3 Irish Open (EURO Tour) Smack Talk Thread - Possible Spoilers!!!

[Rye]

Ireland ready to toast golden generation

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Irish golf fans are set to welcome home their golden generation of golfers at this week’s 3 Irish Open, with Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy leading the charge at Killarney Golf and Fishing club for what is sure to be a true festival of golf over the Irish Bank Holiday weekend.

Having claimed four of the last 13 Major Championships, Ireland is undoubtedly enjoying the most successful period in its romantic history, with Harrington, McDowell and McIlroy at the forefront of the nation’s global success.

They are being supported by a considerable pool of talent, including defending champion Shane Lowry who added his own creative chapter to the country’s golfing history by winning last year’s 3 Irish Open while still an amateur.

Who can forget the scenes of celebration as Lowry defeated Englishman Robert Rock in a sudden-death play-off at Baltray last year with thousands of fans charging onto the 18th green to congratulate their newest golfing hero?

Lowry, who was only the third amateur to win on The European Tour, will defend his 3 Irish Open title as a changed man, a player who is now a highly promising Tour professional.

The above mentioned Irish quartet will be hoping to provide a second consecutive home winner at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club this week, while their compatriots Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, who were last week announced as Vice-Captains to European Team Captain Colin Montgomerie for The Ryder Cup in October, are also in the field for the €3million event.

McDowell sealed his place in the Team for the contest at The Celtic Manor Resort with victory at last month’s US Open, and he admits he cannot wait to head to Killarney as Ireland’s newest Major Champion.

“To be able to tee up at the 3 Irish Open as the US Open Champion is going to be pretty special,” he said. “I look forward to the 3 Irish Open every year, but to able to compete in front of the Irish fans as a Major winner will be an awesome feeling. It’s shaping up to be a great event in Killarney.”

McIlroy, just 21, has been inspired by McDowell’s triumph at Pebble Beach and is in fine form following his third place finish at The Open Championship, where he posted a record low 63 in the first round at St Andrews.

“I will be playing some social golf with my friends at home so let’s hope they can inspire me to win at Killarney,” said McIlroy, who will hope to emulate Harrington, the 2007 and 2008 Open Champion who won the Irish Open at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort three years ago.

“It would be huge to win it. Padraig always says that outside the Majors, the Irish Open is the one he wants to win above all the others and I feel the same way about it. It’s the Bank Holiday weekend in Killarney so hopefully we will have big crowds, decent weather and great tournament.”

Ireland’s finest will be joined by in-form Englishman Justin Rose, who is hoping to boost his chances of qualifying for The European Ryder Cup Team. Rose has won twice in quick succession on the US PGA Tour and wants to add a European Tour victory to his tally before the season is over.

“I’m really looking forward to playing the 3 Irish Open,” said Rose, who made his Ryder Cup debut at Valhalla in 2008. “With a €3 million prize fund and substantial World Ranking Points on offer, it gives me a great chance to qualify automatically for The Ryder Cup Team.

“I am playing very well at the moment. My victories in America recently have put me back in the frame to make Monty’s Team and I would love to secure that by winning in Killarney. It would be great to follow up my US PGA Tour wins with a victory in Europe.”

[Rye]

King Fisher flying high in Ireland

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England's Ross Fisher won the 3 Irish Open in record-equalling style at Killarney - despite a thrilling late challenge from home favourite Padraig Harrington.

From three behind Harrington might have thought a closing seven under par 64 would seal his national title for the second time in four years.

But Fisher, having lost the six stroke lead he held in the third round, responded with a 65 to take his fourth European Tour title by two.

The 29 year old's 266 aggregate, 18 under par, matched the tournament record set nine years ago by Colin Montgomerie - and with it Fisher climbs all the way from 13th to sixth in the race for places in Montgomerie's Ryder Cup Team.

"It just feels great to come out on top against such a world-class field," said Fisher after receiving the trophy and the €500,000 first prize.

"I could hear the roars and knew Padraig was making a charge. I just tried to stay patient and this is what we play for - we want to give ourselves a chance and I am no different."

Fisher could not have picked a better time to return to winning ways - the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational starts on Thursday in Akron, Ohio, and after that comes the final Major of the season, the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Harrington still has not won for two years but the Dubliner, who has now had 27 second places on The European Tour, produced some spectacular shots and rated his up and down from a plugged lie in a bunker at the 12th "one of the best ever for me".

He said: "Overall I had a lot of chances. I've been comfortable with my game for a while, but I just have to trust it a little more.

"I should not get so stressed - I just have to let it happen a bit more."

Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Englishman Chris Wood shared third place on a day when there were no fewer 14 changes at the top of the leaderboard.

Wood, Australian Richard Green and Italian Francesco Molinari had an early taste of it and with four birdies in his first seven holes Harrington joined the fun.

But Fisher, round in a course record 61 on Friday, sank an 18 foot eagle putt at the seventh, holed from similar range on the ninth and then started for home with an eight iron to four feet.

That put him three clear, but it was game on again when Harrington birdied the 15th and made a ten foot eagle attempt at the 519 yard 16th.

Fisher had the same two holes to come, though, birdied them both and then to his immense relief saved par from eight feet on the next after giving his first putt far too much pace.

"Making four there was huge," he stated. "If I had come up the last only one ahead it might have been a different story."

With a closing par he could celebrate not only with his wife and one year old daughter Eve, but also with new caddie Phil Morbey on his birthday.