Royal County Down is among the most lovely programs on this planet, a picturesque slice of heaven that sits on the foothills of the Mourne Mountains alongside the Irish Sea.
However it is usually brutally powerful, so powerful that it may host the Open Championship 12 months after 12 months—though that would result in extra psychological breakdowns amongst tour execs than we wish to see.
However, the Championship Hyperlinks in Newcastle, Northern Eire, welcome the most effective gamers on the DP World Tour for this week’s Amgen Irish Open, which returns to Royal County Down for the primary time since 2015. That 12 months, Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark received in a playoff over Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell, as all three gamers completed their 72 holes at 2-under-par.
Shane Lowry, who received the 2009 Irish Open at County Louth Golf Membership as an novice, believes scores shall be larger than that this week.
“I forgot how onerous it was. It’s going to be an unbelievable check,” Lowry mentioned Wednesday.
“I feel it could possibly be one of many highest-winning scores ever in a European Tour occasion this week. Would I take degree par and sit right here and wait? Presumably. That’s how powerful it’s going to be.”
Certainly, 4 straight days of capturing an even-par 71 on Royal County Down’s Championship Hyperlinks would depart any professional golfer glad and smiling. Par is an effective rating, even in benign circumstances. However you by no means know when rain can race down the mountains and interrupt a pleasant day. It occurs within the blink of a watch, and the wind can even shift at a second’s discover. That, after all, solely makes Royal County Down even tougher.
“It appears to be like such as you simply attempt to hit the entrance edge of each inexperienced and attempt to make par on each gap, and I feel in case you do this, you’ll be okay,” Lowry added.
“I feel this course shall be concerning the misses and lacking in the correct place. I tee off in about 24 hours. So I’ve 24 hours to determine the place to overlook it on each gap and attempt to simply handle my approach across the course fairly effectively as a result of I feel this week, it’s not going to be about your good pictures. Will probably be about your dangerous pictures and ensuring they aren’t too dangerous and don’t get you in an excessive amount of bother.”
Hassle within the type of gorse, deep tough, and punishing bunkers lurk throughout Royal County Down. The huge sand dunes that give this course its character are absolute no-gos, too. Additionally they create dozens of blind pictures, which makes any participant, even a professional, very uncomfortable.
“Look, that is only a powerful golf course,” Lowry added.
“It’s a troublesome check, and it’ll take loads of good golf, loads of persistence, and holing loads of par putts. It’ll take loads of great things to do effectively this week.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
