Reigning Irish Senior Close champion Pat Murray says he has been using home comforts to help prepare himself for Hermitage and the Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Open Championship.
Murray tees off alongside Michael Mercier and Mark Clifford at 12.40 this afternoon, as they look dislodge the holder Jody Fanagan.
The Tramore golfer, formerly of Thurles, hasn’t played in this competition before but backed by his brilliant 4&2 win over John Reynolds in last year’s Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Close decider he will take plenty of confidence into this week.
“It’s my first time playing in the strokeplay open. I know Hermitage golf club, I would have played it a handful of times over the years,” said Murray.
“The practise round was about what I can hit off tees and what lines I can take. It’s a very tree-lined course and pretty tight in spots. I’m lucky enough where I am coming from in Tramore we are tree-lined and we are tight and we have similar dog-legs so a lot of my practise was playing golf, nine or ten holes every evening after work, get out and get a feel for the course in Tramore.
“I have been working on building my game from the tee box to the fairway to the green, rather than looking at it from the green back.”
Milltown golfer Fanagan claimed last year’s crown thanks to a narrow win over Karl Bornemann in Douglas.
And he will be expected to challenge once again in Lucan, although Murray knows it will be a test for whoever looks to take their chance.
“Hermitage is a good golf course, it’s not going to give you anything,” said Murray.
“Whoever is going to win this week is going to play good golf. They are going to hit the ball on the fairway, they are going to keep the ball on the right side of the greens as well. Hermitage will be a good test this week.”
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