James off to US Open
‘I AM IN THE BEST FORM I COULD BE IN. IF I AM ENJOYING MYSELF I WILL PLAY WELL, AND THEN ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN’
MALLOW golfer James Sugrue has his bags packed, ready to join the world’s elite at the US Open Golf Championship in New York later on this month.
James will be rubbing shoulders with some of the sport’s biggest names when he takes on the daunting Winged Foot course – and he told The Corkman he was “fired up and ready to go”.
“I am in the best form I could be in and if I am enjoying myself I will play well and then anything could happen,” he said.
MALLOW golfer James Sugrue has said he was “fired up and ready to go” as he prepares to pit himself against the biggest names in the sport later on this month.
On Thursday, September 17, the 23-year-old will finally make his debut on the PGA Tour in the United Stages when he tees up at the US Open at New York’s world-famous Winged Foot Golf Club.
Few Irish golfing fans will need reminding of his heroics last June when, against all the odds, he won the Amateur Championship becoming just the eighth Irishman to win the competition in its illustrious 124-year history.
It gave him exemptions to last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush and this year’s US Masters in Augusta and the US Open.
However, COVID-19 forced the postponement of the Masters in April and, due to visa-related issues, Sugrue was forced to pull out of making his PGA debut at the prestigious Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Ohio in July.
Next Monday he will jet out to the
States ahead of his long-awaited debut on their shores, and he is looking forward to savouring every moment
of the experience.
“Of course it was disappointing not to be able to get to the Memorial, but that was just one of those things that could not be helped. Now I have been cleared for COVID, the plane ticket is booked and I am ready to rock,” he told The Corkman this week.
While he is only too aware of the mammoth challenge that awaits him at Winged Foot, James, in typical fashion, has not let all the hype go to his head and was his usual relaxed self.
“Winged Foot is a long, tight course and the rough is heavy, so it will be tough. That said, it is similar in many ways to Irish courses when par is a good score on any hole, so in many ways it will suit my game,” he said.
“When all is said and done, the worst thing that can happen is that I miss the cut. I just want to go out there, enjoy the experience and what happens happens.”
Prior to speaking to The Corkman, James had just played nine holes at Adare Manor and was happy to report that his game was in “pretty good shape” despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic meant he was unable to get out on the course as often as he might have liked over the past few months.
“Yeah, that has been a bit of a problem. That said, I am lucky in that we have a big garden at home so I was able to get plenty of practice in with my irons. I will also get to play Winged Foot at least five times in the lead up to the Open, so I will be able to get a feel for the course. In other words there will be no excuses,” he laughed.
While James is not too bothered about who he plays alongside at the Open, he did say that it would be nice to be paired alongside the likes of Tiger Woods or Jordan Spieth.
“I mean who would not want the chance to play with them? Either way I will give it a rip. I’m not really one for setting targets, but I am in the best form I could be in, and if I am enjoying myself I will play well, and then anything could happen,” he said.
If James has one regret it is that his family and friends will not be there to support him at Winged Foot due to the COVID restrictions.
“I would love for them to be there and they would love to be there. But, that is just one of those things. I know they will be cheering me on from home and hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities to see me play on the PGA Tour in the future,” he said.