HOLYWOOD’S leading men Tom McKibbin and Rory McIlory will tee off together alongside defending champion Vincent Norrman in the opening round of the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down today (1pm), while Shane Lowry would love to regain the title he last won as an amateur way back in 2009.
In 2015, the last time the Irish Open was played at Royal County Down, McIlroy allowed a 13-year-old McKibbin inside the ropes to walk with him during a practice round.
“Just to watch his journey and see him from that little boy and come up and be a European Tour winner, and getting to play practice rounds with him at Major championships now, it’s really cool. It’s cool to feel like I’ve had a tiny part in that journey in some way,” said McIlroy.
“And you know, I’ve tried to help Tom as much as I think he needs my help. I don’t think he needs much of my help. He knows that if he ever has a question, I’m on the other end of the phone.
“But the way I always like to do things, you know, whether it was Darren Clarke or Graeme McDowell or some of these guys that were putting their arm around me, you know, I would never seek out their advice unless I really, really needed it. And Tom seems to be the same. I think he knows what he needs to do, and he’s a very mature young man.
“So I don’t think he needs much advice from me, but if he ever does feel like he needs it, he always knows that I’m here, and I’m excited to play competitively with him these next couple of days, and it will be a great atmosphere out there, and I’m sure we’ll both enjoy it.”
McIlroy and McKibbin join home favourites Lowry, Pádraig Harrington and Séamus Power as a star-studded field assembles in Newcastle for the event which assumes a key position on the DP World Tour’s 2024 Global Schedule as part of the ‘Back 9′.
“It’s one you plan for at the start of the year. I said missing last year was tough but everything, seeing familiar faces and hearing people rooting for you all day long, it’s different,” said Power.
“I obviously play mostly in America, and you don’t see too many familiar faces and all that stuff. Having family, friends, all that kind of stuff and the history and tradition of the Irish Open on top of that, and you put in Royal County Down, it’s something you look forward to all year long.”
Lowry will bid to win his national open for the second time as he tees it up in the north for the first time since his Open Championship triumph at Royal Portrush in 2019.
The six-time DP World Tour winner claimed a memorable victory 15 years ago as an amateur on home soil at Baltray, and is still the most recent amateur winner on Tour.
“That’s a week I’ll never forget that kick-started my career. Since then my record (in the Irish Open) has not been great,” said Lowry.
“I’d love the opportunity to go and give it another run again this weekend. I hope I’m up to the challenge. It’s going to be hard but we’ll give it a go.”
There’s 11 Irish players in action this week including a couple of amateurs.
Gary Hurley is off at 8.10am alongside England’s Dan Bradbury and Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer. Amateur Max Kennedy starts his campaign at 9.20am with Frenchman Julien Guerrier and England’s Sam Bairstow.
Séamus Power is in the company of England Aaron Rai and Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg from the 10th tee at 7.50am.
Harrington gets under way at 8am with Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard and Belgium’s Thomas Detry.
Simon Thornton, the PGA professional based at Spa GC, starts from the 10th tee at 9.30am with Spain’s Manuel Elvira and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
Lowry will tee off the first at 12.40pm alongside Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox.
The star group of McIlroy, McKibbin and defending champion Norrman (Sweden) get under way from the first at 1pm.
Another leading Irish amateur, Sean Keeling, will start from the first tee at 2.20pm with Germany’s Hurly Long and Canadian Aaron Cockerill.
Mark Power is off the 10th at 12.40pm with England’s Marcus Armitage and Germany’s Jannik De Bruyn. Another promising young Irish professional, Conor Purcell, is also off the 10th, at 12.50pm, with the German duo of Maximilian Rottluff and Alexander Knappe.
