Irish Open - Six to watch

Watch all four rounds of the Irish Open on Sky Sports - live coverage starts on Thursday at 10am on Sky Sports 3/HD3

Last updated: 27th July 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Irish Open - Six to watch

Lowry: defending champion

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The spectacular Killarney Golf & Fishing Club is the venue for this week's Irish Open in County Kerry.

The prestigious event, which was first staged in 1927, returns to Killarney for the first time in 18 years.

Killarney has three championship standard layouts, with this Thursday's event teeing-off on the Killeen course which has been upgraded since Nick Faldo won there in 1992.

With a giant lake dominating the landscape at the Killarney club, water hazards come into play on most holes at Killeen.

The course has large, fast, undulating greens and tree-lined fairways, and will offer a stern challenge for every player taking part this week.

And to accompany a great course and important title, the Irish Open has attracted an excellent field with Shane Lowry from County Offaly defending the title he won last year as an amateur.

Twelve months on Lowry competes as a professional.

So who else will fancy their chances of contending this week?

Darren Clarke: Runner-up at Loch Lomond earlier this month, Clarke will hope to go one better around the lake at Mahony's Point.

Nick Dougherty: After a disappointing start to 2010, Dougherty showed a welcome return to form in Scandinavia on Sunday. At last week's event in Stockholm, the Englishman crossed the line in a tie-for-19th - which was only his second top-25 finish of the past 12 months.

Padraig Harrington: Not yet certain of his spot in Europe's Ryder Cup team, the three-time Major winner is in desperate need of a high finish this weekend. Has posted five top-10 finishes during 2010.

Graeme McDowell: The US Open champion would love to claim his third victory of the season on home soil.

Rory McIlroy: Makes his fourth appearance in his home national Open and is the highest ranked pro teeing-up.

Justin Rose: The American-based Englishman will be keen to claim his first European Tour title since the autumn of 2007. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, Rose will be hoping to improve his Ryder Cup points total with another good performance this week.