Todd Clements received off to a roaring begin on the Irish Open, firing a 5-under 66 at Royal County Down, one of the crucial lovely but difficult programs on the earth.
He closed his excellent 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 best 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 fireplace a 66 on nearly any course. However no course can examine to Royal County Down, which weaves its manner by the sand dunes alongside the Irish Sea and presents 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 surprise that solely 32 gamers on this 156-man area shot below 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 12 months’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 could be some challenges for positive. I feel simply having an excellent angle, everybody goes to have challenges; it’s going to be tough at factors. This golf course is rarely going to present you an inch.”
Rory McIlroy even referred to this golf course as “major-championship caliber.”
Royal County Down may definitely host The Open Championship—the course is that difficult—however the infrastructure within the small city of Newcastle, coupled with the towering dunes and large gorse bushes that line these fairways, would make that quite tough.
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But, the most effective gamers on the earth 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 12 months, however stumbled to a 1-over par end because of a Sunday 77 in brutal situations.
“I feel our technique is simply to play par golf, particularly on a course this difficult, and I felt like I did that fairly nicely right this moment,” Clements added.
“I drove it nice. I hit numerous good-quality photographs and simply hit my ball in the appropriate areas. My caddie was nice right this moment; he had the course mapped out nice, and it labored nicely.”
You will need to drive the ball nicely at Royal County Down, or you’re in for a protracted day. Loads of balls will disappear, too. You typically 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 bother on 13, which compelled him to hit a provisional. But, {the golfing} gods smiled down upon him, understanding he was having among the best rounds of his life. His ball was discovered, and Clements proceeded to make par, which in the end saved his bogey-free again 9 intact.
Now, Clements, who claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory final 12 months 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 arduous 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 check. Unhappy as it’s to say, I’m in all probability wanting ahead to it.”
Golf followers all over the place are, too.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
