It seems true links golf requires appropriate head wear.
Mike Miller is sporting a Knollwood Country Club stocking hat instead of his trademark frayed Titleist cap, and if the Brewster resident is even a little superstitious, he’ll pull it on again tomorrow. The 20-year-old reigning MGA Player of the Year came in with a 1-under 71 and briefly held the clubhouse lead with Dermot McElroy during the first round of the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin Golf Club.
Tiarnan McLarnon of Massereene Golf Club jumped in front as evening approached with a 2-under 70, and was later joined atop the leader board by Simon Ward of County Louth Golf Club.
Photo courtesy of the Golfing Union of Ireland
Here are some excerpts from the interview he did for the GUI and local media:
On the rapidly changing weather:
“I put my rain pants on about four times on one hole. It’s different over here.”
On enjoying the differences:
“It’s a lot of fun. You get a day like today, the wind was up on the front nine, but the back nine you could score, so I went even-par, 1-under. That’s not bad. I’ll take it.”
On playing links golf:
“It’s different from where I’m from. You have to hit shots over here. This golf course suits my eye very well. The front nine, with the wind today it was over my left shoulder, so that’s pushing everything out of bounds. You just gotta bear down and kind of go with it. Links style, it’s different to me. I mean, you’re able to hit a 7-iron from 100 yards. You’re able bump it up and let it run up the green. Back home, you have to fly everything to the hole.”
On the day’s lone bogey, at the par-4 16th:
“I made a nice birdie on No. 14 and then kind of a careless mistake, I don’t think my drive went 175 yards. … I made, I guess you could say, a good bogey, which is something I’m learning over here. A five on some of these holes isn’t necessarily bad. Everyone’s going to make a bogey here or there, (so it’s fine) as long as you can eliminate the big numbers, and that’s my main focus this week.”
