Portrush stat pack

A preview and stats for this week's European Tour event - the Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

Watch all four days of the tournament live on Sky Sports

The Irish Open makes a rare trip north of the border for this week's event at Royal Portrush. Situated approximately eight miles north of Coleraine, Portrush is one of the most famous courses in world golf. Located on the County Antrim coast, this famed links last staged the tournament in 1947, four years before it hosted The Open Championship for the one and only time. During the 1990s it was also the venue for the British Senior Open - on five occasions - and over the years has been a regular stopping off point for Americans wishing to taste true links golf before continuing their journey to compete in The Open. And this week's tournament also offers the players the opportunity to begin their preparations for The 2012 Open Championship which takes place at Royal Lytham and St Anne's in mid-July. So who's taking part? Ross Fisher: After a dip in form during 2011, the Englishman has played well in recent weeks, posting four top-10 finishes in his last six starts. Padraig Harrington: Although nowhere near the sort of form that helped the 40-year-old Dublin-born pro secure back-to-back Open titles in 2007 and 2008, he has certainly performed pretty well in recent weeks. At the US Open in San Francisco he tied-for-fourth and, in Connecticut over the weekend, posted another top 12 finish. Paul Lawrie: One of the better links players of the past 20 years, although his record in Ireland is pretty sketchy. However, he is back in the world's top 40 thanks to a great start to the season that produced a victory in Qatar and he will fancy his chances at Portrush. Graeme McDowell: Tied second at the recent US Open in California, the Ulsterman would love to win on home turf - which would be a new experience for the 32-year-old. Rory McIlroy: It's been a baffling couple of months for the world number two with four missed cuts in his last five starts, including an early exit at Olympic Club when attempting to defend his US Open crown. He famously shot a course record 61 at Royal Portrush as a 16-year-old and hopefully playing in front of his home fans will get him back on track. Robert Rock: Since winning in Abu Dhabi during January, the Englishman's form has tailed off. However, three years ago at County Louth, the midlander came mighty close to winning the Irish Open - when he lost a play-off to Shane Lowry. Chris Wood: Tied third in Cologne on Sunday, the tall Bristolian usually enjoys the challenge of links golf and has twice finished inside the top five at an Open Championship. SELECTED PLAYERS with GOOD to REASONABLE recent FORM in IRELAND Last Eight Tournaments Player: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 Felipe Aguilar: - / - / - / - / 2 / MC / MC / 21
Richard Bland: 19 / MC / MC / MC / MC / 10 / 5 / 45
Darren Clarke: 3 / 15 / - / - / 16 / 14 / 12 / MC
Robert-Jan Derksen: 12 / MC / Ret / 45 / - / 50 / 18 / 25
Bradley Dredge: 5 / 9 / 2 / MC / 8 / MC / MC / MC
Simon Dyson: 60 / 9 / 7 / MC / MC / 41 / MC / Won
Johan Edfors: 60 / - / MC / 34 / 13 / 3 / 14 / -
Ross Fisher: 5 / MC / MC / - / 24 / 50 / Won / 17
Stephen Gallacher: 44 / MC / 37 / MC / 24 / MC / 27 / 3
Richard Green: MC / 20 / 4 / 18 / 40 / MC / 5 / 2
Padraig Harrington: 11 / 20 / Won / 51 / 31 / MC / 2 / MC
Peter Hedblom: 4 / - / 74 / 7 / 24 / 41 / MC / -
Thongchai Jaidee: - / 15 / - / 25 / - / 20 / - / -
Simon Khan: MC / 4 / 45 / 11 / 40 / 35 / 27 / 52
Maarten Lafeber: 5 / 20 / 45 / 51 / 3 / 41 / 53 / 71
Peter Lawrie: 19 / MC / MC / MC / 22 / MC / MC / 8
Thomas Levet: - / - / 63 / 7 / - / 8 / - / -
Shane Lowry: - / - / - / - / - / Won / 21 / MC
Graeme McDowell: MC / 26 / 31 / 18 / MC / Ret / 31 / 25
Paul McGinley: Ret / 4 / 58 / MC / 16 / 67 / 14 / MC
Damien McGrane: 19 / 31 / 12 / MC / MC / 57 / 35 / 21
Rory McIlroy: - / - / - / - / 7 / 50 / 35 / 34
Francesco Molinari: 56 / 46 / 7 / 60 / MC / Dq / 8 / -
Colin Montgomerie: MC / 9 / - / Won / 48 / 41 / - / -
Robert Rock: 5 / MC / MC / 11 / MC / 2 / Dq / MC
Brett Rumford: 53 / MC / 52 / MC / - / 8 / 9 / Ret
Jeev Milkha Singh: - / 4 / MC / 34 / 40 / - / - / 11
Graeme Storm: MC / 4 / MC / 45 / - / 20 / 21 / MC
Anthony Wall: 5 / 2 / MC / 3 / 10 / 10 / 39 / 34
Marc Warren: 30 / MC / 12 / 25 / MC / 4 / Dq / -
Chris Wood: - / - / - / - / - / 10 / 3 / MC Course Key: 1: Carton House; 2: The K Club (Smurfit); 3: Adare Manor; 4: The K Club (Smurfit); 5: Adare Manor; 6: Co Louth (Baltray); 7: Killarney; 8: Killarney. SELECTED PLAYERS with POOR to MEDICORE recent FORM in IRELAND Last Eight Tournaments (No Top-35 finishes in three or more starts) Player: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 Fredrik Andersson: - / - / 45 / MC / MC / - / - / -
Gregory Bourdy: - / - / MC / MC / - / MC / - / MC
Alejandro Canizares: - / - / - / Wd / 45 / MC / 44 / 59
SSP Chowrasia: - / - / - / - / MC / 61 / MC / MC
Robert Coles: - / MC / - / - / - / - / 57 / 45
Rhys Davies: - / - / - / - / - / MC / MC / 52
Darren Fichardt: MC / MC / Ret / - / - / - / - / -
Mark Foster: 69 / 52 / 37 / - / MC / MC / 44 / 45
David Higgins: 37 / 56 / 37 / 56 / MC / - / MC / MC
Mikael Lundberg: 70 / MC / - / - / 60 / MC / 70 / -
Gareth Maybin: - / - / - / - / - / MC / MC / MC
Damian Mooney: MC / - / MC / - / MC / MC / MC / MC
Hennie Otto: - / - / - / - / - / MC / MC / MC
Patrik Sjoland: MC / - / MC / 41 / MC / 50 / 66 / MC
Richard Sterne: Ret / MC / 37 / - / - / MC / - / -
Alessandro Tadini: MC / 46 / MC / MC / - / MC / - / -
Fabrizio Zanotti: - / - / - / - / MC / - / MC / MC
Matthew Zions: - / - / 69 / MC / - / - / - / MC MOST TOP-25 Finishes in IRELAND (Last Eight Years) Total 8: Darren Clarke
7: Richard Green
7: Padraig Harrington
6: Bradley Dredge
6: Anthony Wall
5: Maarten Lafeber
5: Paul McGinley
5: Graeme Storm
4: Simon Dyson
4: Niclas Fasth
4: Ross Fisher
4: Peter Hedblom
4: David Howell
4: Thongchai Jaidee
4: Graeme McDowell
4: Damien McGrane
4: Robert Rock
4: Brett Rumford LOWEST ROUNDS in IRISH OPEN SINCE 2000 61: Graeme McDowell (Co Louth - 2009)
61: Ross Fisher (Killarney - 2010)
62: Shane Lowry (Co Louth - 2009) Note: The lowest Irish Open round prior to 2000 was 62, recorded by three players - Colin Montgomerie (1997); Barry Lane (1998) & Miguel Angel Martin (1999). Royal Portrush: Par 72; 7,143 yards Last Five Irish Open Winners 2011 - 269 (Simon Dyson - Killarney)
2010 - 266 (Ross Fisher - Killarney)
2009 - 271 (Shane Lowry - Co Louth)
2008 - 278 (Richard Finch - Adare Manor)
2007 - 283 (Padraig Harrington - Adare Manor)