The Irish Open, Carton House Golf Club, Maynooth, County Kildare

The Irish Open is to played this week and to be honest i wasnt going to have a bet but after looking at some of the info on the course i have changed my mind. This is a Colin Montgomerie designed course set in what looks like very beautiful surroundings in County Kildare, with an equally wonderful looking hotel. Dating back to the 17th century, Carton House was formerly the ancestral home of the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare. The "Montgomerie" is the second of two European Golf Design courses on the site, the first being the O'Meara Course which opened for play in July 2002...

Located within an open parkland setting the course design is heavily strategic in nature and has a very traditional feel. The course is characterised by its steep faced, penal bunkering and dramatic swales and contouring on and around the greens. Monty says that its got the feel of a links course but without the course actually being next to a coastline. The links look plays well with Monty as he is always expressing what a golfer should be looking for in making certain shots, and how to plot his way around a golf course. So it would be no surprise if he were to make certain holes really tricky, while giving a few away to ease the pain...

Anyway ive done a little bit of homework on this course, not as much as i would for the US Tour events, but ive got an angle into the player i want this weekend...


Richard Sterne has made a good impression on the European Tour this year. A winner of his own South African event, he has also finished consistently in the top 25 all year, though he didnt do well in the BMW last time out finishing T57th. He is accurate, hits good pin positions and is 9th in the Race For Dubai...

Brett Rumford is one Aussie i will be cheering on if he wins here this weekend, and i think he has a chance. Hits a low ball, and can shape shots to suit certain courses. Plus he is already a 2 time winner on the Tour...

Paul Waring finished T10 last time out in the BMW, so is in the right frame of mind at the moment. Can hit a long drive, and backs that up with good GIR stats, plus he has finished in the top 25 every time he has made the cut mark, T4th, T21st, T4th and T10th...

Simon Khan finished T2nd in the recent BMW then shot across to the US Open to only to disappoint, coming 72nd at Merion. But this shows me that he has the game and desire to play the tough courses and play in the big events...


Richard Sterne @ 40/1...
Brett Rumford @ 50/1...
Paul Waring @ 66/1...
Simon Khan @ 125/1...

All done in the usual £2.5 e/w... PadPow pays 1/4 odds on top 6...

 

Really nice course red, I've managed to play it twice and it's a course with some very deep bunkers and where accuracy is half the battle.

I've plumped for:

Shane Lowry 20/1- Has played several rounds here and owns a house on course too, won the Irish Open as an Amateur at another course local to him so he will feel very at home plying his way around and will be looking to land the cheque for himself this time around, good ball striker and can plot his way to a victory if things get flowing.

Damien McGrane 100/1 - Former pro at my local course and another who will relish the set up and will be out to prove a point having not performed as well as he can do of late. The man is a magician with a wedge in his hands and if he can get putting well and find a few fairway's I reckon he has a solid outside shout of placing and even winning.

Joel Sjoholm 200/1 - The extravagantly dressed Sjoholm has enjoyed his successes on the European Tour after bursting on to the scene form nowhere a few year back. Has struggled for the form of previous seasons but very capable on his day to mount a serious challenge and at 200/1 I feel is perhaps overpriced in a field not full of world beaters or regular winners. Risky , but worth a chance at the price as I feel this course may play to his liking.

Jeev Milkha Singh 150/1 - The inimitable Milkha Singh is not afraid of taking a tournament and again he grabs my eye at being one of those that may have a good run at this average field, his swing is certainly unique but he is usually steady from the tee and has an adequate enough game to challenge here and once again I'm drawn in by the price as much as his ability to beat this field.

I've done 5euro win on Lowry and 2.50 e/w on the other 3.

I'll obviously have a keen interest in this one and I'd like to see a local winner and hopefully Harrington can string 4 rounds together, he's gone so inconsistent these day's he's actually become consistent if that makes sense!

If the Major winning McIlroy turns up in half decent shape he could make this a run away in truth but backing him lately is like tossing a coin on what McIlroy will show up and i'd have my concerns given he has been enjoying the Strawberries and cream at SW19 for the best part of the week.

Hopefully we can bag the winner or good place money at least red, thanks for upping the thread, best of luck

 

Good luck RED & STH

Agree with the shane lowry bet, its his home course so obv knows it very well, if not better than the rest of the field. But i usually plump for e/w selections over 28/1 as a rule of thumb so begrudgingly left him out and went for ;

Peter Uilein - 50/1 - Playing well for a few weeks now, hopefully continues into this week
Paul Casey - 45/1 - Glimmers of the player he once was recently so could strike gold at any time
Pable Larrazabal - 40/1 - Capable of shooting the lights out and this course will suit his eye

 

Why did you say that sth...!!! It looks a really tidy course, and a really good set up with the hotel... See link...
http://www.cartonhouse.com/index.html?__utma=1.1001790513.1372281673.1372281673.1372321756.2&__utmb=1.2.10.1372321756&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1372321756.2.2.utmcsr=colinmontgomerie.com|utmccn=(referral)|utmcmd=referral|utmcct=/projects/cartonhouse.php&__utmv=-&__utmk=95861532

I am soooooo jealous now...

I suppose they would let a 14 handicap golfer, who plays more like a 24 handicap golfer, hack his way around for a while wouldnt they...???

 

Smokin, that Peter Uilein is one player to keep on your side for the future, i think he could be a star player in a few years time...

His dad is the main boss for Titleiset and when he wanted to turn pro there was a bit of animosity towards him because of who is father was, the usual stuff, he would get preferential treatment etc... But the lad decided to go out and prove he was there on merit, and he did so...

He became noticed for real when he had a 4-0 win record in the Walker Cup in 2009, then followed it up by becoming the Worlds Leading Amateur golfer in 2010. He won his first Pro Tournament this year when winning the Maderia Open...

This lad has a future, and i wish him well... And you for your pick this week Smokin...

 

Ha, sorry red, the one thing about Ireland and all it's beautiful golf courses is that because we are such a small country we are never much of a drive from really top courses and I wouldn't worry about handicaps, my Dad was playing off 22 (bandit) and also played so you would have no problem playing it at all, my brother was having a difficult day on course the last time I was there and hit every bunker in the place, some bunkers he was in we couldn't see him they were that deep. It's a fair enough course set up but keeping away from some of those bunkers and hitting the right spots on the green help your score out a lot. A lot of sports teams use Carton house to spend a week there training and that before big games.

You should go over and play some time, not too far away are the K club and Druids Glen and there are some really lesser known hidden gems around that part of the Country too, in fact the whole Country has brilliant courses much the same as Britain.

 

Shane Lowry @ -4.... Good start for the lad... And the picks...

 

Got to love the Irish weather in June, overcast and rainy with a good strong breeze. Thankfully I think the forecast is to get better for the weekend ...hopefully!

 

Shane Lowry clubhouse leader with -5...

If you notice the top of the leaderboard then you will see that 9 of the top 13 players all started on the 9th hole as their first... Seems like they all got a slight advantage...

Still a long way to go yet...

 

I agree with ya Smokin' I usually would want that price roughly too to back e/w unless I was having a bigger stake on. That's why I just did Lowry to win at 20/1, tall ask but he's off to a flyer so we'll see what happens. Like red said tho, long way to go.

 

My 3 selections are all within striking distance at -3,-4 and -5

Lowry looked good. Opportunities for some laying off if that's your thing with Lowry now fav, and my 50/1,45/1,40/1, now 12/1,16/1,25/1 respectively.

However there is a long long way to go so no real reason to get excited just yet

 

Nah, I'll let it run now Smokin for the craic. Lowry looks to be my only runner now anyway after my other 3 picks decided to not turn up today!! You certainly have the leaderboard surrounded and a few good scores from one or two of red's wont see him far away tomorrow either. All the best guy's.

 

Just as i check the scores they are already playing there 2nd round and good news for Smokin Peter Uilhein is current leader at -8 after his first 9 holes of the 2nd round...

Looks like the weather is just holding off enough for some good golf to be played then this morning...

 

Excellent stuff Smokin, glad one of us won. Certainly not easy to land the winner of any golfing event but you were spot on with most your selections, enjoy the winnings. Hard lines for us red, until next time.

 

Congratulations Smokin...

Paul Casey did you a great turn yesterday, and to be honest he deserved it, to finish 3 shots clear of 2nd place... And i nice little top up bet from Larrazabal as well... Great stuff pal...

 

Thanks STH & Red

Great to have a couple in contention on a Sunday, even better to pick up the spoils with not 1, but 2 golfers!

Roll on next week and 4 players missing the cut...