With the European Tour coming off its Open Championship hangover, what better place to get ‘a little hair of the dog that bit you’ than heading to Ireland for the 77th playing of the Nissan Irish Open.
And for a couple of gentlemen, it also makes way for a good shot at redemption.
In particular, Dane Thomas Bjrn and England’s Mark Roe, both of whom had tragic ends to their Open Championship dreams.
Bjorn, who seemingly held the Claret Jug in his hands with only three holes to play, unfortunately stumbled into some nasty form of quicksand guarding the 16th green, and with it lost the chance at becoming the Open Golfer of the Year.
This week the world will watch to see what kind of lasting effect it will have on Bjorn, who twice now has finished runner-up in the British Open. Comforting to Bjorn, he has played well in each of the past two season’s at the Irish Open, placing fifth both in 2001 and 2002.
Roe, who was disqualified along with playing partner Jesper Parnevik for signing the wrong scorecards, will try to bounce back from that disappointed end knowing he was playing well enough to be a factor, given the chance to play in Sunday’s final round.
A sizzling third-round 67 had Roe near the top of the leaderboard before word came of his DQ. He, too, is quickly getting back on the saddle this week, and golf fans will look to see just how deep those emotional scars run.
Also in the field are Ireland’s own Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington, both of whom seek to become the host country’s first national winner since John O’Leary back in 1982.
Harrington finished in a tie for 22nd at the Open while his compatriot Clarke closed in a disappointing tie for 59th.
The 2003 edition of the Irish Open will return to the historic Portmarnock Golf Club near Dublin for the first time in 13 years. Portmarnock Golf Club, a very traditional links style golf course, was the venue for the first staging of the event back in 1927.
Others in the field include Jose Maria Olazabal, the red-hot Phillip Price and young Paul Casey, already a two-time winner on the European Tour this season.
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