Amiable Ebihara back to chase his hat-trick

Irish Senior Open Preview: There's a touch of irony to the expression that Christy O'Connor Jnr will shoulder local expectations when he tees it up in the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Adare Manor & Golf Resort on Friday, as that is the exact joint that has severely limited his golf this season.

His appearance marks his second start on this year's European Seniors Tour, having finished tied sixth behind America's Ray Carrasco at the season-opening Jamaica Classic.

O'Connor heads a 10-strong Irish contingent, denied the presence of Des Smyth and Eamonn Darcy, who are playing in the US.

The man they all have to beat is Japan's Seiji Ebihara, searching for a remarkable hat-trick in the seventh staging of the event. He won the title in 2001 (Powerscourt) and last year (Adare), and will start as favourite this time out.

Ebihara's Powerscourt win was the byproduct of a thrilling finish when he closed with two birdies to pip New Zealand's Simon Owen by a single shot.

Twelve months later, with the tournament moving to Adare Manor for the first time, he also produced a grandstand finish, hitting a glorious five-wood onto the 542-yard par five closing hole to set up a two-stroke victory over England's Denis Durnian.

The amiable man endeared himself further to the large Irish gallery by donating €10,000 of his €46,500 first prize to local childrens' charities.

Australia's Terry Gale, the current number one on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit, is the man in form having won the last two tournaments on the tour, and is chasing an impressive treble of his own.

The 56-year-old will be endeavouring to emulate England's Tommy Horton by becoming only the second player on the European Seniors Tour to win three times in a row.

Horton (1997), is a previous winner as is Irish-born, Florida resident Joe McDermott (1998), who won the title at Woodbrook.

His final round included a hole-in-one at the 13th before going on to beat Gale and his compatriot, Noel Ratcliffe, in a play-off.

Jamaica's Delroy Cambridge, Englishman Denis Durnian and the 1985 Irish amateur champion, Denis O'Sullivan, the winner of five Seniors Tour titles over the last three seasons, will also start among the favourites.

Irish Seniors Open Roll of Honour: 1997: T Horton (St Margaret's); 1998: J McDermott (Woodbrook); 1999: J Morgan (Mount Juliet); 2000: S Ebihara (Powerscourt); 2001: S Ebihara (Adare).