Baltray Digest

A round-up of other golf news from Baltray...

Kakko's girlfriend backs him for future stardom

ROOPE KAKKO has plenty of incentive to make his name on tour - the Finnish golfer’s girlfriend, Minea Blomqvist, plays on the LPGA Tour in America and already has a string of titles around Europe and South Africa to her credit.

“At the moment, she’s a little bit better than me,” remarked Kakko, who has been making all the right shapes in recent weeks.

A top-10 finish in last week’s Italian Open earned him a place in the field here where he opened with a six-under-par 66. This is a rare outing on the main tour for Kakko, who currently has membership rights on the Challenge Tour.

And, as he makes his way in the world, there is no shortage of support from his girlfriend. When Blomqvist was asked in a Q A on the LPGA website to name her “favourite athlete,” she chose none other than, “Roope Kakko, Finnish future golf superstar!” No pressure, Roope, no pressure!

Old friends are best for McGrane

DAMIEN MCGRANE, who recently parted company with his Aussie caddie John Hort, didn’t have to look too far for a replacement for this week’s Irish Open.

Wexfordman Larry O’Neill, who carried his bag in a number of tournaments early in McGrane’s career, stepped into the breach.

“He’s a good friend and he has brought a fresh outlook,” remarked McGrane, who transformed his round by holing out from 123 yards for an eagle two on the fourth hole, his 13th, en route to a first round 69.

“It’s great to get some forward momentum.

“One shot literally changed my round.

“It’s important to get that momentum early on rather than spend the week looking for it,” said McGrane, who had turned in two-over but picked up that eagle and three birdies on his homeward run.

Wrap up well for the weekend

THOSE golf spectators making their way to Baltray for the remaining three rounds of the tournament will be well advised to ensure good waterproofs and clothing are included in their backpacks.

The forecast for today’s second round anticipates heavy rain in the afternoon, while tomorrow’s third round forecast is for rain and winds gusting to 48 kilometres per hour.

There is a prospect of rain on Sunday, with winds reach 40 kilometres per hour. The on-course Kartel clothing store could well be a popular gathering point if the forecast proves right.

Great shot, wrong hole. Sweden’s Peter Hanson aced the Par 3 seventh hole, although he would rather have had the hole-in-one on the 17th hole where an Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI 1 80 Multitronic with 17 inch alloys and Milano leather upholstery will be awarded to the first player to achieve the feat on that particular hole.

One Clarke that is making his mark 

DARREN CLARKE may need to seek some advice from his son, Tyrone, soon. The Ryder Cup hero went along to his 10-year-old’s school matchplay match recently and was impressed to see him reduce a 400 yards Par 4 to a drive and three-quarter wedge to four feet for a birdie.

“He is making more birdies than his old man at the moment,” quipped Clarke, who opened with a 71 at Baltray.

Of his own game, Clarke confessed: “I’m just not doing it at the moment. My game’s not that bad but I’m not shooting the scores I should be . . . it is very difficult not to lose patience.

“But I’m working harder than I have ever worked. I’m spending so much time hitting balls, chipping, putting, everything. It is what you have got to do. If your job is no good you have got to work harder and make it better. I don’t know any other way.

“Work, Work. Work.”

Captain's part for McGinley

WHAT CHANCE Paul McGinley getting the call to captain Europe in a Ryder Cup down the line?

The popular Dubliner has been chosen to captain the Britain and Ireland team for this September’s Vivendi Trophy with Severiano Ballesteros – previously known as The Seve Trophy – against Continental Europe.

The match will take place at Saint-Nom-la-Bretéche in Paris on September 24th-27th.

Brady makes  his own noise

EAMONN BRADY, the club professional at Clontarf, who earned his place here off the Irish PGA order of merit, didn’t mind that he finished his round to the accompaniment of workers emptying the rubbish bins.

As last man out, he’d expected that . . . and the fact that he finished with two birdies in his last four holes for a 71, one under, meant the outside the rope distractions didn’t impinge on his game at all.

When Brady – a former winner of the Myrtle Beach Open on the Canadian Tour – played in last year’s Irish Open at Adare Manor, it took him all of 27 holes to find his first birdie.

This time, he only had to wait until his third hole, where he holed from five feet.

Brady, ranked 1,379th in the world, was the only club professional in the field who managed to better par in the first round.

Out is 38, Brady also birdied the 15th and 16th in a homeward run of two-under-par 33.