Todd Clements started the Irish Open in style, shooting a five-under 66 on Royal County Down, one of the world's most beautiful and challenging courses.
He capped off a stellar opening round with an eagle-3 on the par-5 18th hole to finish one stroke ahead of Finland's Sami Valimaki and Spain's Alejandro del Rey. But after that putt fell, Clements made a surprising discovery about the day's events.
He called it “one of the best rounds I've ever played in my life,” and said those exact words to his caddie as he left the 18th green.
Tour pros can shoot 66 on almost any course, but nothing compares to Royal County Down, which winds through sand dunes along the Irish Sea and offers more blind shots than you'd want to throw at it. Add in stiff crosswinds and sudden showers of rain and this golf course is truly brutal. It's no wonder that only 32 of the 156 competitors shot under par on Thursday, a figure that is sure to decrease as the tournament progresses. Shane Lowry sounded a warning earlier this week when he predicted that this year's Irish Open at Royal County Down could produce the highest winning score in DP World Tour history.
“It's a difficult course but I'm happy with the result,” Clements added.
“I went into the pro-am knowing there would definitely be challenges. I just think you have to have a good attitude and everyone faces challenges. You're going to have difficulties at times. This golf course never lets up on you.”
Rory McIlroy even described the golf course as “major championship level.”
Royal County Down certainly deserves to host the British Open – the course is that difficult – but the infrastructure in the small town of Newcastle, with its towering sand dunes and giant gorse bushes lining the fairways, would make it even more difficult.
Still, the world's best players are happy to be playing in this week's Irish Open, which returns to Royal County Down for the first time since 2015. The winning score was two-under par and only three players shot 66 or better during the week. Germany's Maximilian Kiefer shot a six-under 65 on Saturday that year but shot a 77 in tough conditions on Sunday to finish one-over par.
“I think our strategy, especially on a difficult course like this, is to play par golf and I felt like we did that well today,” Clements added.
“I had some great drives, I hit a lot of quality shots and I hit the ball in the right spots. My caddie was great today, I knew the course really well and it went well.”
At Royal County Down, if you don't hit the ball well, you're in for a long day, and the ball will often disappear – often without knowing where it's landed as you have to take dozens of blind shots.
Clements hit the ball well for the most part, finding the fairway and the first cut on multiple occasions, until a poor tee shot on the 13th hole forced him to take a tentative shot. But the golf gods were smiling down on him, knowing he was having one of the best rounds of his life. The ball was found, Clements made par, and ultimately held on for a bogey-free back nine.
Clements, who won his first DP World Tour event in the Czech Republic last year, will be hoping to keep that momentum going this week, but he's taking it one step at a time, one stroke at a time, and that's certainly a wise strategy.
“This course is extremely difficult,” Clements emphasized.
“Cherish each and every day” is a common phrase. [Friday]”It's going to be cold, it's going to be windy and it's going to be another tough test. It's sad but probably something to look forward to.”
The same goes for golf fans around the world.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
