Royal County Down is without doubt one of the most lovely programs on the planet, a picturesque slice of heaven that sits on the foothills of the Mourne Mountains alongside the Irish Sea.
However it’s also brutally powerful, so powerful that it might host the Open Championship 12 months after 12 months—though that would result in extra psychological breakdowns amongst tour professionals than we wish to see.
Nonetheless, the Championship Hyperlinks in Newcastle, Northern Eire, welcome the perfect 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 newbie, believes scores might be greater than that this week.
“I forgot how laborious 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 stage par and sit right here and wait? Probably. That’s how powerful it’s going to be.”
Certainly, 4 straight days of taking pictures 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 may shift at a second’s discover. That, after all, solely makes Royal County Down even more durable.
“It seems to be such as you simply attempt to hit the entrance edge of each inexperienced and attempt to make par on each gap, and I feel if you happen to do this, you’ll be okay,” Lowry added.
“I feel this course might be concerning the misses and lacking in the best 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 manner across the course fairly nicely as a result of I feel this week, it’s not going to be about your good photographs. It is going to be about your unhealthy photographs and ensuring they aren’t too unhealthy and don’t get you in an excessive amount of hassle.”
Hassle within the type of gorse, deep tough, and punishing bunkers lurk throughout Royal County Down. The large sand dunes that give this course its character are absolute no-gos, too. In addition they create dozens of blind photographs, which makes any participant, even a professional, very uncomfortable.
“Look, that is only a powerful golf course,” Lowry added.
“It’s a tricky check, and it’ll take plenty of good golf, plenty of persistence, and holing plenty of par putts. It would take plenty of great things to do nicely this week.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
