,” said Clarke.
“It’s not just me, everybody at Royal Portrush and the locals are right behind it.
“It’s all worked out unbelievably well. The players love it – it’s almost got an Open feel, which is what I think the course deserves. It’s fantastic to look out there and see all of the locals and what everybody has achieved.
“It’s just a very special place. I moved up here when I was young, and I played an awful lot of my golf here and moved back a couple of years ago.
“Winning The Open last year, a lot of it was due to the fact that I was living here again playing in Royal Portrush. Some of my fellow Tour pros have not been here before, and every one bar none has been full of praise already. The course is looking fantastic.”
Since his emotional Open Championship triumph Clarke has, by his own admission, struggled for consistency.
The 43 year old has not finished better than 20th, and has missed four cuts in his last five stroke play events.
But after a month off, the former Ryder Cup star feels ready to produce his best form on home soil.
“I’ve been down here quite a lot just practising,” he added. “I’m feeling not too bad, and looking forward to getting back.
“The forecast this week is for some pretty normal Portrush weather which might not be too good, might not be to everybody’s liking – but it is to mine!
“I’ve played the course in some pretty horrific conditions, so hopefully that will be a little bit of an advantage, as it will be to most of the Irish guys that have played here before. It’s a golf course that you need to know a little bit, and definitely in bad weather.
“As for myself, I’ve been working away and hopefully things will turn around pretty soon and get back to where it’s been.
“I think it’s going to be wonderful pictures going around the world of Royal Portrush and the whole area. It’s a huge boost for the area that can only be a good thing. It’s wonderful to see a major tournament back here again at one of the best courses that we’ve got. I doubt we’ll play a better course on The European Tour this year, and that’s the feeling amongst most of the pros.
“For guys to come along here and say, looking around, everything about it, it feels like an Open Championship, is about as big of praise as anybody can give it.”