James ‘disappointed but not down’ after US Open Golf appearance
MALLOW GOLFER REFLECTS ON WINGED FOOT WHILE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE IRISH OPEN AND THE MASTERS
“Well, which team to you support Clyda Rovers or Mallow?”
It was not a question young Mallow golfer James Sugrue expected to be asked as he geared up to tee off on the second hole in the US Open last Thursday at New York’s famous Winged Foot Gold Club alongside Lee Westwood and Bubba Watson.
“I must admit, it kind of caught me by surprise a little bit,” James laughed.
“Ted Scott, Bubba’s Caddy and I have a mutual friend in Mike Carroll, a strength and conditioning coach based in California who runs Fit For Golf. Mike, who is from Cork himself, had been speaking to Ted and told him to ask me”.
That was just one of many great memories James has taken away from his delayed debut on the US PGA Tour, an experience he earned courtesy of his victory last June at the 2019 Amateur Championship in Portmarnock.
The Corkman caught up with the 24-year-old on Wednesday as he prepared for a practice round at the Galgorm Golf and Spa Resort ahead of his debut in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, which gets underway at the Northern Ireland course today ( Thursday).
The fact that he only received an invitation to the Irish Open from the European Tour late last week, meant that he rushed back to Ireland and straight up to Galgorm without even getting the chance to visit his family in Mallow.
“Its been a bit rushed alright. I still have the same suitcase that I did in the US. I have to push the jet-lag to the back of my mind and concentrate on my game for the next few days,” he said.
In typically relaxed form, James recalled the experience of playing at Winged Foot, saying he loved every minute of it, despite missing the cut after playing what he readily admitted was golf below his usual standard.
“As a golfer, playing in these tournaments is something that you always dream of. Playing alongside Lee and Bubba was an amazing experience. They are thorough gentlemen who made me feel very relaxed. While Winged Foot is a really tough course, it is one that would normally suit my style of play. Unfortunately, my driving was not great and if you do not have your best game with you it is the kind of course that will punish you,” said James.
“Of course I was disappointed that I did not play as well as I am capable of, but that’s golf. The experience of playing in a tournament like this, whatever the outcome, can only be a benefit. This was new territory to me and please God I will play better the next time. A birdie on the final hole helped cap off what was an amazing week,” he grinned.
For the immediate future, James said he was looking forward to making his Irish Open debut and while Galgorm does present its own particular challenges, it will be a totally different experience to last week, in particular when it comes to the putting surfaces.
“The TV does not do justice to just how fast and undulating the greens at Winged Foot are. On some parts of them it was virtually impossible to make a two-putt,” he said.
“Galgorm is not an easy track by any stretch of the imagination. The rough is heavy, although not as rough as Winged Foot, but I am looking forward to getting out there. As for my chances, I don’t really set goals before a tournament. I like to get on the tee, get a feel for my game and if I am enjoying myself, I will play well,” added James.
He will tee off a 9.35am in the company of Danish former Irish Open winner Soren Kjeldsen and England’s Laurie Canter and while his immediate priority is the Irish Open, James admitted he has one eye on playing the Masters in Augusta this coming November.
“The Masters is something extra special. It is a tournament that even non-golfers watch. Who wouldn’t want to play in that? Playing a course like Winged Foot gives you some idea of what to expect at Augusta and I can’t wait to get over there,” said James.
“After that I will look at turning professional, depending on the Covid-19 situation and any other invitations that may come my way in the meantime,” he added.