GOLF: TEE TO GREEN:The field for this week's Irish Open at Killeen Castle is probably the strongest we've had and I am just going out to enjoy it

WELL, THIS is it. This week’s Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle has been a tournament I’ve been looking forward to since the tour schedule was released. For any Irish player, it is a massive event – but there is added spice with it being an effective curtain-raiser for next month’s Solheim Cup, and the fact it has attracted so many of the leading American and European players will make it one of the best tournaments on the LET all season.

Hopefully, some local knowledge will pay off this week. I know the course extremely well. In fact, I’d say the twins – Leona and Lisa Maguire – are the only players who know it better.

I had three weeks off before last week’s British Open at Carnoustie, so I spent quite a bit of time playing the Jack Nicklaus-design and that means I can plan my week very well and ensure I get the balance right.

Yesterday, I played nine holes with a friend of mine, Rebecca Flood, an Australian player on the LET, and we had Jussi Pitkanen from the Dave Pelz Academy with us for company to give us a few insights. It all helps. I’ll play another nine today, restrict myself to practising tomorrow and then have the pro-am to look forward to on Thursday.

Then, the really serious business starts on Friday.

With a €400,000 prize fund, the Ladies Irish Open is one of the top tournaments on the regular schedule, away from the Majors, and that has guaranteed a good field with a number of the likely Solheim Cup players from the US and Europe in action.

For me, it is one of the biggest weeks of the year. I’m a big fan of Nicklaus-designed courses. I love the way the greens are designed, the way you can tuck away a few pins and you just can’t get at them. You have to think a lot about your second shot. Where’s the best place to miss if you can’t get at the pin? Things like that. You have to really use your head.

I’ve played a number of Nicklaus-designed courses around the world and I like the way he makes the greens the toughest part of the examination.

I don’t think a golf course has to be especially long and, these days, a lot of other designers seem to be obsessed with length. What I like about the courses created by Nicklaus is the way he tricks up the greens.

My favourite part of the course at Killeen Castle is the finishing stretch, particularly the par three 16th and the par four 17th. The 16th always seems to play longer than its yardage.

And the 17th is just a great par four, where you can take a little bit of a risk with your tee-shot, or you can play conservatively and leave yourself a longer approach shot into quite a small green. And, visually, it is lovely hole.

The field this year is probably the strongest we’ve had for an Irish Open and I am just going out to enjoy it. Last year, I had a ball with a lot of support from my family and friends. I feel good about my game and I intend to go out and let it happen.

Also, I’d like to welcome Danielle McVeigh into the professional ranks: Killeen Castle is a great place to make your pro debut on tour and I really wish her well.

I was disappointed to miss the cut at the British Open – and by just one shot. I can look at some of the names behind me – Natalie Gulbis, Ai Miyazato, etc – to know that I actually played well but, unfortunately, a couple of late bogeys went against me.

When I finished I thought I might still have a chance to sneak in for the final two rounds but it wasn’t to be. It doesn’t take much for a round to go wrong on a tough course like Carnoustie, but there was just a one-club wind for most of the championship and one of the local caddies was telling me that is unheard of.

It proved to be another Major win for Yani Tseng and I must say she is an incredible player. I was on the range at the same time as her and she hits the ball a mile. That’s a big help. For example, on the 11th hole last week, she was carrying the bunkers at 250 yards, where most other players were using rescue clubs or irons to lay-up short of the fairway bunkers. She hits it long and she hits it straight and she putts very well.

She’s got the whole game and is just very, very impressive.