NOT ALL ROADS LEAD NORTH

DESPITE blue skies, the attendance of 13,716 at Ballyliffin was 4,000 down on Portstewart last year, 5,000 below Royal County Down in 2015 and 10,000 lower than the Tour record of 23,283 at Portrush in 2015. Euro tour chiefs will hope for stronger weekend numbers but this is not an easy place to get to.