The golf season is at its peak and the great players don't have time to catch their breath, because the good tournaments happen incessantly. After the US Open, the second Major of the year, the world tour this week splits again in two: in Europe, at the Fota Island Resort, in County Cork, the Irish Open is being played, with the home champions, in especially Rory McIlory, determined to become champion of Ireland and to conquer the leadership of the Race to Dubai, where for now he is third behind number one Thomas Bjorn and number two Martin Kaymer. The PGA, on the other hand, moved to Connecticut for the Travelers Championship, at the TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, where many big names took the field again: from Bubba Watson to Matt Kuchar to Erik Compton to the Spanish Sergio Garcia.
Matteo Manassero is also finally back in business, after failing to qualify for the US Open. The Veronese is at the starting tee of the 8th hole at Fota Island at 10 this morning, where he will try to recover some of the ground lost in recent months. Manny has two objectives: to prepare for the Open Championship, the third Grand Slam tournament on the calendar from July 17 to 20, and to improve his performance by hoping to enter the Ryder Cup team.
The Irish Open is a stage on this journey, because it is a tournament with a good international field and because Ryder's captain, Paul McGinley will keep an eye out for eligible players. The biggest names in this event, in addition to McIlory, are Graeme McDowell, Victor Dubuisson, Stephen Gallacher Darren Clarke, John Daly, Padraig Harrington, Paul Lawrie, José Maria Olazabal, as well as Paul Casey, reigning champion who will try to defend the title. There are four Italians in the running: Manassero, Edoardo Molinari, Marco Crespi and Andrea Pavan,
McIlory starts as favorite and is certainly the darling of the local crowd, given that a few days ago he lifted his reserves for the Rio Olympics: Rory will play for Ireland and not for England, as some feared. “I thought about it a lot – says the Northern Irish champion, from a Catholic family – and I chose remembering all the times I represented Ireland as an amateur. I've always been proud to wear that uniform and I'll be proud to do it again. Of course if I qualify for my team."
Field of great level also for the Travelers Open, which offers 6,2 million dollars, 1,116 million only for the winner. In addition to Compton, according to last week, we will find Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Brandt Sndecker, that is, five players in the top ten of the Major. The course is a par 70 of 6200 metres. Defending Champion is Ken Duke. Both appointments are broadcast from today to Sunday, every day, live on Sky Sport Due.
Finally, small news from the Tiger Woods website. The champion, still recovering from back surgery, announces the agreement with a new sponsor. It is a sports food company that will put its logo on the golfer's bag. A fact that bodes well for Tiger's return to the scene in a short time.
