PUTTS his weight behind THE OPEN
IT was a night of glitz and glamour as Tourism NI marked the start of the official build-up to the 148th Open at Royal Portrush. The event, under the theme of ‘We’ve Come A Long Way’, saw famous faces from the world of sport, music, media, television and the arts gather at Titanic Belfast.
The event centred around a spine-tingling film set to an original poem written by Co. Down poet Paula Matthews, narrated by the emotive voices of Northern Ireland actors Ian McElhinney, Bronagh Waugh, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Shaun Blaney.
A stellar sporting panel on the night included record-breaking champion jockey AP McCoy and four-time Superbike world champion Jonathan Rea, who shared their experiences of representing Northern Ireland on the world stage.
Major winners Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke also sent their support and golf commentator Peter Alliss was interviewed.
It was my first visit to the Titanic Quarter in Belfast and it is a space that is as impressive in design as it is for the history it represents. The who’s who of Northern Ireland sporting celebrities were out in force including Andew Trimble, Chris Henry and Peter Canavan. But the big draw on the night was definitely legendary jockey AP. I managed to spend some time with the now-retired horseman who has swapped his racing anxiety for golfing frustration.
‘I played a little bit of golf when I was racing, during the summer and that but since I retired I started to play a lot more golf. It is a very frustrating game,’ he laughs. ‘I went for a trip away with some friends during the summer for a couple of weeks and I nearly gave up after five days. It had my head wrecked that much.
‘I have a golf simulator in my games room at home, a full sized one — so it is fair to say I like the sport. I wish I had played it when I was a kid as I’d probably be better at it now. I didn’t take it up until probably 1997.’ AP and his Dragon’s Den star wife Chanelle have two children: 11-year-old daughter Eve and son Archie, five. While Chanelle has made no secret of her fears that her children might follow their father into the dangerous sport of racing, Anthony admits that his son Archie may just have discovered a fondness for the clubs.
‘It might be safer for the kids to take up golf instead of the horse racing. Actually, I noticed Archie playing with my little nephew this week— they spent all day Sunday on the golf simulator. Just hitting golf balls. Archie hadn’t done that much before. So hopefully he will get into the habit of golf.’
McCoy, who hails from Co. Antrim, says that having the Open in Northern Ireland this July will give the country a much-needed boost.
‘It is a big deal for Northern Ireland and I was lucky enough to play in the Pro-Am in Portstewart. I was lucky enough to play with Rory (McIlroy), Pep Guardiola, JP MacManus and Dermot Desmond. We actually ended up laying a five ball but the crowds for the pro-am in Portstewart were amazing.
I went to the golf on the Tuesday and the crowds were phenomenal. The one thing that the North of Ireland does as well, if not better than anywhere else, is sport and supporting their own. Hopefully, they will have a chance at the title with Rory, Padraig or Shane or Paul Dunne or even Graeme (McDowell).
‘Then you have the biggest thing in golf, Tiger Woods. Whether people like him or not he is the biggest draw in the game. And to have him coming to Portrush is a big deal.’
A former winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, AP is now putting his weight behind Irish rugby skipper Rory Best for the 2019 title.
He believes that a Six Nations title could help the Ulster and Irish captain over the line in the prestigious competition. And he ultimately believes that Best has already done enough to lift the trophy.
‘It would always help him if Ireland was lucky enough to win a Six Nations,’ AP says. ‘It is a big help if you are lucky enough to win something big like that.
I would love to see Rory win it. He looks like a leader. He has the credentials and people like him are what make a team like the Irish rugby team as successful as they are. It would be nice to see him get it.’
WATCH the short film on Discover NI’s YouTube site