Des Smyth is hoping home comforts can help him become the first Irish winner of the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland for 12 years as he is reunited with his Ryder Cup winning colleagues of 2006.
The 57 year old is making the short commute from his home in Drogheda to this week’s host venue, Carton House Golf Club, in Maynooth, Co. Kildare, where he will compete alongside Ian Woosnam , having been an Assistant Captain under the Welshman at The K Club four years ago.
Smyth is back playing full time on the Senior Tour after six years of splitting his schedule with the US Champions Tour and he feels home soil is the perfect place to capture his third Senior Tour title and first victory since the Wentworth Senior Masters in 2007.
“I always try to build up to this event,” said Smyth, who is trying to become the first Irishman since Joe McDermott in 1998 to win the Irish Seniors Open. “This is a big week for me. I should have won it in 2008 when I was runner up to Juan Quiros at Ballyliffin but I didn’t and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
“I’m very keen to play well this week. It’s a great field and there’s a nice buzz about the place.
“I’m just trying to get a bit of form at the moment. I played OK in the US Senior PGA Championship and I was disappointed last week in Jersey with the way I played. I was coming good and then I played badly on the Sunday.”
Smyth, who lost in a play-off to Tom Watson in The 2005 Senior Open Championship at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, won the Irish National PGA Championships in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s and he is targeting a victory over Carton House’s Montgomerie Course to take his record of success on Irish soil into a fifth decade.
“It is a good record on the big stage and it would be nice to add to that with victory here this week,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed my career and I still do.
“This week will always be the big buzz for me, along with The Senior Open Championship which this year is played over my favourite links course Carnoustie. I’d love to play well this week and at Carnoustie.”
Fittingly over the Carton House course designed by this year’s Ryder Cup Captain, Colin Montgomerie, Smyth and Woosnam will be joined by two-time Major Champion Lyle and D J Russell, the two other Assistant Captains from The K Club.
“It’s a nice feeling to be back together,” he said. “We had a big buzz near here in 2006 and that was something special.”
Former World Number One Woosnam is the defending champion having beaten American Bob Boyd in a play-off at Ballybunion Golf Club 12 months after coming from six shots back on the final day.
After moving house last week, Woosnam is relishing returning to the Emerald Isle where he captained Europe to a record equalling victory in The 2006 Ryder Cup and where he also won two Irish Opens on The European Tour.
He said: “I love it here in Ireland. I’ve got some great friends and I always seem more relaxed when I’m in Ireland.
“We are on a different course here at Carton House but it is a challenge I’m looking forward to. To come back from six shots down last year and get in the play-off was fantastic. It was an exciting play-off, we had great crowds and weather and I was fortunate to beat Bob and win the title.
“I’ve got some good memories of Ireland and I’ve had some good wins so I’ve got some great support here and I’m sure it will be the same this week.”
Lyle is still searching for his maiden European Senior Tour victory but he feels he is coming into to the sort of form that saw him shoot an opening round 69 at this year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National - scene of his second Major Championship victory in 1988.
“I’m pleased with the way I’m hitting the ball but my scores have not reflected that lately,” he said. “It would be nice to get a Senior Tour victory. I guess that is what is missing on my CV.”
“I’ve always love playing in Ireland and this is a very strong course here at Carton House. The rough has been kept back and so it’s now a very playable golf course. You have to be aware of the bunkers and the greens will be fast so it is a strong, strong course. “
