The Irish Open moves to its new home at Adare Manor in May with Denmark’s Thomas Björn among those looking forward to the new challenge as he defends his title.
Q: How important was last year’s win at Carton House to you?
Thomas Björn It was a great win for me, especially after the first round of 78. It was nice to turn something from a not very good round to a very good victory. It was one of those weeks, probably one of the hardest weeks we have ever had on Tour weather-wise and condition-wise. It was a question of ducking your head down and being the last man standing. It was a good week for me obviously. It was nice like any victory but it was special because of shooting 78 in the first round.
Q: Also enjoyable the way you finished it off with two birdies on the last two holes?
TB: I needed to hit some good shots in the end to give myself a chance and I did. That is always the way you want to finish off a golf tournament. You don’t want to just walk into it. I hit some good shots on the 17th and 18th for birdies. That’s what you want to do – a birdie, birdie finish to win is always nice.
Q: The Irish Open moves to a new venue this year but you will be there as defending champion – how are you looking forward to it?
TB: I think it is great that the Irish Open is going back to the west coast of Ireland. We have had some superb days there at JP’s Pro-Am. There is always a certain expectation on the west coast of Ireland when the Tour goes there. There is great support for the game all across Ireland but there is something special about the west coast of Ireland. The whole feel is exceptional. And it will be nice to go back to Limerick and Adare Manor. All the players in the JP McManus Pro-Am raved about the golf course and I certainly enjoyed it but it will obviously be a little different with a regular Tour event as everyone is in a different frame of mind. The venue itself is very good and with the hotel on site and the nice little town, it is very special and everyone looks forward to it.
Q: What do you recall of the course itself and any key holes?
TB: I remember it being very much a parkland golf course with plenty of water on it. The 18th, the par five with water short is just about within reach but with risk attached. It is a great golf course, a thinker’s golf course and the venue itself is one of those venues where once you have been there and played there, you want to go back. They have so many good golf courses in Ireland it is difficult to sort them out as they all have something to offer but Adare is an extremely good test of golf in the way it is set up and is going to be a thinker’s golf course for sure.
Q: What can you say about the Irish fans and the atmosphere we can expect at Adare Manor?
TB: The Irish Open always brings out the best in the spectators. In Cork, it was spectacular, we had great support at Portmarnock, and great support at Mount Juliet. It has always been one of the best supported tournaments we play. Wherever we go in the world, there is always a feeling this one is the People’s Open. The Irish people always come out in force. The Ryder Cup in particular showed how much the Irish people get behind the game of golf. From a players’ perspective, there is nothing better than to play golf in Ireland. It has this people’s feeling about it which is great. We, as players, feel very welcome, very supported no matter where you are from and that is the Irish way I guess but it especially comes out at the Irish Open.
Q: Plus you are able to enjoy a drop of Guinness here and there?
TB: There is a feeling around the whole week and it doesn’t just involve what happens on the golf course. It is the whole ambience of the place day and night and it grows into a great event and always has done. Being on the west coast of Ireland it has even more that feeling. When we visit small towns, it has that big buzz about it and it becomes a bit different to a regular Tour stop.
Q: What are you immediate plans leading up to the Masters and then the Irish Open?
TB: I am off to America for four weeks and then will probably play in China before coming to Ireland. Ireland will be the lead into the summer in Europe. I think everyone is looking forward to the schedule in Europe this year. It is when we are back in northern Europe and Ireland is a great place to start.
Q: How is your game as you felt you had turned a bit of a corner in Dubai?
TB: I am working hard, doing a lot of things with Pete Cowen which need a bit of time. I am looking forward to these four weeks in America to be very much in golf mode. It will take however long it takes. I made a decision at the back end of last year to make big changes in the game to try and get myself back into the top 20 in the world. That needed those changes and it will take the time it takes. I feel comfortable with what I am doing but have some problems taking it to the golf course still. I need that patience and need to do these things and eventually you will turn the corner. But Dubai was a good start. It gives you a bit of belief that there is the golf and it is not that far away and eventually it will come good. All I need at the moment is not a good tournament but 10 or 12 steady rounds where I can get some confidence.
