Open Digest: Tony Finau links up with Irish caddie Colin Byrne at Portrush

Irish Times

3 days ago

Colin Byrne – aka The Bagman – answered an SOS call from Tony Finau to caddie here at the
153rd Open
and the two have made an instant connection.
The Dubliner, of course, caddied for Retief Goosen en route to the South African's US Open successes and more recently had worked with Louis Oosthuizen on the LIV tour.
With Finau not using his usual caddie Mark Urbanek, the American reached out to Byrne late last week to inquire about his availability.
'Colin's obviously a very well-known caddie. He caddied for Retief Goosen for many years and had a lot of success with him. But being on this side of the pond, he's from Ireland so it's pretty cool to have him on the bag, knows this golf course pretty well, and he's definitely been helpful the first two days.
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'He came pretty highly recommended when I was looking for a guy here this week. I can see why. He's got a lot of experience, veteran caddie. He's been on the Tour for many years. I know he also caddied on LIV. So he's been around the block and caddied for a lot of great players. I thought he'd be a good fit for me this week,' said Finau, who carded a second round 68 for four-under 138.
Of enjoying playing links golf, Finau explained: 'I like working the golf ball and I don't mind playing it on the ground. I think it gives you that opportunity on a links golf course. In the States, the game is kind of played in the air. How far can you fly it, how much can you spin it.
'These courses ask you for shot making, creativity, and I'm able to kind of dig back into my creativity a little bit and play shots that I normally wouldn't be able to play in the States. It's pretty fun.'
McIlroy bags himself a new sponsor
Eagle-eyed bag watchers will have noticed a new sponsor name on
Rory McIlroy's
TaylorMade bag.
Versant – a group of US cable networks which came out of Comcast – is prominently placed on the front of his bag below his name.
McIlroy has a number of commercial deals, one of which is with GolfPass, part of NBC, which now comes under the Versant corporation.
In recent events, McIlroy's bag has alternated the prime patch. At the US Open, it was his new investment company TPG Sports. At last week's Genesis Scottish Open, it was Optum.
The rotation policy is expected to continue going forward.
2028 Open date and venue complicated by clash with Olympics
When and where the 156th Open will take place in 2028 remains a mystery, complicated by a clash of dates with the Olympics.
Next year's championship returns to Royal Birkdale in England while the Old Course at St Andrews will play host in 2027.
There are three different golf events scheduled for the Los Angeles Olympics, with separate men's and women's competitions and a new mixed two-player team event between those at Riviera Country Club. The opening ceremony for the 2028 Olympics is scheduled for July 14th.
The R&A's chief executive Mark Darbon remarked: 'We're working with a group of stakeholders because it doesn't just impact ourselves, it impacts the wider schedule. I think we're pretty close to a solution on that, which I would like to think will be announced over the next few months, so we'll bring it to life then.'
A computer generated image issued by Galgorm Collection of their proposed first championship-standard links golf course in Northern Ireland for more than 100 years at Magilligan Point in Co Derry. Photograph: Harry Cook/PA Wire
Northern Ireland to get new £30m links course in 2029
A brand new links will be created on old sandhills at Bellarena in Co Derry – 20 miles west of Portrush – as part of a £30 million (€34.5 million) project by luxury hospitality group Galgorm Collection.
The site for Northern Ireland's first new links course in over 100 years is located near Magilligan Point in an area of outstanding natural beauty and will add to the necklace of links gems along the Causeway Coast.
Subject to planning approval, Galgorm Collection said development of Bellarena Golf Links will start next year and open in 2029. The group already run the Galgorm Castle and Roe Valley golf resorts and this extension of its portfolio adds links golf to its collection.
As for the designer? Well, that's yet to be revealed as the group remains in discussions with its preferred architect.
Quote of the Day
'I've said this a million times, but I really can just be a player when I'm inside the ropes. It's the only time I can sort of not be the captain. When I'm inside the ropes with a card in my pocket, I really can just focus on playing' – US Ryder Cup captain
Keegan Bradley
after a bogey-free second round 67 for a midway total of three-under 139.
Number of the Day: 8
That's the quadruple bogey which young Danish player Jacob Skov Olesen ran up in becoming the latest victim of the first hole on the Dunluce links. Olesen hit two drives out of bounds.