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Viva Las Vegas for balloon artist Darren as ‘Chucky' costume scoops top awards
Viva Las Vegas for balloon artist Darren as ‘Chucky' costume scoops top awards

Belfast Telegraph

time2 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Belfast Telegraph

Viva Las Vegas for balloon artist Darren as ‘Chucky' costume scoops top awards

Darren Mortiboy, aka 'Mr Twister', who has been making unique designs for over 10 years, was awarded best costume and people's choice prizes for his 8ft rendition of serial killer doll 'Chucky'. He said: 'The theme this year was 'Summerween', so I made Chucky. 'I thought it would be really cool to do the iconic character. 'He's instantly recognisable and when the crowds on Freemont Street saw it, they just went nuts.' Originally from England, Darren has lived here with his wife and children for more than 30 years. He started balloon modelling after stepping in to help his neighbour when a performer hired for an event failed to show up. Darren wanted to challenge himself to create elaborate balloon pieces. Soon he was addicted. His work has gained attention all over the world. This is the second year in a row he has entered The Bling Bling Jam in Las Vegas. Last year he received the entertainers award. 'It was extra special winning this because it was the only year that they ran the award,' he said. 'This year it wasn't running, so I decided to go for the costume competition because I had made a few wearable balloon costumes in the past. 'I had made a pair of dungarees before for Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell. 'She was able to dance about the set and even sit on the couch wearing them. 'So I figured I'd be able to make something similar for the Chucky costume and I knew it would be able to stand up to the elements.' It took Darren over 10 hours to create it using over 400-plus balloons. 'I basically stayed up all night before in my room creating the costume,' he explained. 'It took about three hours for the dungarees themselves, then I had to make the hands and feet, the longest was probably the head. 'The hair all had to be woven in together and then the nose and eyes and eyebrows. 'I designed it in a way that I had a good range of movement wearing it, so I could dance and run around and swish the 'knife', which really helped with the character of it. 'I needed to have the hands and head all oversized because it worked well as an entire piece and I think the judges were impressed by the complexity of it all.' The latex balloons Darren uses are 100% biodegradable and made from a sustainable source. Heat was a slight issue, however, in Nevada. 'On the day of the parade it was about 50C,' he said. 'The trick with balloons is to keep them cold, and normally when I create something for delivery, I keep it in a big chest freezer for 24 hours to preserve it. It was impossible in the heat, but I made it work. 'I just love the creativity when working with balloons. They make people happy and you can create absolutely anything with balloons and start from a blank canvas — within reason, of course.'

A wedding to remember: One couple's love letter to Raffles Singapore
A wedding to remember: One couple's love letter to Raffles Singapore

Business Times

time5 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Business Times

A wedding to remember: One couple's love letter to Raffles Singapore

WHEN DARREN AND ANNE BEGAN planning their wedding, they had a modest vision in mind: An intimate gathering at a Chinese restaurant, filled with laughter, love and food that held deep personal meaning. 'Chinese food is important to us, especially for me because I see food as a reflection of my Taiwanese heritage,' Anne explains. The couple wanted something meaningful and delicious, shared with their closest friends and family. But as they explored venue after venue, they couldn't quite find the right fit. 'Our list of potential restaurants… weren't designed in a way that matched what we wanted,' says Anne. Then, a serendipitous visit to yi by Jereme Leung at Raffles Singapore offered promise. Darren and Anne held their wedding in Raffles Singapore. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE 'We really liked the menu at yi,' Anne recalls, 'but the space wasn't able to accommodate all our guests.' That's when the Raffles team stepped in, offering to show the couple other potential venues in the property. 'The moment we stepped into Palm Ballroom, we loved how it didn't feel like any other hotel ballrooms because of its elaborate golden upholstery of Chinese paintings on the walls, and the warm glow of its ambient lighting,' says Anne. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up A major plus: The food served would be from yi by Jereme Leung. The deal was sealed. A Raffles experience, inside and out Raffles Singapore's reputation for timeless elegance is well-known, but what truly stood out for Darren and Anne were the attention to detail and the flexibility to tailor every aspect of their celebration. Raffles Singapore has a number of spaces for special occasions, including the Palm Ballroom. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE 'We wanted to have long tables as opposed to the usual round tables for our banquet,' says Anne, adding that the Raffles team 'very graciously worked together with us to come up with various iterations of a layout that we eventually liked'. The couple even requested to remove the stage, replacing it with a makeshift dance floor for a relaxed, after-party vibe. 'Never once did Raffles Singapore make us feel that the ideas we had were too out of the norm,' Anne shares. 'Everyone, from the wedding coordinator to the banquet manager, and even the team at our menu tasting, had a hand in making it the best experience possible.' It's this blend of heritage setting and bespoke service that sets Raffles weddings apart. Beyond offering a venue, the hotel also offers a legacy, says director of events Kaylynn Ng. With striking colonial architecture and beautifully furnished ballrooms – the Jubilee Ballroom, East India Room and Palm Ballroom – couples are immersed in history, elegance and personalised service from the moment they arrive. Raffles Hotel's colonial architecture creates a uniquely elegant atmosphere. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE Personalised to the last detail Darren and Anne didn't want to focus solely on their own experience – they made sure every guest felt just as seen and celebrated. 'With the help of a talented friend, we prepared personalised cards with illustrations and handwritten messages for each guest,' says Anne. 'We wanted everyone to know that they were invited for a reason – that they had played a meaningful role in our growth, either individually or as a couple.' Darren and Anne prepared personalised cards for each of their wedding guests. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE Guests responded with warmth and surprise; some told the couple those cards 'made them feel special'. They were blown away by the service and food quality, too. 'We heard rave reviews about the friendly and thoughtful service… Everyone was well taken care of, even the kids! And needless to say, the food was one of the best that they've had at a wedding.' Raffles is no stranger to detail; the hotel's wedding specialist team is known for going above and beyond, from setting up Singapore Sling bars onsite to managing wet-weather contingency plans. 'For outdoor lawn ceremonies, unpredictable weather and last-minute changes are always a challenge,' Ng notes. 'To navigate this, our team always prepares a backup plan.' Whether it's a sudden downpour or a last-minute request, the team's priority is to ensure that the experience is seamless and joyful from start to finish. With a team of wedding specialists on hand, Raffles Singapore is well-equipped to handle all sorts of ceremonies. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE Three unforgettable nights After the wedding, Darren and Anne stayed at Raffles for three more nights, a decision that turned into 'one of the most memorable stays we've had', says Anne. From personalised service at Tiffin Room to thoughtful poolside touches, every moment was choreographed with quiet care. 'We felt this most keenly in the little details,' Anne adds. 'The pool staff laying out beach towels on our lounge chairs while we were taking a dip so the chairs would be ready to receive us when we were done; the personal greeting when the breakfast servers at Tiffin Room served up our orders: or even the special arrangements to ensure we could fit in a morning at the Raffles Spa before we left.' One standout experience was a private heritage tour with the hotel's resident historian. The couple learnt about all the illustrious guests who've stayed at Raffles, discovered hidden corners of the hotel, and even got to play the same piano that Michael Jackson once played. Private heritage tours give a peek into Raffles Singapore's history and hidden corners. PHOTO: RAFFLES SINGAPORE Then there was their Raffles butler. Anne recalls: 'Our butler, James, surprised us with a chocolate tasting of home-grown brand Mr Bucket's lovely chocolate bonbons. He came to our room and brought out a beautiful chest of chocolates which included Raffles-exclusive flavours for a personal tasting session in our room.' The next day, James returned with a handwritten card and soy candle as a memento. Rather than a generic message, the card's message referenced things they had chatted about. 'This endearing and thoughtful gesture really delighted us, in ways that we didn't expect at all,' says Anne. One signature Raffles touch, the hotel shares, is the gifting of a personalised leather suite key, engraved with the couple's initials. 'For subsequent stays, the couple may also bring back these keys and have them re-activated for use,' says Ng. It's a gesture that would make every return visit an anniversary worth remembering. Looking back, the couple wouldn't change a thing. 'We are glad that, together with the help of the Raffles Singapore team, we were able to have a wedding that was warm and personal for those who came,' Anne says.

Alexandra Burke admits baby dream on hold as she sets sights on intense challenge
Alexandra Burke admits baby dream on hold as she sets sights on intense challenge

Daily Mirror

time19-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mirror

Alexandra Burke admits baby dream on hold as she sets sights on intense challenge

EXCLUSIVE: Mum-of-two Alexandra Burke shares future plans with footballer partner Darren Randolph, but the chart-topper has set out her priorities Singer Alexandra Burke knows what she wants out of life – it involves getting fit and expanding her family. The X Factor winner, who is already a mum of two, can't wait to have more kids with her fiancé, footballer Darren Randolph. ‌ But first, the 36-year-old wants to run two marathons. Alexandra says: 'I'm going to do London next year and, by the grace of God, New York. And then think about more children. I'm desperate for more – we'd love four – but we're good with whatever the universe gives us because we're very lucky to even have two. ‌ 'We'd love to try, but just not right now… we're fitness freaks at the minute. I'm loving work and enjoying just being a mum and an actress.' ‌ The former X Factor winner says her health came into focus eight years ago when she lost her mum, the Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell at the age of 53. She was diabetic and suffered kidney failure. Alexandra says that taking care of herself became even more of a priority after the arrival of her children, aged three and two. She and Darren have never publicly shared their names or gender in a bid to help keep them out of the limelight. Alexandra says: 'I've always been in the fitness mindset. As long as I can be healthy and strong for my kids, nothing else matters. I feel your health is your wealth and you've just got to take care of stuff as much as you can. We live in a world where you hear about so much negativity. If there's one thing we all can control, it's what we put in our bodies, how much we move our bodies, create great endorphins and just try and find happiness in every thing that we try and do.' ‌ Having run the London Marathon this year, Alexandra caught the bug. 'Marathons come first now,' she says. 'Running gives me so much joy. I only ran 10k once in lockdown or would just do 5k on the treadmill. Now I do nine miles.' The star has also set herself another fitness goal – the notoriously tough Hyrox challenge, which tests endurance and strength. Alexandra will be doing it alongside Middlesbrough FC goalkeeper Darren, 38. She reckons that couples who train together really do stay together, revealing that their exercise sessions have further cemented their already strong relationship. ‌ Alexandra adds: 'Darren's an athlete… know what I mean? I've got to keep up with him. He pushes me and goes, 'Alex, come on… you're the one that's always optimistic, positive. You're having a bit of a low day today, but we'll just go out for a run together'.' Working out with Darren has transformed Alexandra's body shape – and she believes that for her, exercise is a much better weight-loss option than fat jabs. She says: 'It's your body, your choice. But my choice is to make sure my a*** is in that gym and I'm running.' ‌ Also keeping her blood pumping is her upcoming role as Morticia in The Addams Family musical tour, which begins this month. But a knee injury she sustained in rehearsals threatened to halt her star turn before it even began. At the Grand Prix Ball for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Alexandra said: 'I injured myself a few weeks ago with a suspected torn meniscus. The MRI came back and it wasn't torn… it would've been awful. I'm still able to do the show.' As well as her X Factor success in 2008, Alexandra finished as a runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 with her pro partner Gorka Marquez, had a No.1 album in 2009 and has starred in the West End stage shows The Bodyguard and Sister Act. The Londoner has also just made her on-screen acting debut in the new Paramount+ crime drama Curfew, alongside Cutting It star Sarah Parish. And as well as those marathons and babies, she has set her sights on Hollywood's bright lights. 'I'd love something in the Avengers, I'm not going to lie,' she admits. 'I want to be Wakanda! Nobody is hearing about Wakanda so I'm going to keep putting that in the universe. I'll even shave my head for it.'

The Open: New leader hits birdie blitz as Rory McIlroy insists he 'can challenge' after keeping dream alive
The Open: New leader hits birdie blitz as Rory McIlroy insists he 'can challenge' after keeping dream alive

Belfast Telegraph

time18-07-2025

  • Climate
  • Belfast Telegraph

The Open: New leader hits birdie blitz as Rory McIlroy insists he 'can challenge' after keeping dream alive

Key updates 'We love you Darren' Getting the chop: Big names set to miss the cut McKibbin faces nerves wait to learn cut fate Rory says he can 'go on a run' to challenge this weekend Bryson makes the weekend with stunning 65 Friday weather forecast Round two tee times 4 minutes ago An ark just floated past the media centre That means the rain is back and it is hammering down in biblical proportions again. I really don't know how else to describe it, it is absolutely chucking it down and while it might be a short shower that last 10-15 minutes, it's really going to make things miserable out there for the players. Let's see how it affects them... 8 minutes ago Adam McKendry 'I feel really comfortable here': Clubhouse leader Brian Harman, who is at -8 after a second round 65 On the similarities between Hoylake and Portrush:"I feel really comfortable over here. I'm comfortable driving it. They're very different golf courses but the golf is similar. You've got to be able to flight your golf ball, you've got to know how far everything's going, then you can't get frustrated. You're going to get bad breaks, you're going to end up in funny spots where it doesn't seem fair and you just have to kind of outlast that stuff. Although the golf courses are different, the style of golf is very similar." His approach for Saturday:"I'll approach the weekend the same way (as 2023). The only thing I'm really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow and then I'll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag. If not, go to the second hole. It's a very boring approach that I take. I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head. I would love to have a similar weekend (to 2023) and just play great the whole way through. There's going to be challenges. This is a hard golf course. The pins have been in really, really tough spots, and you've really got to think your way around it. Inevitably you're going to mis-hit some shots and end up in spots you don't want to be in, and the way you handle that will determine the outcome of the tournament for sure." 10 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Fitzpatrick doing a Lowry? It's now FOUR consecutive birdies to start to the back nine for the Englishman who has opened up a two-shot lead at the top. He's now six under par for the day. A couple more birdies in his final five holes and he could yet match Shane's Saturday 63 from 2019. 18 minutes ago 'We love you Darren' A single fan's voice can be heard after a loud and lengthy round of applause, whoops and whistles subsides when Clarke reaches the green for what will be the final time this week. The 2011 champion is very well-liked by Northern Ireland's golfing public, and they're making sure he knows it. The man who now gives his name to the 9th hole on the Dunluce Links, is also remembered for beating Tiger Woods in the final of the 2000 WGC World Matchplay. He closes out his week with a bogey to finish +6, but these fans have enjoyed watching him play one more time. NEW SOLO LEADER Matt Fitzpatrick is your new leader as he takes advantage of the short par-five 12th by hitting it in two and safely two-putting for the birdie that takes him to -9 and one clear of Brian Harman and Haotong Li! Over on the 18th green, as a half full stand awaits Darren Clarke, there was a gasp and a round of applause as the leaderboard was updated to send Fitzpatrick top. 28 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Haotong joins clubhouse Li'd Haotong Li matches yesterday's 67 to tie Brian Harman 's clubhouse lead of eight under par. Unfortunately for them, it looks like Matt Fitzpatrick is about to go one shot clear as he's on the par five 12th in two. 30 minutes ago Flag hunting Almost literally for Dustin Johnson as he takes aim with his second shot on the par-four 18th, it hits the green hard and bounces up... and hits the flag, dropping down a foot from the hole! Sometimes you get the breaks and that was certainly one of them - that will be a tap-in birdie for the two-time Major winner and he'll be in for the weekend at level-par! 34 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Tommy loves Portrush And Portrush loves Tommy Fleetwood (-1) Tommy Fleetwood on Twitter / X Privilege to play in front of the home crowds the last two days with their hero. Better day today for me and looking forward to a big push this weekend! @TheOpen Tommy Fleetwood (@TommyFleetwood1) July 18, 2025 External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. 35 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Not to be for Darren Clarke He gave it a good rattle at the 17th to be fair to him. From 'other', he managed to get his approach shot just off the back edge, and his chip was close put came up a couple of feet short. At +5 with one to play, it's looking like there's just one final reception at 18 left to close out his tournament. 35 minutes ago Doing things Reit Welcome to the front page of the leaderboard, Kristoffer Reitan. The Norwegian has just birdied the par-five 12th, as most are to be fair, to get to -4 and knock Rory McIlroy off the big scoreboard in front of us in the media centre. It's been a fine round for the 27-year-old, who is the reigning Challenge Tour champion and won the Belgian Open earlier this year, as he's currently on track for a bogey-free six-under round having carded an eagle and four birdies. 39 minutes ago Adam McKendry Revelation of the week: There's a players' barber in the locker room After shooting a three-under 68 on Friday to get to five-under-par for the tournament, Denmark's Rasmus Højgaard was asked (among other things, of course) whether he'd had a midweek haircut. "I did actually. I took the flow away. It got a bit too long, and I sort of thought, no, this is the time. So I managed to get a haircut on Wednesday. So far it's actually worked out," he said. Did he go into town to get it done? "There's a barber in the locker room. I put my name down on Monday and had to postpone it for Tuesday, and then I couldn't find Tuesday. Then I had to do it Wednesday, and I finally did it. It's been working out." Life of luxury, isn't it. 43 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Clarke's birdie battle Two holes to play and two birdies needed for Darren to get to the +3 'maybe, but unlikely' pile. Considering his tee-shot at 17 has gone right and been classed as landing in the 'other' section of the course - as opposed to normal headings like 'fairway' or 'bunker' - we can assume it's not in great shape. 45 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Three-way tie at the top And it's a European who makes his way to the -8 alongside Harman and Li, as Matt Fitzpatrick continues the perfect start to his back nine, adding birdie at 11. With the par five 12th to come, we could soon see a new outright leader. 46 minutes ago Adam McKendry 'I'm proud of my Irish heritage': Keegan Bradley thrilled to play well on 'home soil' On shooting a four-under 67: "That was fun. Played really, really well. I've been playing so poorly here over the last couple years. It feels nice to put a nice round together, nice two days together. I played nice yesterday as well. But what a fun day." On going bogey-free:"I really am proud of that. Like I said, I've struggled here, so to be in contention, to have played the way I did today means a lot. I never know what I'm going to get when I come over here, so this is a nice bonus." On his Irish heritage:"(My family is from) Cork. I'm really proud of my heritage to be from here. I played the Irish Open here. I always dreamt of playing in the Irish Open; I played it at this course (in 2012) when I made the Tour. It's exciting to be back." 49 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Getting the chop: Big names set to miss the cut Padraig Harrington finished up nine over par for the tournament after a 76 today and bows out for the week. He's not the only big name that fans will miss out on seeing over the weekend. Adam Scott 's eight over par round left him tying Harrington's overall score, with US Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed just one shot better off at +8. Needing a miracle back nine to get through, sitting at +6 at the turn, the same score at which Louis Oosthuizen bows out. Stewart Cink finished at +4, which is sufficient to secure the weekend off. The fighters Our own Darren Clarke is at +5 with two holes to play. Two birdies required to give himself any chance and get in alongside McKibbin at +3 - which has now drifted to a tie for 80th, by the way. Patrick Cantlay is at +3 but he has five holes to go to creep up another one. Ryan Fox (thru 10) and Collin Morikawa (thru 7) are at +4 and need to improve. 50 minutes ago Commentator's curse Immediately after bigging up Chris Gotterup, he goes and bogeys the par-four 14th after what appears to be a sculled chip through the green and drops a shot to fall back to -4. Still, if he can rally and finish strongly then he still has a chance of tying the low round of the day. Today 04:24 PM 'My mind went numb': Shaun Norris on making a TEN on the par-four fourth on his way to missing the cut at +5 What happened:"I hit a very poor tee shot, the first one. Then proceeded to hit the next one straight in the bunker. Now I'm trying to chase something, trying to make the best score out of it. Unfortunately the fourth shot caught the lip, then I stuck with the same club and tried to do the same. After that, the mind sort of went a little bit numb. But it happens. Golf is golf, there's nothing you can do about it. Made a number, and I had to accept it and carry on." On bouncing back with birdie at the fifth:"You've just got to accept it. Plain and simple, you've got to accept it. There's nothing you can do about it, the past is the past. I knew that it happened, I made the number, I made the 10 on the hole. I just said, okay, now instead of making two or three or four birdies coming back, I've now got to make five or six. I was happy with the way I fought back after that. Unfortunately I didn't make as many putts as I would have liked to, but that's how it goes." Today 04:23 PM Gareth Hanna Mickelson cruising through to weekend Barring disaster, Phil should be here for the weekend after this. He drives it just off the front edge of the 17th and sets up a birdie putt inside five feet. That would get him back to level par for the tournament and resting easy. Edit: Knocked that in for birdie, parred the last to get in at E. See you tomorrow, Phil! Today 04:18 PM Gareth Hanna Another birdie coming up for Shane? Lowry's 50-yard pitch at the par five seventh is good - and sets up a 'should-make' that could take him up alongside Rory at -3. Playing partner Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, has a similar length putt to go within one. Ominous from the world number one. Edit: Scheffler's in! Never in doubt. Slight right to left break and it's right in the middle. Four under through seven and one behind the leaders. But Shane's putt is always left and that's a big miss. Stays at -2. Today 04:17 PM 'I'm enjoying the course a lot more than six years ago': Francesco Molinari, who has made the cut at +1 "I'm enjoying the week here more than 2019 just because it's a lot, I think, to come back as a defending champion. I'm enjoying definitely the course a lot more this time than six years ago. Apart from that, I'm probably playing better than I did that week, I just need to make a few more putts." Load more Live Blog Software

‘I'll be more nervous than Rory McIlroy on first tee' – Pádraig Harrington's dawn dilemma
‘I'll be more nervous than Rory McIlroy on first tee' – Pádraig Harrington's dawn dilemma

Irish Independent

time17-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Irish Independent

‘I'll be more nervous than Rory McIlroy on first tee' – Pádraig Harrington's dawn dilemma

The R&A hopes to have more clarity on the viability of Portmarnock as an Open venue by the end of this year, and Harrington would be the obvious choice to get the action underway there. But after watching Tom Watson come close to winning The Open at the age of 59 at Turnberry in 2009, 53-year-old Harrington still believes he can win a third Claret Jug. His first concern is to get the ball safely away on one of the most treacherous opening holes in Major golf with out-of-bounds on both sides of the fairway and behind the green. 'Look, my goal is to hit the first shot and the last shot this week,' Harrington said. 'So that's in my head, that's what I'm trying to do. That's what I'm thinking. I'm sure the bookmakers will tell you that's not a reality. But I have to prepare. 'If I get there on Sunday and get myself in contention, I have to prepare to be ready for that moment and see how that goes.' Still competitive, Harrington does not want to start thinking of himself as a ceremonial player. But he considers it an honour to follow in the footsteps of Darren Clarke, who blasted a driver down the middle and made birdie when he got the action underway at Royal Portrush in 2019. 'Obviously, it is a ceremonial thing, but it is a great honour,' Harrington said. 'I have [hesitated when asked] in the past, put it like that. But this time I didn't hesitate. I decided this was a good time to do it at Royal Portrush. And it doesn't preclude me from doing it again.' He equates his nerves with those he felt in the 1991 Walker Cup at Portmarnock, when he partnered Paul McGinley in foursomes. 'Yes, very nervous,' he said. 'It's not a comfortable tee shot for anybody. I accepted it before I actually thought about the tee shot.' Could anything compare? 'The Walker Cup in 1991. Couldn't see the ball,' he said. 'You've got the inlet to the sea on the right and the clubhouse on the left and you're hitting off an upslope into the wind. ADVERTISEMENT 'That was absolute nerves, and I would have followed that up with my first shot of the Ryder Cup [in 1999], but that was a seven iron off the fairway.' Clarke has not been shy with advice, but it hasn't helped Harrington. 'Yeah, bloody Darren,' Harrington joked. 'We talked about it and he says, 'I was going to hit the little three-iron down there and I was so nervous', so he took out the driver and bunted it down there because it had a bigger head. 'And I'm saying, 'Darren, this isn't helping me!'. Geez, I don't know what conditions are going to be, but I really don't fancy hitting a driver off the first tee, hopefully it would be the three iron.' He rates Royal Portrush as his favourite Irish links because its risk-reward nature makes it a great mental test. 'You know, there's out of bounds on what, four of the first five holes that comes into play,' he said. 'You could say twice on the first, so five times you've got [OB] stakes in the first five holes that do come into play. 'I think that the great thing about Portrush, maybe this is why I like it so much, because of the risk-reward. 'If you hit good shots, you can make birdies. There's a huge mental task out there because you could stand on the likes of the second tomorrow and think, yeah, this is a good birdie opportunity, hit in the bunker, end up making bogey. And it's the frustration that the player has to deal with. 'That's probably what leans me towards this course, that I've always liked courses that are mental battles.' It was suggested that Rory McIlroy just had to get his first tee shot away to banish the memories of 2019, when he made an eight at the first. 'It's only about me getting my first tee shot away!' Harrington joked. 'You know, he's going to play 72 holes. I don't know, I wonder who'd be more nervous on the first tee. I think I would be! 'I haven't really thought about it, to be honest. You're reminding me that he'd hit it out of bounds, I'd forgotten about that ... kind of.'

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