Todd Clements received off to a roaring begin on the Irish Open, firing a 5-under 66 at Royal County Down, some of the stunning but difficult programs on this planet.
He closed his very good opening spherical with an eagle-three on the par-5 18th, which supplies him a one-shot benefit over Sami Valimaki of Finland and Alejandro del Rey of Spain by 18 holes. However after that putt dropped, Clements made an eye-opening revelation about his day.
He referred to as it “Among the finest rounds I’ve performed in my life,” uttering these precise phrases to his caddy whereas they walked off the 18th inexperienced.
Any tour professional can hearth a 66 on virtually any course. However no course can examine to Royal County Down, which weaves its means by the sand dunes alongside the Irish Sea and affords extra blind photographs than one would need. Throw in a brutal crosswind and random rain showers, and this golf course is an absolute brute. It’s no marvel that solely 32 gamers on this 156-man area shot underneath par on Thursday, and that quantity will decline because the match wears on. Heck, Shane Lowry fired a warning shot earlier this week, predicting that this yr’s Irish Open at Royal County Down may produce the highest-ever profitable rating on the DP World Tour.
“It’s a tough course, however yeah, delighted with the way it panned out,” Clements added.
“I performed the Professional-Am and thought that there can be some challenges for positive. I believe simply having a great angle, everybody goes to have challenges; it’s going to be troublesome at factors. This golf course is rarely going to offer you an inch.”
Rory McIlroy even referred to this golf course as “major-championship caliber.”
Royal County Down may actually host The Open Championship—the course is that difficult—however the infrastructure within the small city of Newcastle, coupled with the towering dunes and big gorse bushes that line these fairways, would make that slightly troublesome.
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But, the perfect gamers on this planet are delighted to play on this week’s Irish Open, which returns to Royal County Down for the primary time since 2015. The profitable rating that week was 2-under par, and solely three gamers carded rounds of 66s or higher that week. Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer even fired a 6-under 65 on Saturday that yr, however stumbled to a 1-over par end due to a Sunday 77 in brutal situations.
“I believe our technique is simply to play par golf, particularly on a course this difficult, and I felt like I did that fairly nicely immediately,” Clements added.
“I drove it nice. I hit a variety of good-quality photographs and simply hit my ball in the fitting areas. My caddie was nice immediately; he had the course mapped out nice, and it labored nicely.”
It’s essential to drive the ball nicely at Royal County Down, or you’re in for a protracted day. Loads of balls will disappear, too. You usually don’t have any clue the place they ended up as a result of dozens of blind photographs you face.
For probably the most half, Clements drove the ball nicely, discovering loads of fairways and first cuts. However he did hook his tee shot into hassle on 13, which compelled him to hit a provisional. But, {the golfing} gods smiled down upon him, figuring out he was having among the finest rounds of his life. His ball was discovered, and Clements proceeded to make par, which in the end stored his bogey-free again 9 intact.
Now, Clements, who claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory final yr within the Czech Republic, hopes to maintain it going all through the week. However he’s taking it one step at a time, one shot at a time, which is little doubt the prudent play.
“This course is as exhausting because it will get,” Clements emphasised.
“Take it day-by-day, cliché. However [Friday], it’s going to be chilly; it’s going to be windy and one other grueling take a look at. Unhappy as it’s to say, I’m in all probability trying ahead to it.”
Golf followers in all places are, too.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
