NI pair take route 66 for narrow one shot win

Editorial Department • Published 29 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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At home on the greens...Rory McIlroy's early birdie blitz was the main difference between the two teams.

Rory McIlroy led Northern Ireland to victory over their Republic of Ireland opponents at a star studded Lough Erne Challenge.

The world number seven, partnered by Ryder Cup vice captain Darren Clarke, secured a narrow one shot win over Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry in front of a crowd of thousands, which included actor James Nesbitt and former footballer Pat Jennings.

Despite periods of heavy rain the gallery was treated to a display of golfing genius as the quartet displayed their talents, led in the early stages by a McIlroy birdie blitz. The Lough Erne touring professional missed a seven foot putt for a three on the first green before reeling off four consecutive birdies in a breathtaking display of attacking golf, the highlight of which was his tee shot to four feet on the short fifth. His hot streak could have been even more impressive but for a missed eagle putt of eight feet on the fourth. Clarke weighed in with a birdie on the sixth as Lowry and Harrington struggled to stay in touch, but Lowry was able to produce birdies of his own on the second and fourth to keep the deficit to two shots.

Another Lowry birdie on the seventh meant the teams were separated by one, and it took a McIlroy par putt from 25 feet on the eighth to maintain their slender advantage. The ninth hole was halved in par fives with McIlroy reaching the half way point in four under par, although his course record 68 set last year was set to remain intact as conceded putts in the fourball prevented an accurate comparison.

The short par four tenth presented an opportunity for the big hitters to take on a green surrounded by water, but they all resisted the temptation. Under a watching flotilla of boats all four players missed their birdie putts as the dark clouds closed in, and when the heavy rain arrived it was the Northern Ireland team that were put off their stride. On the hole that Harrington double bogeyed last year, he and Lowry gratefully accepted a gift from their opponents with both Clarke and McIlroy three putting for bogeys. Their mistakes closed the gap to one stroke, and the teams were tied on four under par when Harrington rattled home a 25 foot birdie putt on the par three thirteenth.

Harrington was starting to produce better golf and Lowry's play was becoming more erratic, but the reigning Irish Open champion still managed a par on the fourteenth despite spending much of the hole in the rough to the right of the fairway.

Spectacular tee shots on the short 15th left all four players with putts of around ten feet for birdie but McIlroy was the only one to capitalise, helping Northern Ireland regain the lead.

Harrington was fighting hard to get his tem back on level terms and he came within millimetres of achieving parity on the par five 16th. Having seen Clarke take a penalty drop after driving into the heavy rough, Harrington fired a stunning second to within seven feet of the pin to set up an eagle opportunity. His putt shaved the hole and stayed above ground however, and with McIlroy two putting from distance for his birdie four the gap remained unchanged.

Four good tee shots on 17 gave little indication of the drama that was to follow. As the rain continued to fall Clarke was the first to play his approach to a green surrounded by water, but he was quick to call on his partner for help as he dumped his ball into Castle Hume Lough. McIlroy obliged and found the heart of the green, but Harrington put similar pressure on his partner when his iron shot rolled back off the green and into the water.

Any doubts as to how seriously Harrington was taking the competition were dispelled by the look on his face when partner Lowry followed both him and Clarke to a watery grave, although Lowry redeemed himself by chipping in from off the green to match McIlroy's par.

With one shot separating the teams on the final hole McIlroy held his nerve to find the green on the long par three, and with Harrington and Lowry both making pars the 21 year old completed a routine two putt to seal a narrow victory for the Northern Ireland team with a six under par total.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 29 Jul 10

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