Søren Kjeldsen arrives at this week's Amgen Irish Open as a man who owns a special piece of history - the only DP World Tour winner at Royal County Down.
The revered layout - often labelled as the very best in the world - has hosted three previous Irish Opens but only one since the 1972 inception of the DP World Tour, nine years ago in 2015.
On that occasion, the Dane took a two-shot lead into the final round but had to battle wind and rain as he fought his way to a closing 76 and two under par total before prevailing from a play-off with Eddie Pepperell and Bernd Wiesberger.
Kjeldsen had just turned 40 when he picked up the fourth DP World Tour win of his career and as he now approaches 50 and the prospect of senior golf, he looks back on that week in Northern Ireland with great fondness.
"I played really good the first three days and then Sunday was just, the weather was so bad," he said. "It was just a matter of trying to hold on and I just about did it.
"It was hard work. I had my old caddie, Alistair, on the bag and he was amazing. Special memories for us.
"Haven't been back since so obviously something I've really been looking forward to and just having played the course now, lots of memories coming back.
"Victories, they have their own little story: when I won the World Cup with Thorbjørn Olesen, it's special to win something with somebody, as well, first win, Volvo Masters, they are all special.
"But obviously the Irish Open is a very historic event and a lot of great winners and it's a tournament Danes have done well in as well. Of course this one is really special for me."
It could be said that Royal County Down has a touch of beauty and the beast about it, with a juxtaposition of ferocious difficulty and breathtaking scenery.
The last Tour winner at Royal County Down 🏆
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2024
Søren Kjeldsen won in a play-off at the 2015 @IrishOpen_ two weeks after turning 40.#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/btfhDIkjNI
Tom McKibbin said he found the experience of playing it "traumatising" before he got to know its nuances and Kjeldsen believes it takes a true golfer to appreciate the test.
"We just played now, there wasn't one shot that you shouldn't hit in the 18 holes," he said.
"Sometimes you've got to ride the wind and sometimes you've got to hold it up. You've got to hit it low, high.
"Around the greens, you've got to have great imagination. Putting the greens are beautiful but with the wind, the putting is tough.
"I think the better you are as a golfer, the more you appreciate when a course asks all the questions and this course certainly does."
