The Wild Atlantic Way didn’t hold back in providing a wet and windy welcome to early arrivals at Trump International Doonbeg ahead of the Amgen Irish Open. The heavens opened and unleashed pellets of water from dark clouds, in the process clearing the short-game area of players becoming acquainted with the conditions. Jon Rahm was among that small gathering forced to take shelter.
Still, it won’t come as a surprise that the weather presents part of the challenge ahead of the tournament.
This is one of the most prized titles on the DP World Tour. The Irish Open’s positioning in the tour’s schedule – ahead of the flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth next week, and a month after the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs – has ensured a strong field. It is a field headed by world No 2 and defending champion Rory McIlroy. The international presence is more than solid, featuring some 18 players with tournament wins to their names this season.
An indication of the strength of the field is that the Irish Open will have a world-ranking points weighting of 190 compared to the 137 rating of last week’s Omega European Masters. Thriston Lawrence retained his title in the Swiss tournament and is in Co Clare in a bid to win in successive weeks.
Interestingly, this week’s field of 138 players is less than the 156 players at most tournaments through the summer. The reason for the reduced number is to attempt to complete play. This particularly applies to the two opening rounds on Thursday and Friday, when reduced light at this time of year combined with any strong winds could make it a race against time.
McIlroy, the Masters champion, is again the headline act – just as he was in that dramatic playoff win at The K Club last year – in a field that features 10 home players. A number of those local players come into the event after lengthy absences from tournament play.
Séamus Power hasn’t played since the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour in early August, while Shane Lowry hasn’t had a scorecard in his pocket since the St Jude Championship, which finished on August 16th.
Thomas Higgins, who narrowly missed out on selection for the Great Britain and Ireland team that defeated the United States in the Walker Cup at Lahinch last weekend, has turned professional. The Roscommon player will make his pro debut here on an invitation.
Other invites have been extended to former Walker Cup player Cormac Sharvin, Max Kennedy, Liam Nolan and Mark Power, who earned his exemption by finishing as leading Irishman in last month’s Irish Challenge on the Hotel Planner Tour.
Irish players in the field at the Amgen Irish Open (most recent finishes/where/when)
Rory McIlroy: Tied-4th Tour Championship (PGA Tour) August 30th
Shane Lowry: Tied-52nd FedEx St Jude Championship (PGA Tour) August 16th
Pádraig Harrington: Tied-7th Ally Challenge (Champions Tour) August 30th
Tom McKibbin: Tied-6th British Masters (DP World Tour) August 30th
Séamus Power: MC Wyndham Championship (PGA Tour) August 9th
Mark Power: Tied-15th Rosa Challenge (Hotel Planner Tour) September 6th
Liam Nolan: Tied-50th Finnish Challenge (Hotel Planner Tour) August 23rd
Max Kennedy: MC Rosa Challenge (Hotel Planner Tour) September 6th
Cormac Sharvin: MC Irish Challenge (Hotel Planner Tour) August 16th
Thomas Higgins: Professional debut