Rory McIlroy with his lifelong coach Michael Bannon
at the BMW PGA Championships earlier this year
McIlroy’s Coach To Join Him Full Time
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND | Rory
McIlroy has been explaining the decision
to bring lifelong coach Michael Bannon
with him on tour full-time. Bannon, who
was professional at Holywood GC where
he first came upon McIlroy as a 6-year-
old, later moved to Bangor.
“It’s something I’ve been trying to
persuade Michael to do for a couple of
years and he finally got around to it,”
said the star pupil. “With the schedule I
play now, it’s been very difficult for me
to see him as much as I would like. So,
for him to be full-time now and be able
to travel a lot more is something I think
will be very beneficial for me.”
every time I hear it; a pretty special
feeling,” he said.
Maintaining a slim midriff became
especially challenging for Graeme
McDowell during Irish Open week.
“When I arrived home from the US
Open at about 10. 30 last Monday morn-
ing, breakfast was on the table,” he
said. “The Ulster fry. It’s good. That’s
kind of why I have to watch my weight
when I come back to Northern Ireland.
Fried food and pints of Guinness are not
good for the waistline.”
Shamelessly, the pride of Portrush
went on to blame his mother, Marian,
who tended to the every need of her
bachelor son during the tournament.
“It’s like staying in a hotel but the
food’s better,” he said.
After a shock defeat in the opening
round of the ladies singles at Wimbledon, Wozniacki was to be seen close
by the first tee at Royal Portrush at
7.50 on Thursday morning to catch her
man going into what proved to be more
productive first-round action.
father, Kenny, describes as the working
men’s club for locals who lack either
the money or influence to become
members of Royal Portrush.
As he studied the results of the 1984
Irish Ladies Open, Keegan Bradley smiled
when noting the player who was tied sec-
ond behind the winner, Kathy Whitworth.
“I didn’t realise my Aunt Pat played
over here,” he said.
In fact, Pat Bradley was in an elite
field when the event was staged at
Clandeboye GC, 80 miles southeast of
Portrush in County Down.
The discovery about his illustrious
aunt added to the emotion of his first
trip to the land of his forebears, though
he had the disappointment of missing
the halfway cut.
“Hundreds of people have called out
‘Welcome home,’ which gives me chills
With Sunday’s figures confirmed at
30,362, the cumulative attendance of
112,280 for the four days of this year’s
Irish Open was a European Tour record.
Prior to this, the magic target of six
figures had never been reached, not even
by the BMW/PGA Championship, which is
the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth.
