Water and wind await at Ballyconnell

ON first visiting Valderrama, in the days when it was known as Las Aves, or Sotogrande New, I remember being intrigued by a par five 13th hole that had two greens offering approach shots of contrasting difficulty. The memory was revived earlier this week when, on a visit to Slieve Russell, I observed work being completed on a second green at the 13th hole. Coincidently, it, too, is a par five.

Much has changed at Valderrama since then. The long 13th is no more. Under the ownership of Jaime Patino, the nines were switched around, so that this splendid hole is now the 567 yard fourth. After choosing the green on the left, it was enhanced by the construction of a waterfall at a reported cost of $250,000.

Patino is not alone in spending considerable money to achieve the desired impact. Through an outlay of £100,000, Slieve Russell's owner, Sean Quinn, plans to have the new 13th green in play for the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship there on May 2nd-5th. And yes, just like Valderrama, the surviving green will be the one on the left.

After spending about £14 million on the Slieve Russell complex, Quinn had reason to be well pleased with the outcome. But the par fives on the course bothered him. "None of them required carrying a third shot onto the green," he said. "That's why I decided to change the 13th."

It became a costly process, not least because at the first attempt, last autumn, part of the green slipped to a watery grave. So, at the second attempt it was decided to use a material called Terram, which is a sort of plastic mesh, capable of holding earth in position. After that, three feet of structural material was laid on top. The result is a beautifully finished green of about 800 square yards, fronted by a lake.

The hole measures 529 yards off the back tee and the challenge for professionals next month will he the amount of water they are prepared to "bite oft" in a tee shot over the corner of the lake. Depending on conditions, the long and the brave will probably be left with a second shot of about 210 yards, the last 60 yards of which will be over water to the new green.

As US golf course designer Pete Dye once observed: "The only two things that will throw a scare into professionals are wind and water." Slieve Russell's new 13th promises both.

The Ballyconnell development was visited by European Tour official Andy McFee two years ago in their quest of a venue for the European Open which, of course, went to The K Club. But Slieve Russell officials are undaunted. "We want a major tournament here and our sights are on the Irish Open," said director of golf, PJ Creamer yesterday.

"I will give free golf lessons in heaven, where I hope you will look me up." Bernhard Langer, twice winner of the US Masters, speaking at the third annual Golf Prayer Breakfast in the Warren Baptist Church in Augusta last week.

ARISING from last Sunday's happenings at Augusta, we pointed out various other notable collapses in major championships over the years. A regular reader from Mullingar, Michael Duffy, has been on requesting further information about Jose Jurado, who squandered the chance of victory in the 1931 British Open.

At the time, 32 year old Jurado was Argentina's finest player, having won his national title on no fewer than six occasions. Though virtually unknown on this side of the world, he caused a sensation when, after rounds of 76, 71 and 73, he led a high scoring championship at Carnoustie by four strokes from Reg Whitcombe and America's Johnny Farrell, entering the final round.

Percy Alliss, Peter's father, appeared to be a likely winner at one stage, but finished 5, 6 to destroy his chances on demanding terrain that has been compared to a discarded string of pearls, on links retreating from the ravages of the Tay estuary. For his part, Jurado needed a back nine of 39 to beat the strong, late challenge of Tommy. Armour.

As it happened, the Argentinian bogeyed the 10th, 13th and 14th, but then recovered to the extent that a total of 10 at the two finishing holes would have given him the title.

Down the 17th, he drove into the infamous Barry Burn to take six. Then, through wrong information, he declined to go for the green in two at the long 18th; hit a pitch and run third shot to 12 feet and hurriedly took the putt, which trickled over the side of the hole for a 77. With a final round of 71, Armour captured the title by a stroke.

It wasn't the first time that his nerve had failed him on the big occasion. Three years earlier at Royal St George's, Jurado was within a stroke of leader Walter Hagen after 54 holes, but took 80 in the last round to finish in a share of sixth place.

"Doctor!" the distraught father yells over the phone. "Our baby got into my golf bag and swallowed all my tees.

"Stay calm," says the doctor, "I'll be right over." "OK," replies the greatly relieved father, "but is there anything should do in the meantime?" The doctor paused briefly, then suggested: "You might practice your putting."

PADRAIG HARRINGTON is poised to turn rich promise into fulfilment after another round of record scoring in the Cannes Open yesterday. The 24 year old European Tour newcomer became the third Irish golfer to shoot 651 for a nine under par total of 133, but was prevented from taking the halfway lead by a brilliant performance from England's David Carter, who smashed the course record by two shots.

Scotland's Raymond Russell, who played with Harrington in the 1993 Walker Cup match in Minneapolis, had 68 to take third place, but Philip Walton and Paul McGinley failed to capitalise on their opening 65s and Darren Clarke was put out of his stride by the snail's pace play of partner; Christian Cevaer.

Harrington had seven birdies in his best round as a professional, but Carter's 62, in which he had only 27 putts, contained 10 birdies, four of them at short holes. The latter at Royal Mougins are proving a fruitful hunting ground, for there have already been five holes in one, one less than the Tour record set in the 1991 Mediterranean Open at St Raphael. Frenchman Fabrice Tarnaud (10th) and Dane Christian Post (17th) yesterday joined Spaniards Ignacio Garrido and Domingo Hospital, and France's Tim Planchin in hitting the perfect strokes.

Although Harrington's best finish to date has been 23rd, he has won money in all five previous outings and improved his standing from 16th to 12th among the Tour School graduates.

His immediate goal is to get into the top 10 at the end of the forthcoming Italian Open. This would guarantee him a place in most of this summer's more lucrative events. But after yesterday's surge into contention for this title, which is worth more than £66,000 he has opened up the possibility of achieving something of considerably greater significance, although last night he was wisely keeping his thoughts firmly in the present.

"I will not be expecting too much because I don't want to put pressure on myself," he said. "It is nice to see my name on the leader boards, but I will not have any special game plan. I will just play as it comes and whatever happens try to get as much benefit as possible from the experience of being in the leading group.

Three birdies in the first four holes sent the Dubliner race past his rivals, and when he holed from 10 feet for another at the short eighth he was out in 31. Then at the 11th he played the stroke that gave him the confidence to keep attacking after pulling his drive into the trees and finding his ball in an area of rocky scrub.

Harrington had to stand on rocks in playing his recovery, but picked his ball off cleanly with a seven iron which flew 180 yards to the green and left him only three feet from the flag. Although he lost the benefit of the birdie tee by taking three putts on the 16th, he closed with two more birdies, holing from 10 feet at the 17th and 18th.

McGinley struggled to a 72 to stay in the hunt at five under par, but Walton managed only one birdie in taking 13 shots more than in his opening offering, after which he had complained of a sore toe and possible gout. "I think I have got gout between the ears now," he said ruefully, after missing a 12 inch putt on the final green to finish his 78 with three successive bogeys.

David Feherty, who had to waif until the 17th for his solitary birdie, is on the same 143 mark, after a level par round of 71. Clarke is also on 143 after a 75 marred by four triple putts. But it was not his work on the greens that angered Clarke. He was put "on the watch" by Tour officials after his group had lost 20 minutes on the group ahead.

The Irishman was in doubt where the blame lay. He complained "(Christian) Cevaer should be fined thousands for the way he plays. He is so slow, but when he sees an official he speeds up, and then when they go away he slows down again. His partners end up hurrying their shots while he gets away with it." Clarke had a point. In last year's Madeira Open the Frenchman, who also had 75 yesterday and will take no further part in the event, had 17 breaches of the slow play regulations in nine holes, and was fined £500.

Ronan Rafferty (74 for 146), David Higgins (72-147), John McHenry (76-147), Francis Howley (76-149), and Raymond Burns (76-150) all missed the cut, which fell at three over par.