Ireland and Golf: What the future holds (Part 1)
As this year comes to an end, we see the Europeans in a celebratory mood and this goes beyond the cheers that the Christmas and New Year season behold. Indeed, this year has been very kind to our European friends in the sports
department. The shift of the global focus towards the European continent comes as no surprise; they have been leading all the scoreboards this year.
Europe has been enjoying the limelight in the golfing community as well this season. Particularly, Ireland has surprised us all with the talent that has been on display time after time this year. However, as far as Ireland is concerned
the best is yet to come.
The turning point for Europe or the revolution, if that is what you prefer to call it, began last summer and the catalyst for this reaction was none other than the great Graeme McDowell. He took the US Open by storm at Pebble Beach,
a course that is known to many as the “Bastille” of American golf.
The following autumn he followed this victory with a magnificent run at the Ryder Cup by securing the match clinching point at Celtic Manor. We would not be far off base if we said that the Irish player was the key factor behind
team Europe’s win at the tournament.
The golfer, known affectionately as G-Mac, turned the table on Tiger Woods and that too at the American players own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge on the final day of the tournament. This must have been quite the feather
in Ireland’s cap and a much welcome relief for the dissatisfied masses after all the financial trouble the region had been facing.
Tiger Woods fought gallantly to build the four-stroke lead going into the final round, but luck did not seem to be on his side. We do not claim that Graeme McDowell is the next Tiger Woods because there can only be one Tiger Woods.
Yet, we do claim that at the Chevron Challenge, as soon as the Irish golfer saw that victory was near, he showed us that he could be as tough and mean on the course as any of our golfing legends; be it Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus.
Yes, at the moment, Lee Westwood is the World Number One and in the Race to Dubai challenge Martin Kaymer, the US PGA champion, beat the Irishman fair and square. Jim Furyk hit the jackpot by winning $11.35 million in the US, but
despite the success of all these other players, McDowell’s performance was undoubtedly the most outstanding one in 2010.
This season saw the golfer win a grand total of five tournaments including the Wales Open, the Andalucía Masters and the Ryder Cup. These wins successfully established McDowell as golf’s man for all seasons.
Europe has earned the right to look back at its performance in golf with pleasure this year, but Ireland on the other hand is just starting out and its greatest achievements and adventures lie in the future, perhaps the very near
future.
Rory McIlroy, McDowell’s closest friend in the professional golfing world, is well on his way to becoming his most challenging rival on the course. A win from the three time major winner and fellow Irishmen, Padraig Harrington
also seems to be long overdue.
Ever since he won the US PGA in 2008 at Oakland Hills, Harrington’s form has been a riddle everyone has been trying to solve and yet failing to get any answers. In all this time, he has added just one more victory to his arsenal
by winning the Johor Open, an Asian Tour Event. This has been a great disappointment coming from one of golf’s most dedicated players. The player who is known to be one of the hardest workers of the game has been underperforming consistently these last few
years.
Tags: