Irish Open Is Off and a Slim Bet for 2020

Irish Daily Mail, Tuesday, March 31, 2020 Golf 49 Shoehorn Slam? Faldo thinks it’s on for Rory... WORLD Derek OF GOLF Lawrenson IRISH OPEN icK Faldo believes that if all four IS OFF AND majors are shoehorned into a tightly-packed window later this year, it will offer Rory McIlroy and A SLIM BET other leading lights an opportunity Nto rewrite history. No professional has ever managed to win all four FOR 2020 majors in the same season to complete the Grand Slam, but Faldo believes the forbidding odds on By PHILIP QUINN such a feat will shorten considerably if a condensed schedule sees players go from one major to the THE prospects of the Dubai Duty Free next. Irish Open figuring at some point on Speaking from his home in, Florida — adjacent to the 2020 European Tour calendar where the Players Championship is held each year this season appear slim. — the six-time major champion said: ‘This could play The Rolex Series event was due to right into the hands of Rory, Brooks Koepka and three or four other guys. take place at Mount Juliet on May ‘When you win a major, you’ve got a month before 28-31 with Graeme McDowell as host the next one when you’re playing in a couple of before Tour chiefs bowed to the events, doing all the interviews and, over that period inevitable yesterday and called it of time, you kind of lose the magic. We all know the off. hardest thing about majors is the time you’ve got to Unlike some events which have been think about them. cancelled because of the ‘But what if you’ve only got a week or so? What if coronavirus, the Irish Open’s official you’ve got all that emotion and confidence from winning inside you and you walk straight to the first status is ‘postponed’ so there is an tee at the next major? How wonderful would that be outside chance of a slot later in the if you’re playing great? year, possibly behind closed doors. ‘Someone who is mentally prepared and mentally The difficulty for the Tour is that strong enough could get on an unbelievable roll later they don’t know how many more this year. There’s a real chance for one guy to win events will be affected before it is two or three — even a clean sweep.’ safe to resume. As it stands, seven Faldo’s optimism that we will see all four regular European Tour events are majors played, let alone one man win them all, is a tonic for these hard times labelled as ‘postponed’. when we’re peering for some light at 4 In addition, two of the year’s four the end of the tunnel. Tiger Woods is the only Coming to majors – the US Masters and the US ‘There are obviously a lot more professional in history to PGA – are also in cold storage. important things going on right now have held all four majors the four: With the US Open at Winged Foot, and it’s hard for all of us sitting at at the same time. He won McIlroy is New York (June 18-21) almost certain home watching what’s unfolding,’ the last three in 2000 capable to be deferred shortly, there will be added Faldo. ‘But I do think the before triumphing of a Slam, few gaps left to re-arrange events Masters will be played this year, as at the Masters in says Faldo outside the majors. well as the other three majors.’ 2001 to complete Ironically, had the Irish Open stuck Tiger Woods — shock, horror — is the the set only pro to hold all four majors at the same to its early July date of the past time, winning the last three in three years, it might have gone 2000 and completing the set by ahead without interruption. winning the 2001 Masters. In Regarding the Ryder Cup, ain and Ireland last week. straight from the car park and The switch to late May was done to 1953, Ben Hogan won the three due to be staged amid the ‘I get the vital reasons why playing on their own? facilitate the involvement of Rory majors in which he played and, majors frenzy in September, we all need to be really disci- ‘You’ve got hundreds of acres in 1930, American Bobby Jones the Englishman added: ‘It’s plined, stay at home for the of open land where you could McIlroy, who skipped Lahinch last won the Grand Slam when it difficult to know the best way most part and practise social be belting a ball around with year, and to try and attract a deeper comprised the two Opens on to proceed. I can see the idea distancing,’ he said. ‘I can see no one anywhere near you. all-round field. either side of the Atlantic and to crack on and raise morale it’s vital that clubhouses are Imagine how that would help Host McDowell sounded a note of the British and US Amateur but, equally, how can you have closed and nobody touches keen golfers in terms of mental realism regarding the cancellation. Championships. a true Ryder Cup without a things like flagsticks. health?’ ‘As important as the Dubai Duty As for Faldo, his best year proper qualifying period? It’s a ‘I just think, with a little bit of Intriguing thoughts, as ever, Free Irish Open is to all of us, came in 1990 when he won the tough one.’ imagination, you could keep from Faldo. Roll on late sum- everyone’s health is our only Masters, finished third in the Faldo was saddened when he the actual courses open. What mer, and the chance to see if US Open, won the Open and heard about the mandatory would be the harm in stagger- anyone can complete the Shoe- concern,’ he said. tied 19th at the USPGA. closing of golf courses in Brit- ing tee-times and people going horn Slam..

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