RTÉ Publishing's Glenn Mason assesses the chances of the four Irish players competing for this week's Open at Hoylake.
DARREN CLARKE
Darren Clarke goes into this week's British Open at Royal Liverpool on the back of recent good form in the European Open at the K Club and last week at Loch Lomond in the Scottish Open.
However, Clarke has been frustrated by his inability to perform over the four rounds. On both of those occasions, Clarke had been in serious contention only to fall away over the weekend. At Loch Lomond, he led by three shots going into the third round but ended up three behind eventual winner Johan Edfors of Sweden.
Clarke has played the season with the distraction of his wife Heather's illness on his mind and it was not certain whether he would compete this week until very late on. The 37-year-old has withdrawn from a number of events this year to be with his wife and will do so again this week should he need to.
Despite his failure to turn excellent form into wins recently, Clarke remains a serious contender for Open glory this week. The Dungannon man was second in 1997 behind Justin Leonard at Troon. On his website shortly after, he said that the British Open was the major he felt he had the best chance to win.
The hard, fast and bouncy conditions that are expected at Hoylake this week should suit the game of the world number 19. Clarke has the shot-making abilities that are sure to be tested on the scorched links over the next four days.
There is also the matter of Ryder Cup points on offer. Clarke currently lies outside of an automatic place so a good week here should enhance his chances of being in Ian Woosnam's team at the K Club in September.
The Ulsterman believes that he has served his apprenticeship in golf's oldest event and that 2006 could be his year. If he can show some consistency over the four rounds and bring some of his form of the first two days at Loch Lomond to Hoylake, then the Claret Jug may well be his by the end of the 72 holes.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
Always the bridesmaid and never the bride is how you would describe Padraig Harrington in golfing terms, but that may be about to change this week at Hoylake in the 135th Open Championship.
The Dubliner has been in excellent form over the past month. A tied fifth place finish at the US Open at Winged Foot in June was followed by two runner-up finishes at the Booz Allen Classic on the US Tour and The French Open in Paris.
Harrington took last week off to recharge the batteries for a push to win the championship he dreamed about winning as a boy. He grew up watching the Open on television and as a result it would mean something special to win it as a player.
Like Clarke, Harrington has come close to capturing the Claret Jug in the past. In 2002 at Muirfield, a bogey at the final hole cost him a place in a four-man play-off eventually won by South African Ernie Els.
This year marks the return of Hoylake to the Open rota since its last outing in 1967; consequently not many of the players will be familiar with its layout. However, Harrington may have an edge on his rivals as he played there in the British Amateur Championship.
Despite his performance at Muirfield, Harrington has not done as well as he would have liked in the majors, with fifth place being the best result of his major career. He will be looking to make up for that this year on a course that could well suit his style of play.
The world number 18 has described the course as one of the most complicated courses from the tee and said it will be pure golf and fun to play. With an excellent short game, particularly the pitching and chipping skills needed around links greens, Harrington represents Ireland's best chance of adding to the only major won by an Irishman: Fred Daly at Hoylake back in 1947.
It seems that Harrington is fed up finishing second and being labelled the nearly man of golf. If he gets a chance to win this week he said he is going to go for it. In one of the driest summers on record, if he proves true to his word, he may just end the drought of European major winners.
GRAEME McDOWELL
Graeme McDowell squeezed into the Open Championship via a six-man play-off at the final qualifying tournament at Sunningdale. McDowell managed a birdie on the third extra hole to claim a spot at Royal Liverpool. He only got into the play-off by holing a 30 foot putt on the final hole.
That tight finish to qualifying may well be a lucky omen. 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell only just made it through the qualifying tournament when he won his maiden major. So far, 2006 has not lived up to previous years in the career of Graeme McDowell, with only one top ten finish.
McDowell has also parted company with long-term caddie Matt Harbour. In his place is Ken Conboy, who has carried the bag for Andrew Coltart, Thomas Bjorn and Paul Casey in the past.
The Ulsterman performed well over the first two rounds of the US Open at Winged Foot but faded over the closing two rounds to finish in a tie for 48th. McDowell missed the cut at Loch Lomond last week with rounds of 71 and 73 for a two-over-par total. Therefore, he will approach this week's event a little fresher than some of his fellow competitors.
McDowell had an excellent amateur career in the US collegiate system. He was ranked number one and won six tournaments in one season. His stroke average of 69.6 beat the previous best held by Tiger Woods and Luke Donald.
McDowell is another Irishman who should be suited to the links of Hoylake. Last year at St Andrews, he was the best placed Irish golfer when he finished in a tie for 11th place. A final round of 67 saw him move up the leaderboard to finish on six-under-par, eight shots behind winner Tiger Woods.
While only a win would put him in contention for a Ryder Cup place, a similar finish to last year at Hoylake could provide a platform for McDowell to go on and perform well for the latter half of the season.
PAUL McGINLEY
With his win in the Volvo Masters at the back end of last season, it seemed Paul McGinley was all set to step up to the next level of professional golf and seriously challenge for major honours.
Unfortunately, McGinley has been going through a dip in form over the past few months, but he may have turned the corner once again in the last few weeks. When he completed his second round in the European at the K Club he went straight to the airport believing he had missed the cut.
He received a last minute reprieve when the cut mark went up and his flight to London was delayed. The next morning he went out and shot 67 followed by a 69 in the final round for a share of fourth place.
Like his fellow Irish golfers, McGinley will favour the conditions he finds at Hoylake. The Dubliner has always been a consistent driver and a good iron player but he has been let down lately on the greens.
The 39-year-old comes into this week of the back of a 48th place finish at the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. McGinley said he was disappointed with where he finished but not with how he played. Once again it was missed putts that kept him back.
With the scramble for Ryder Cup points still ongoing, McGinley will be keen for a good week to secure his place on his third consecutive Ryder Cup team. He currently lies sixth in the Ryder Cup points list and a good performance should guarantee him his place at the K Club in September.
At the start of the season, the world number 66 was tipped by many to make an impression at the Open and now that he has made a welcome return to form he is a decent outside bet. At 125-1, he represents good each-way value.
