Irish Senior Open: Jimmy Heggarty celebrated his 50th birthday last week, which was good timing for the Ulsterman as it enables him to make a debut appearance on the European Seniors Tour at this week's AIB Irish Seniors Open at Fota Island, starting on Friday.
And, for a player who kept his card on the European Tour for 15 consecutive years from 1976 to 1991, and has remained competitive on the Irish PGA region in recent years, it is an ideal introduction for Heggarty to a tour that has not only survived but strengthened, despite the lure of the megabucks on offer on the Champions Tour in America.
Although Des Smyth, the European Ryder Cup vice-captain, is actually unavailable on this occasion due to a commitment to play in the Allianz Championship in the States, the field for the €420,000 tournament is headed by Sam Torrance, with a strong Irish representation that includes Eamonn Darcy (who was second to Torrance in the Italian Seniors Open a fortnight ago), Christy O'Connor Jnr, making his first appearance of the season, and Denis O'Sullivan.
Irish victories have been rare in this tournament, with only Joe McDermott managing to win on home soil. That was at Woodbrook in 1998. O'Sullivan, for one, finds it hard to understand why another Irish win has proved so elusive, but he would love to end the drought at Fota Island.
"Being the local boy is added pressure, so it is very important for me to find some form this week," admitted O'Sullivan, who struggled on his last outing in Italy two weeks ago due to a swollen knee.
"Fota Island is a wonderful golf course and I just hope the weather holds. My son Jamie works there and is in charge of the academy, so I would like to play nicely there.
"There is undoubtedly added pressure. Irish guys have not won the Irish Seniors for some time and we have not won the main Irish Open since John O'Leary in 1982. We don't seem to be able to win at home, but hopefully that will change this week."
Australia's Noel Ratcliffe will defend the title in a strong field that also includes England's Maurice Bembridge, Gordon J Brand and Neil Coles, Scotland's Bernard Gallacher and Spain's Antonio Garrido and Manuel Piñero.
Interestingly, Garth McGimpsey, one of the most illustrious Irish amateurs of recent times and a recent Walker Cup captain, is also in the field. He is one of five amateurs playing, along with John Carr, George Mellerick, Dermot Morris and Adrian Morrow.
Only two Irish players are confirmed for this week's Morson International at Worsley Park near Manchester on the European Challenge Tour. Damian Mooney, a winner in the Azores on the Europro Tour earlier this month, and Colm Moriarty are playing.
But Eamon Brady, third reserve, and John Kelly, seventh reserve, must await defections from the field if they are to play.
