Michael Campbell will attempt to join an exclusive club in Ireland this week when he defends his title in the Smurfit European Open at The K Club.
Only two golfers in the quarter of a century since the event began have won the prestigious title in successive years, both coming in the past eight seasons, the first being Per-Ulrik Johansson in 1996 and 1997, while the second was Lee Westwood in 1999 and 2000.
Now Campbell has the chance to complete the triumvirate thanks to an extraordinary afternoon of high drama 12 months ago at the venue for The 2006 Ryder Cup Matches.
The 34 year old New Zealander appeared to be coasting to an emphatic victory as he pulled five shots clear of the field with four holes to play but with the finishing line in sight, the demanding K Club course started to hit back.
Campbell’s lead was cut back and at one stage, Bradley Dredge, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie all threatened to feature in a play-off with the New Zealander. But the talented quartet eventually had to settle for a share of second as Campbell held on to win by a shot.
All five of last year’s main protagonists are back in action this time round augmenting an already strong field with Harrington in particular keen to notch victory in the £2 million event and emulate Darren Clarke’s success of 2001, the only Irishman to win the tournament since in began in 1978.
It would also break a personal duck for the 31 year old Dubliner who, apart from his win in the 1998 Irish PGA Championship, has never tasted European Tour success in his native country, despite winning in almost every continent in the world.
For fellow Irishman Clarke, the return to The K Club will invoke happy memories. Although it is a different overall layout this time round, the course still forms part of the one where he carded a superb 12 under par 60 in the 1999 tournament.
Although he did not go on to win that year, being pipped by stablemate Lee Westwood, Clarke had to wait only two years to savour the moment of triumph, winning by three shots in 2001 to end a 19 year wait for an Irish European Tour winner on home soil, the previous one coming from John O’Leary in the 1982 Irish Open at Portmarnock.
The European Tour will return to that spectacular links course in late July for the Nissan Irish Open but this week it is The K Club which will command centre stage, in particular as it begins its preparation for The 36th Ryder Cup Matches in September 2006.
The parkland gem in Straffan was originally designed by Arnold Palmer before being altered and extended by the Palmer Design Team in recent years. The combination has produced a golf course which has received high praise from golfers and spectators alike and the continuing development of the course will surely draw further praise this week.
