European Open: No more doomsayers or portents of gloom around? So far, it's turned out just fine; and, maybe, those players who stayed away will turn out to be the real losers.
While the fall-out rate before the Smurfit Kappa European Open threatened to make a nonsense of the tournament, with a series of Ryder Cup players and major winners deciding to bypass the €3.6 million event, the quality of those players jostling for position behind surprise midway leader Pelle Edberg would indicate the real business has yet to be decided on this manufactured course by the river Liffey. It could be very interesting yet.
On a day when the weather changed with all the fickleness of a capricious woman - "The golf course was changing in an instant, we'd heavy showers rolling in and changing shots by 20 or 30 yards," opined Graeme McDowell - the logjam that has developed behind Edberg, who reached the 36-holes mark in blatantly unfamiliar territory as leader, hints of a possible weekend overthrow.
Those likely to lead the coup include the in-form but 'flu-afflicted Niclas Fasth, winner of the BMW International two weeks ago on his last competitive outing, and Colin Montgomerie, the eight-times European Tour money winner, seeking to rediscover his old winning ways, both just a stroke behind heading into the business end of the tournament.
With squalls intermingling with sunshine, and the wind swirling around the man-made hillocks and lakes, players in yesterday's second round could afford no lapse in concentration.
The average second round score came in at 71.76 - to the course's temporary par of 70, which will revert to 72 over the weekend as the 18th returns to being a par five - and, for those starting off from the first, it proved to be a tough introduction. The first hole played to an average score of 4.38, making it the toughest hole on the course.
By the end of a tough old day, Edberg's 65 for 132, eight-under, left him one stroke ahead of Fasth and Montgomerie and two shots clear of the rejuvenated David Frost, playing on a sponsor's invite, and Simon Khan.
Meanwhile, US Open champion Angel Cabrera overcame a shaky front nine to come home in one-under for a 69, which left him on level-par 140. Can he win from such a position? "There's 36 holes to go, you never know. (Retief) Goosen did it, why not Cabrera? Why not?" said the Argentine, with a hint of a smile.
The difference, though, is that Goosen followed up his US Open win in 2004 by dominating the European Open two weeks later from start to finish. If Cabrera is to repeat that double, he will have to do it the harder way. Still, stranger things have happened in golf.
For the Irish, it proved to be a rather chastening experience with only three players - Padraig Harrington, McDowell and, after an extremely brave effort, David Higgins - surviving into the final two rounds.
Paul McGinley's wicked form continued and, just as he did a year ago, the Dubliner headed for the airport before play had even finished and convinced he had missed the cut after a second successive round of 71. Unlike last year, though, there was to be no reprieve and no need for him to cancel his flight. As he'd expected, McGinley missed the cut, by one shot.
Of the three Irish left in the tournament, Harrington and McDowell - on one-under, seven behind the leader - are best placed to mount a challenge, although it was Higgins who yesterday produced the bravest performance. Making the most of his sponsor's invite, the Waterville player shot a bogey-free 68 for 141 that saw him reel off 13 straight pars to finish and make the cut.
Harrington, too, showed fortitude of his own. The Dubliner had three bogeys in his opening eight holes and looked set to be in a battle simply to survive the cut, only to respond with four birdies - and not a dropped shot - in the remaining eight holes to sign for a 68, which left him on 139, one-under.
It was an effort made all the more admirable by the fact he was hindered by an inflamed knee, which was strapped up prior to his round. "It's a niggling problem I get every now and then, but I don't see it being a problem for the future . . . it was touch and go whether I could play (in the tournament). When I got up, I couldn't go through all my exercises or stretches and it was only after I got some treatment on it and took some anti-inflammatories and got it bandaged up that it was good," said Harrington, who decided to change drivers to the one which gives him a lower flight that he intends to use in the British Open at Carnoustie.
If Harrington is to win, he will need to surge through the field a la Montgomerie, who shot a best-of-the-day 64 in the second round. Yet, the Scot's round will have provided others with belief that anything is possible. McDowell, for one, doesn't believe it is beyond him either.
"I feel very close to playing well. Hopefully things will come together, you've got to keep believing. Seven back? I believe I have a low one in me. I can certainly get myself back into this event," said McDowell.
Mr Edberg will have a lot of pursuers. The odds are against him fending them all off.
