Irish Close Championship: There were a lot of tear-stained scorecards at the Golfsure-sponsored Irish Close Championship yesterday as the European Club course and a strong wind took a sizeable chunk out of the reputations of Ireland's elite amateurs.
The master scoreboard that adorns the side of the Golfing Union of Ireland mobile office resembled a wailing wall; head-shaking, hand-wringing and tales of woe were common as competitors tried to reconcile their undoubted talent and the score they had amassed.
The primary objective from the weekend's two-round strokeplay qualifying was to be in the top 64 for the matchplay stage of the championship that begins today. Yet the cut after 36 holes was a staggering 23 over par. That 30 players retired, didn't return a card or cards, withdrew or simply didn't show up was telling in itself.
Saturday's relatively benign conditions gave way to a testing wind yesterday that completely flummoxed the players, and the scoring was closer to the anticipated Fahrenheit temperature on a Greek summer holiday than a tournament for Ireland's best amateurs.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy didn't escape the course's clutches, and followed his opening, one-under-par 70 with an 80. His round included a quadruple bogey, two double bogeys, three bogeys and two birdies, the principal calamity coming at the par four seventh.
Having found the middle of the fairway off the tee, he pushed a three-iron out of bounds on the right. Then, despite dropping his ball some two yards behind the original divot, could only watch in horror as the ball rolled into the same scuff mark. His next shot also left the premises, and he had to get up and down eventually for an eight.
Ultimately his quest for the silver medal (leading qualifier) was undone by a clumsy finish, dropping a brace of shots at the 17th, where he put his second through the back of the green, and then three-putting the last.
Some may attribute it to the resilience of youth, but the 17-year-old showed remarkable maturity in the aftermath, unbuffeted by the experience.
"It's still my favourite links course in the world. The wind was the major factor between the two days. It was probably five shots tougher out there (yesterday). I actually hit it pretty well."
Adrian Morrow, originally tied for the lead after the opening 18 holes, added an 84 to his opening 70, and there was a curious symmetry as he was subsequently drawn to face McIlroy in the first matchplay round.
He too was philosophical. "If you miss a fairway you're dead and looking at a double. You had to hit a lot of drivers. It is a great test of golf mentally, but if you lose concentration you can take zillions out there."
One exception to the general carnage was 19-year-old Andrew Pitcher of The Island, who shot a pair of 75s to be the leading qualifier - he edged out McIlroy by virtue of a better second round after the two finished on the same score - playing in his first Irish Close Championship.
The former CUS schoolboy - he captained the golf team - has only recently returned to Ireland after his first year studying for a business major at Francis Marion University in South Carolina. He is on a golf scholarship.
"It is the toughest course I think I have ever played in the toughest conditions, basically. That's how you'd sum it up," Pitcher said. "It's the hardest test of golf I have ever had. It's the length, plus the wind which didn't seem to help on any holes. It's very demanding off the tee, so if you miss a fairway you are in long rough or a fairway bunker and you aren't going to get to the green.
"You have to put your ball in the right spot or you don't have a chance really. You are forced to hit driver because of the length of the course, although at times you can get away with a three-iron or three-wood. I'm a long hitter, that's my forte, and that undoubtedly helped me get it round."
Pitcher is looking forward to the matchplay phase, drawn to face Dunmurry's Stephen Crowe.
Honourable mention on the day should go to Keith O'Neill (Strandhill) and Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), who cobbled together marvellous rounds of 74.
It'll be a relief for those left in the draw to face each other, rather than an opponent they simply couldn't conquer over the last two days.
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