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Irish Open: A perfect test of skill, stamina, and courage

By Elizabeth Bethel

LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 04: David Lipsky of the United States putting during a practice round prior to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart Golf Club on July 4, 2017 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 04: David Lipsky of the United States putting during a practice round prior to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart Golf Club on July 4, 2017 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /
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As a stand-alone event, the Irish Open provides a stunning test of skill, strategy, and stamina; and as a run-up to The Open, it’s the perfect event to get those sticks limbered up.

The Irish Open this week and the Scottish Open next week are the perfect run-up to the 146th Open Championship, to be contended this year at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.  The European Tour will be the center of the golf world for the remainder of July.

Tournament host and defending champion Rory McIlroy is doing everything within his power to deliver his national Open in fine form as a stand-alone contest of the best in men’s golf.

McIlroy will play the first two rounds, Thursday and Friday, at Portstewart Golf Club alongside two of his strongest challengers, Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama, a pairing that promises the kind of golf we wait months and sometimes years to observe.

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Matsuyama will especially bear watching this week on the Portstewart links. Japan’s superstar is making his first European Tour appearance of the season and he’s coming to the tee this week with three recent PGA TOUR victories on his resume.

Rahm is emerging as one of the game’s most promising young players and will most certainly be looking to best his host and the defending champion on a links course that will challenge the entire field.

Portstewart is not a golf course for sissies. The Belfast Telegraph’s Michael Moss takes a hole-by-hole tour of the par-72 track that will play 7000+ yards this week and is waiting to bare its teeth and bring a field of grown men to their knees. Just a look is enough to fill be with gratitude that I’ll be following the Irish Open from a safe vantage point behind the ropes.

The field needs to be prepared for just about everything in the way of weather. Conditions will vary from full sun to rain, from light breeze to howling, shifting winds, and daytime temperatures will be brisk. In short, the conditions will be just about right for summer golf in Ireland.

Play begins Thursday morning at 7:30 local time when Stephen Gallacher, Raphael Jacquelin and David Howell lead off. Check the European Tour web site for first and second round tee times and pairings.

Next: Irish Open top 10 power rankings

There’s not much time remaining to get your bets placed and your fantasy teams picked for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. You can catch first round action on Golf Channel beginning at 5:30am ET Thursday, July 6.

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