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Ballybunion hero Paddy Gribben
is thanking his lucky stars and sponsors Murphy's after receiving
a last gasp invitation.
The Warrenpoint man was heading
for the Challenge Tour event in France when he got the last of
eight sponsors invitations.
"I'm delighted the sponsors
gave me a chance again to play in the Irish Open again,"
he said. "I was so close to flying off to France but when
I got the call up I was chuffed to bits."
Just five off the lead with
a round to go last year, Gribben eventually slumped to a final
round 78 and 45th place.
And he admitted: "I let
it slip last year but it gave me a lot of confidence to play
so well for three rounds. "I'm playing regularly on the
Challenge tour now and looking at finishing in the top 15 and
qualifying for the main tour.
"I got a bit of tendonitis
earlier this year in my shoulder and down my arm which set me
back but it's a great boost to be here. If I'm patient the results
will come"
Four other Irishmen Eamonn
Darcy, Philip Walton, Sean Quinlivan and Keith Nolan also
received sponsor's invitations with three more going to overseas
players Raul Ballesteros, Domingo Hospital and Russell Claydon.
But there was no late call
up for Kilkenny's Gary Murphy, who is currently struggling after
losing his European Tour card last year.
Said tournament organiser Paddy
Rossi: "Paddy Gribben got he last invitation available for
Irish players. Gary has had invitations in the past but when
only had eight to give this year instead of the usual ten.
"Raul Ballesteros comes
from a family with a great golfing tradition. We were asked about
him and we like to encourage new players. As with Jose Maria
Olazabal in the past we were delighted to invite him to play
in what is after all an international event."
US based Nolan is in a
similar situation after losing his US Tour card at the end of
last season. But the Bray golfer has fond memories of this course,
having twice won here as an amateur.
"I won the Irish Amateur
Open here in 1996 and 1997 so I've got positive memories of the
course," he said. "Obviously it's changed since then
but I like it. It suits my game and there could even be a little
more rough as far as I'm concerned."
Nolan has got no status on
the US Tour this year and has struggled to get into Buy.com tour
events. "I've been working very hard no my game and I've
also lost two stones in weight. "Fitness is so important
nowadays and I've realised the hard way that you have to work
on all aspects of the game not just the technical things.
I've also changed to a new putter and feel very comfortable on
the greens."
Meanwhile, former Ryder Cup
player Philip Walton was adopting a wait and see attitude, despite
finishing tied for 10th ad Ballybunion last year. "I've
been working on things but I wouldn't like to say what,"
he said. "I've played quite well in the tournaments I've
managed to get into this year like the French Open
but I haven't done the business and finished them off well.
"The course is fantastic
and it's a credit to the country the way the tournament has been
presented. This is a week you look forward to but I'm just going
to wait and see."
Veteran Des Smyth is back to
his best after a health slump following his win in the Madeira
Island Open in March. But the 48 year old is not surprised than
no Irishman has won the home championship for 19 years.
Said Smyth: "There are
so many good players out there that it's very difficult for anyone
to win. The Spaniards have the same problem with their Open and
despite all the great players they have only Seve has won there
in the past 20 years."
Smyth finished tied for 6th
place at Ballybunion last year, but he is not making predictions
about where he will finish this time around. "I'm playing
well but you never know with golf. I've had a couple of fitness
problems after winning in Madeira but I'm delighted to be back
to 100 percent again."
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©
Brian Keogh 2001
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