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Whispering Walter Sullivan
is ready to watch heroes Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley
clinch a second World Cup win in Japan next month.
Wattie, as he is popularly
known, coached both men when they were taking their first steps
in the game and he still has high hopes that his former pupils
can finish on top of the world yet again.
In fact, Sullivan reckons that
despite their achievements of the past decade, both McGinley
and Harrington should have a few more titles to their name.
"They were both great
talents, wonderful workers, but you'd like to see them win a
couple more wins before they finish their careers.
"Harrington has been unlucky
to finish second seven times recently, a bit unfortunate, but
I'd back him to win quite a few tournaments more because he's
finished or I'll be having a few words with his father,"
he added with a chuckle.
"They've got plenty of
brains between them and I'd fancy them to do well in the World
Cup again, especially considering their form over the past year."
Now in his seventies, old master
Sullivan retired just seven years ago after serving for 30 years
as professional at Grange GC at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.
But he is still fondly remembered by a host of top players, including
ladies internationals Mary McKenna, Mary Gorry, Sheena O'Brien
and Therese O'Reilly.
A familiar sight on most fine
days, Wattie would take his pupils out by the 18th fairway and
give them what he describes as "a few whispers."
"With Harrington and McGinley
I'd just give them a few ideas and talk to them about what they
were trying to do. There's no use going out on a golf course
if you don't know what you're attempting to do with the club
and that's what I'd try and help them with."
While Harrington was a member
of the nearby Stackstown Golf Club, further up the mountains,
McGinley was an almost constant presence at the Rathfarnham course.
Recalls Sullivan: "Paul was always around the club. He spent
a lot of time in the workshop talking to me and he was a hell
of a hard worker. There's nobody like that guy to work and he
did well in the Irish Boys and won the Irish Youths title when
he was playing at Grange.
"Harrington would come
down from the Garda club with his father and at the time I'd
have to say that he was probably a little stronger than Paul
all round. He had a lot of talent and just needed a few pointers
to keep him on the straight and narrow."
Modest to a fault, Sullivan's
contribution to the formation of two of Ireland's finest players,
amounted to more than just a few pointers. At the 1996 Smurfit
European Open, his rookie year, Harrington fired a seven under
par 65 in the first round to take a one shot lead thanks
to lesson from Wattie.
Recalled Harrington: "I
hit some of the worst shots of my life the week before in Loch
Lomond, missing fairways by as much as 100 yards. "My regular
coach Howard Bennett was in Portugal at the time so I went up
to see Wattie and he sorted me out like a dream. He's always
been able to give me the right thoughts at the right time. He's
a wonderful teacher and very highly regarded in the profession."
Now coached by Sam Torrance's
father Bob, Harrington is tipped to win a Major title before
he finishes his career and Sullivan is sure he has the ability.
"Padraig has great rhythm
and that's what it's all about. Rhythm and timing aren't things
that you have to be born with, you can teach it but Padraig certainly
had plenty of rhythm and that's going to stand to him."
After their World Cup win at Kiawah Island in 1997 Sullivan thought
he would never see a victory as important by the schoolboys who
listened to his whispers.
"Hopefully it all didn't
go in one ear and out the other. But knowing those boys I'd be
surprised if we didn't see them win another big one. Maybe Japan
will be the place."
The WGC World Cup takes place
at the Taiheyo Club in Gotemba from 15-18 November and if Harrington
and McGinley have their way, it could prove to be the scenario
for the perfect end to a memorable season.
+++++
Things are looking up for Waterville
swinger David Higgins. "I've sorted things out off the course
and I'm enjoying my golf again," he revealed this week.
After some good finishes recently
he reckons he needs just £10,000 to keep his card. The
28-year-old Corkman has struggled this year after winning three
times on the Challenge Tour last year to regain his card.
"I can't say what the
problem was but I'm happy now and I can feel a good result coming
on after a very bad start to the year."
+++++
Kilkenny's Gary Murphy is hoping
that last week's nine under par 62 in the Hardelot Challenge
will be a springboard to great things. Said Murphy: "I'm
42 under for my last three tournaments. Things are going well
but I'll need a win to avoid pre-qualifying for the Tour School
Finals." Despite finishing third in Hardelot for a £4,960
cheque, Murphy couldn't bring himself to celebrate too much on
his 29th birthday last Monday. "There's still a lot of work
to be done," he said.
+++++
Walker Cup star Graeme McDowell
finished fourth as an individual at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate
championships in the US this week.
The kid from Portrush has been
the mainstay of the University of Alabama (UAB) golf team over
the past three seasons and plans to finish his degree there before
thinking of a career in the professional game.
Meanwhile, Sligo's Sean McTernan
finished 21st and Derry's David Jones 54th as Toledo Rockets
took 10th place in the Duke Team Classic in North Carolina.
+++++
Eamonn Brady took off for Australia
this week in a bid to keep his career afloat.
The Dubliner dashed his chances
of a European Tour Card when he missed his tee time in the final
round of PQ 1 last month.
Now he's heading for the Australasian
Tour School thanks to his Top 40 finish on the Canadian Tour
this season.
Said Brady: "If I can
get a good card it will be the perfect solution and I can play
over there until the Canadian Tour starts again in the New Year."
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©
Brian Keogh 2001
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