High rollers and big hitters

HIGH ROLLERS, big hitters, low handicaps and as it happened, small mercies, in that it didn't rain on the 31st year of the Smurfit Christy O'Connor International Pro-Am at the K Club yesterday.

As they wheeled the Coolmore Stud-donated 1981 Mercedes 380 SLC to the first tee so that it's prospective buyer could have a look before last night's auction, the clouds parted and they allowed themselves a smile.

The professionals flooded in late because of the weekend's log jam at the rain-soaked French Open and they converged on the practice area, each recalling the full horror of various airports unable to cope with the demands of a complete European Tour wishing to move on to a different country en bloc.

Darren Clarke, Costantino Rocca, Eamonn Darcy, Paul McGinley, Des Smyth, Padraig Harrington, Eduardo Romero and Christy O'Connor Junior each spread their talents around to the 16 and 18 handicappers who had paid to enjoy the course and, perhaps, learn something.

Of the early front runners, the showband three rocked the parkland humps and hollows. Ronan Collins and Joe Cuddy, each playing off eight and Dickie Rock, a more modest 20 handicapper, teamed up with American Jay Townsend to set the mark after lunch with 44 stableford points, with the professional shooting a pleasing 70 for the round.

Damian McGrane from Kells, however, led his three, including the single figure former tennis star Matt Doyle, to 45 points in a competition which was actually two events running concurrently and where winning really wasn't at the heart of the matter.

A first prize of Pounds 2,500 for the top individual Pro, running down to Pounds 700 for those at the bottom of the heap was being played in tandem with the overall team event. One nett best score from each fourball was to count at each hole.

Among the celebrity amateurs were World snooker champion Ken Doherty, gambler and racehorse owner JP McManus, Tipperary hurling guru Babs Keating and the Smurfit brothers, Tony and Michael Jnr.

And it was easy to distinguish the club-carrying players from the professionals: "What are you off lads?" professional Peter Baker asked his colleagues. "Eh .. . 18 and 16," they replied, and set out to straddle their first hurdle - driving the bunker on the first hole.

For the professionals it was a relaxed warm up ahead of The Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen and, for the amateurs, a glimpse of how a straight golf game looks like. All in all a pretty reasonable trade off.