Moriarty lines up in Irish Open field

FROM the historic surrounds of the famous Old Course at St Andrew's to the immaculate fairways and greens of Killarney's Golf & Fishing Club for the 3 Irish Open. That's the scenario awaiting Athlone's best known golfer Colm Moriarty, who is this week preparing for a second major golfing event in the space of three weeks. Usually a year-round competitor on the European Challenge Tour (professional golf's second tier), Moriarty, 31, recently made a big impression at The Open in Scotland, making the cut and doing himself proud by finishing on one under-par overall, ahead of the likes of world stars like Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Stewart Cink. And now the Railway View native has been handed a sponsors' invite (of which there's only seven) to take part in this weekend's prestigious Irish Open in Killarney. Moriarty's last appearance at the Irish Open was in 2008, when he failed to make the cut, and he plans to use his positive British Open experience to aid him over the course of the next few days (the tournament runs for four days from Thursday, July 29). "The British Open was a great experience for me and I was very happy with the way I handled myself over there. It's possibly the biggest golf tournament in the world and it's given me confidence to know I can compete in such a top-level field. The big thing for me about the British Open was that I didn't feel out of place. I played nicely over there but not exceptionally, but hopefully I can carry that sort of solid form into the Irish Open and perform well," said Moriarty, whose sponsorship portfolio was further boosted this week by the local Left Bank Mall in Pearse Street, Athlone. After competing in Scotland, Moriarty also played at last weekend's European Challenge Tour event - the English Challenge - in Colchester, but some decent opening round form eventually made way to a disappointing conclusion, with Moriarty fading from the pacesetters and finishing 24th. However, Moriarty is very happy with his game this year, and is just focusing on producing solid golf this week. "I don't set any targets like making the cut or whatever, although obviously it would be nice to do that. I just want to concentrate on my own game and play as well as possible, and see where it gets me. "I'm delighted to get a sponsors' invite to the tournament and it should be a fantastic few days in Killarney, with great crowds expected there. I've had a busy few weeks and look forward to taking part in another top senior tournament," said Moriarty, who is now joined on the fairways by current caddy and former professional, Birr's Justin Kehoe.