Ireland’s Colm Moriarty is hoping world-renowned swing coach Bob Torrance can sprinkle the sort of magic on his game which helped his compatriot Padraig Harrington win three Major Championships.
In recent months Moriarty, in Belek this week for the inaugural Turkish Airlines Challenge presented by Carya Golf Club, has been paying regular visits to Largs, the Scottish town where Torrance – father of Ryder Cup-winning Captain Sam – lives.
Moriarty turned to Torrance, who also coaches 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, after a disappointing 2009 season which yielded just one top ten finish, at the SWALEC Wales Challenge – an event he won two years previously.
The Dubliner left the recent Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal feeling frustrated after missing the cut, but is confident of showing some improvement on his first Challenge Tour appearance of the season.
He said: “I just needed a bit of a spark to get my game going, which is why I went to see Bob. We haven’t made any dramatic changes to my game – just worked a bit on my backswing, and it seems to be falling into place. I did some good winter work out in Portugal and put a few things into practice, so I’m hopeful of having a decent season.
“Obviously I was a bit disappointed with how I played in Madeira, but that was mainly due to my putting – I couldn’t buy a putt all week. But I’ve been hitting it well in practice, so if I can sort my putting out hopefully I’ll have a good week. The course here’s in really good shape and the weather’s great, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing.”
Moriarty is joined at the magnificent Carya Golf Club by fellow Irishmen Jonathan Caldwell, looking to rebuild his career on the Challenge Tour after a frustrating campaign on The European Tour last year, and 2009 Brabazon Trophy winner Niall Kearney, playing his first full season on the Challenge Tour this year.
England’s Robert Dinwiddie, Argentina’s Julio Zapata and Colombian David Vanegas, who currently fill the top three positions in the Rankings, will also tackle the 7,178 yards, par 72 course, which was designed by five times Open Champion Peter Thomson in partnership with Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb.
