Fans purr at brilliant Harrington and McIlroy

Editorial Department • Published 30 Jul 2009 09:41 0 Comments

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The McIlroy and Harrington 'duel' last week was a landmark event. Both golfers admitted that the match was the first time either of them had played a competitive round of golf in Northern Ireland since they began their professional careers. While that may be understandable for 20 year old McIlroy, to hear Harrington admit he had never played in the province during his 14 years on the European Tour was more surprising, and an indication of what Northern Ireland has been missing.

Intent on not letting the historic occasion pass, thousands of fans descended on the new Lough Erne Golf Resort to witness a display of golfing prowess never before seen in this country. Traffic on the west side of Enniskillen ground to a virtual standstill as eager spectators flocked to a course that has sprung up from nowhere to write its name into the history books. Among those spectators were many local golfers who have witnessed the transformation of the area first hand.

"When we started in a Portacabin in Castle Hume we never thought it would end up like this," admitted Castle Hume's first President George Crooke. "It's absolutely fantastic to see an event like this taking place at our club. It's a marvellous day for Fermanagh."

Peter Stuart was a founder member of both Castle Hume and Lough Erne Golf Clubs, and he was in awe of the skills being displayed by two of the world's biggest talents. "The quality of golf is superb. These guys are amazing. They can hit the ball where they want, when they want," said the former Castle Hume Captain. "It's exciting to see two professionals on our home course and to have 4,000 people in Fermanagh following it on the day is a real credit to Jim Treacy and his whole entourage. I think this is a fabulous course with fabulous potential."

High handicappers were not the only onlookers impressed by the golf. Castle Hume's resident professional Sean Donnelly was quick to acknowledge the incredibly high standards set by his two fellow professionals. "The quality of the golf is justification of their world class standing," he said. "I think McIlroy's only mishit shot of the day was his tee shot on 18 and everything else was flushed and down the middle. If his putting was a bit sharper there is no reason he couldn't have been eight under par. Harrington was just showing signs of his swing changes and he was having a few slices and pulls, but he also showed with seven birdies that he is not far away from turning the corner and contending in tournaments again. It's great to see two of the top players in the world playing in Fermanagh and at Lough Erne, and the spectators seemed to enjoy the event as well. Talking to people after the match, they were saying that they feel the course is easily the best inland golf course they have ever been on."

That opinion of the course was backed up by Dubliner Vincent Lynch, who travelled to support Harrington. "The course is amazing," he said. "I didn't really know anything about it before I got here, but it's somewhere I'd love to come back and play."

Brian McCarville was another visitor who was delighted he made the long journey from Galway to see the action. "The golf and the course are both incredible," he said. "I don't think McIlroy has missed a fairway all day, and some of Harrington's birdies on the back nine have been brilliant to watch. If they come back again I think I'll get myself a boat for the day and watch the action from the lake!"

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 30 Jul 09

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