Hello from Rotherham rather than Kilkenny. I am still in self-isolation at home in Yorkshire and this will be finished tomorrow morning when hopefully I get the all-clear from my COVID-19 PCR test. Fingers crossed it is negative result.
Looking back over the last 15 months, these 100 odd tests have cost me about 100 pounds each. Is that really £10,000 in total?
It is a good job all my players are having another good year on the golfing Tours around the world to keep me in the black.
I am proud and delighted that my Euro 2020 prediction of England winning against Germany came true. I believe we can go a long way further, but let’s deal with Saturday against Ukraine first. As us golf coaches say, one shot at a time and focus and one game at a time for our football team.
I have had no contact with any of my players in Ireland in the last 24 hours which is usually a good sign they are all in good spirits and full of confidence for the week ahead at the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
I spoke to Rory McIlroy’s caddie Harry Diamond yesterday who said the course is not for the bombers, so let’s hope Rory’s iron play is all dialled in.
This reinforces my comments that if Rory putts well he could and should win this week.
That would be a great result for everyone: Dubai Duty Free, the island of Ireland, the nation’s population, the legacy of the tournament, the fans, Rory and Harry, all the support sponsors including Emirates, his management and even me!
It has been great to see that my senior coach at my Peter Cowen Academy at Rotherham, Nick Newby, guiding two of the 12 qualifiers for the Open Championship earlier this week: Nick Poppleton winning at West Lancashire GC with rounds of 65 and 69, and amateur Sam Bairstow qualifying at St Annes Old Links with rounds of 63 and 69.
That is for discussion in a couple of weeks’ time at Royal St Georges but for now the first tee time for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is at 7.30am local time and will be struck from the first tee, in a two-tew format, by one of Dubai Duty Free’s favourites Soren Kjeldsen and a former champion from Denmark.
Looking at this week’s weather forecast for Kilkenny in Ireland, it shows a potential of around 15mm of precipitation over the four days and winds up to 20km, which will be interesting on those approach shots. The Jack Nicklaus designed Mount Juliet course will see, in my opinion, an open race for the Waterford trophy to be presented Sunday night.
Before I sign-off today I want to make my predictions for the week:
Rory McIlroy — no surprises there.
Jazz Janewattananond — a great old-school shaper of the ball, especially in his approach play and around the greens. In my day he would be termed a decent ‘fiddler’ in a complimentary fashion.
Sean Crocker — I look after Sean’s short game but here is a proper talented youngster. Turned pro in 2007 and is still just 24 years old.
Padraig Harrington — Another one of my stable that you can never write off on his home soil. Padraig has shown good form recently and he could have a big week.
Finally good luck to Colm McLoughlin, Ramesh Cidanbi, Sinead el Sibai, Salah Tahlak and all the Dubai Duty Free team in both Dubai and Ireland for putting on another great sporting show and taking Dubai around the world with such successful sponsorship initiatives. Even I will be watching on TV for a change.
