IRISH OPEN:BE CAREFUL what you wish for. In the case of the 3 Irish Open, the wish list is as deep as Lough Leane. Good weather. Good golf. An Irish winner.

No, we’re not greedy. Only, as US Open champion Graeme McDowell put it yesterday on the eve of the €3 million event, there is a sense that the weather gods, if not the golfing gods, owe the tournament something.

“The Irish Open has had some bad luck the last six or seven years due to the weather,” said the Major champion known as G-Mac.

Indeed, local sages have a simple formula to determine the weather. It goes along the lines of: “If you can’t see the MacGillycuddy Reeks, it’s raining; if you can see the MacGillycuddy Reeks, it’s going to rain.”

Whatever lies ahead, the omens are good for four decent days weather-wise; and the upshot is the prospect of a low-scoring tournament on a course on the short side by modern tour standards with only light rough and pure greens.

It’s a recipe for a feast of birdies.

The real lustre is that so many home players are in-form and capable of not only contending but winning. Pádraig Harrington ended the old curse when winning in 2007 and Shane Lowry showed some old hands the way to finish a job when sensationally winning as an amateur last year.

So, the vibes are good, and especially so with the on-course endeavours of McDowell – a winner of the Wales Open and the US Open back-to-back in June – and Rory McIlroy, who seems capable of winning every time he steps onto a golf course.

There are 27 Irish players in the field: 23 professionals, ranging from the three Big Guns ranked in the world’s top 20 to those operating on the Irish PGA and a number from the second and third-tier satellite tours here on sponsor’s invitations, plus four amateurs nominated by the GUI. It constitutes one of the largest home representations.

But it is the quality, rather than the depth, which has raised so many home hopes.

It would be wrong to suggest that it is merely a matter of determining which Irishman’s turn it is this time. For sure, the home deal is a strong one; but there is some real quality in the overseas invasion.

Justin Rose, for instance, a two-time winner on the US Tour, at the Memorial and the ATT National; and Francesco Molinari, one half of Italy’s World Cup-winning duo; and the Welshman Rhys Davies, who claimed a maiden tour win in the Hassan II Trophy earlier this season. All three are also in the world’s top 50.

Of course, especially on a course which is a new tournament venue to the vast majority of the field, there is always the chance that some springer will emerge. If the course fits a player’s eye, and he gets hot with the putter, then it could be anyone’s week.

And the absence of any meaningful rough, allied to the forecast good weather, means players will set out from the first tee intent on attack from the start, particularly given the likely birdie opportunities on the opening four holes.

McDowell, who had a 59 on the Valley course at Portrush last Sunday, didn’t blink twice when asked yesterday if a player could record a similar score here.

“Yeah, I would say there’s a 59 out there this week . . . if it’s going to remain soft with not much wind, I think the putting surfaces are good enough. That’s the key to shooting very low. The putting surfaces have to be good and I think they are here, so it could happen. It’s a nice change from US Open-style, level-par type golf courses.”

And, indeed, the likelihood is that the scoring will be very low. But Harrington, for his part, doesn’t envisage anyone managing a 59, which would constitute the lowest score on the European Tour.

“No, it’s not that sort of course. There are no drivable par fours, very few risk-rewards out there . . . and the greens are difficult, there’s a lot of undulations,” said Harrington.

Whatever number proves to be the magical one come Sunday evening, this is not a week to have a cold putter. McIlroy made the point yesterday that it was possible to be slightly wayward off the tee – “I’m not saying you can spray it, but you can still miss a few fairways and get away with it,” he remarked – but that it was important to set up and take birdie opportunities.

He added, “You’ve just got to go out there and you’ve got to expect to shoot low.”