We like Graeme McDowell in the press room because he’s never short of a quote.
Need an opinion on golf’s socio-economic effect in Bolivia? G-Mac will maybe look a bit askance for a second but he’ll then politely give a considered and useable soundbite.
He’s smart and he’s articulate. Occasionally, however, he’ll drop a clanger, and his comments about the Scottish Open and Castle Stuart are regarded as being one.
I’m indebted to Brian Keogh of the excellent Irish Golf Desk for the full transcript of G-Mac’s comments at the Irish Open, which puts the whole thing in context.
It was part of a larger discussion in how to get the Irish Open a higher profile and perhaps even a name sponsor. The current event has been bankrolled by the tour with the assistance of the Irish Government for the last three years.
The Irish gets great crowds, and the loyal attendance of their current group of world stars, including G-Mac, Rory, Padraig, Darren and all. But the prizefund is meagre by top Tour standards nearly half that of the Scottish and while the Irish economy is struggling there’s no sign of a big-named backer.
Therefore some of G-Mac’s comments can be construed as appealing to a home audience, who want to talk up their event at the expense of the Scottish, which currently has a bigger prizefund, better field and the prized pre-Open Championship slot in the schedule.
The Irish are also, like the rest of world golf according to Padraig Harrington, jealous of Aberdeen Asset Management’s blanket sponsorship of Scottish golf, from the national Opens of both sexes, through the national amateur set-up, seniors and professionals at all levels.
Scotland actually does very well out of sponsorship in these straitened times, with Scottish Hydro’s coverage of pros and amateurs, Johann Ruppert’s considerable largesse at the Dunhill and to the national amateur team, and Diageo through Gleneagles.
Rather than losing prestige, it seems to me that the Irish Open would do well to tighten its association with the more successful Scottish Open, and that’s actually what McDowell is also suggesting.
His revelation that a group of senior players have been talking about changes to the European Tour schedule is quite enlightening.
He said: “You look at the PGA Tour, the way they collect their events together with your West Coast and your Floridas and your Texas swings and these little kind of geographical bundles that they put together.
“I think we have to capitalise on the key parts of our schedule in and around Wentworth, in and around The Open and after the FedEx Playoffs.”
The Open could be the culmination of a “links swing”, with the Irish swapping places with the French another tournament that does better financially and staying on a links course rather than the flat field that is Carton House, the venue this year and possibly next.
It seems the top players would buy into a concerted run of seaside golf into the Open, if G-Mac’s comments are anything to go by. The Irish would surely get a welcome leg-up as part of that swing.
In Scotland’s case, the tournament is not going anywhere on the calendar, but seems set to be going around the map.
Royal Aberdeen is next in 2014, the Renaissance in East Lothian is going to get a once-over by European Tour bigwigs this week, and there’s also talk of one of the Ayrshire courses maybe even an Open venue coming into the mix.
As long as Aberdeen Asset are involved, this event will be where it belongson a links.