Game has a history of drawing Irish ayes

Seductively, the first hole beckoned, its mixture of green and brown grass pleasing to the eye, its bunkers daunting both left and right. The first swing couldn't come soon enough . . . but first, the starter at Royal Dublin Golf Club offered a bit of history.

At first, it occurred that this was no time for a history lesson, but in truth, it was a perfect time.

This week, after all, is a celebration of Ireland and a sport that is so much a part of this country. The Irish cherish hurling and Gaelic football, of course, but the 36th Ryder Cup will allow them to show that there is a richness and a depth to golf in this country that should be embraced.

So, onward with the history lesson, and the starter, dressed in blazer and tie, asked if I had heard of Captain William Bligh, infamous from his mutiny on the Bounty exploits. Indeed, I had, I told the man, and he smiled. ``We owe this golf course to him," said the starter, who spread his arms out to introduce the pristine links of Royal Dublin GC.

The gentleman explained that some 200 years ago -- before he was set adrift as a miserable tyrant -- Captain Bligh sailed from his native England to Ireland and was asked to improve the shipping lanes in the port of Dublin. His suggestion was to build a long retaining wall along the shore that would add depth to the water. ``Well," said the starter, ``over time, it also created a new sandbank, which was called Bull Island."

It sits and overlooks the Port of Dublin, and is so majestic that Royal Dublin GC was relocated here in 1899.

``You won't find a finer links anywhere," said the proud starter, and nothing experienced over the next four hours made me object to the man's provincial assessment.

There is a legend that if you whisper the word ``Himself," any respectful golf person would know you were talking about Christy O'Connor Sr. Now 82 and living not far from where the Ryder Cup is being contested, O'Connor is a certified ball-striking genius. For nearly 20 years he served as head professional at Royal Dublin, so that alone made the history lesson mandatory and the four-hour walk a priceless endeavor.

Today, the golfing giants of Irish flavor are named Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, and Paul McGinley, and the fact that all three are members of the European Ryder Cup team makes them feel blessed. For themselves, for Ireland.

``This is a showcase for Ireland," said McGinley, who lives now in England. ``I can see the changes more than most people. I can see how the economy has been brought on and the money that people are making and the wealth of Ireland and the price of houses and restaurants -- and the price of Guinness."

Like Harrington, McGinley is a Dubliner, so their emotional attachment to this Ryder Cup is immeasurable.

``I'm very proud of Ireland," said McGinley. ``Where we've come from as a country and this is very much a cherry at the end of the cake, and to put on an event of this size is a massive show."

No argument there, though truthfully, it comes with warts, mostly revolving around the commercialism and the over-the-top display of excesses that are everywhere at big-time golf events.

But once tomorrow arrives it will be about the golf -- and if the rain persists and the wind stays vibrant, all the better.

As for Ireland's connection to golf, it's hard to believe that any introduction is necessary, for courses such as Ballybunion and Lahinch and Portmarnock have mesmerized golfers for years, and now Old Head and The European Club have added even more beauty to the world scene. It's a matter of record, of course, that only one Irishman (Fred Daly at the 1947 Open Championship) has won a major title and only one major (the 1951 British Open at Portrush in Northern Ireland) has been contested on Irish soil, but to suggest that means there's a lack of historical significance is wrong.

Shame to those who need be reminded of ``Himself," of the great Joe Carr, and of a certain shot into the 18th hole of The Belfry at the 1989 Ryder Cup by the magical Christy O'Connor Jr.

And don't forget Captain Bligh.

His workload -- 26 tournaments -- isn't out of the ordinary, but what makes you take note of Kevin Stadler's recent schedule is the way in which he has spread things out and the results. There have been six PGA Tour starts, eight European Tour events, and a dozen on the Nationwide Tour, so you know the 26-year-old is securing many frequent flier miles. However, it's the variety of wins -- four since December -- that have him smiling. The first came at the Argentine Open -- so make a quick update, it's 27 tournaments -- and Stadler continued the surprises when he won the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia in February. Quiet in his infrequent appearances on the PGA Tour, Stadler has made noise at the Nationwide level with wins in August and then last Sunday at the Albertsons Boise Open. The latter enabled him to leap to No. 3 on the money list ($286,407), so he's certain of regaining his PGA Tour status for 2007. That means the son of Craig will be able to conduct his schedule in less of a helter-skelter style -- unless, of course, this change of tours is something he likes . . . While on the subject of unique commutes to work, Stadler hasn't cornered the market, not with the likes of Andrew Buckle plying his craft. The Aussie finished tied for 35th at the Singapore Open Sept. 10 and four days later he was in Idaho, teeing it up in the Albertsons. Showing no sign of jet lag, Buckle broke 70 all four rounds, finished joint sixth, and with $22,587 he pushed to No. 17 on the Nationwide money list. As a result, the 26-year-old is in good position to finish within the top 20 and secure a PGA Tour card in 2007 . . . Buckle fared far better than his more heralded colleagues who also went from Singapore to an event elsewhere in the world. Adam Scott and Ernie Els both got upended in the first round of the HSBC World Match Play Championship outside of London, just days after they battled it out in a playoff in Singapore. Scott successfully defended his Singapore title with a birdie on the first extra hole.

Since posting a stunning victory in July, Kevin Johnson has missed four straight cuts on the Nationwide Tour to slip to No. 42 on the money list, $66,608 behind the player who currently sits 20th. He is hardly the only local going through a bit of a dip, however, because South Yarmouth native Jason Caron has also missed four straight cuts and five of seven to drop to 53d on the money list, and Rhode Islander Brad Adamonis has missed more cuts (12) than he's made (11) and thus sits 62d. Northborough native Fran Quinn Jr. is 68th on the money list, without a top-10 finish since May . . . On the Champions Tour, rookie Kirk Hanefeld shot 73-69-68 to push into a tie for 20th at the Constellation Energy Classic in Baltimore, but it only nudged him to 65th on the money list ($160,747), so he'll need a strong push down the stretch to maintain full-playing status for 2007. Rick Karbowski, another Champions Tour rookie from Massachusetts, sits 68th.

For a place that is heralded as one America's most plush resorts, players couldn't seem to leave Nemacolin Woods fast enough last weekend. Of course, that's what happens when you play poorly over a golf course that is more than 7,500 yards long and in weather that is wet and dismal. With scores soaring and course conditions demanding, there was a rash of withdrawals at the 84 Lumber Classic outside of Pittsburgh -- 10 of them before 36 holes were complete. In Round 1 alone, Pat Perez (45), Jonathan Kaye (41), and Paul Azinger (40) all quit after horrendous front nines, while Brian Bateman (4 over) checked out after the 12th. Donnie Hammond posted a 79, then called in with a WD, as did Billy Mayfair (76). In Round 2, Michael Connell (out in 41) quit early and so, too, did Arjun Atwal . . . At the first stage of European PGA Tour qualifying, a familiar name advanced -- Ballesteros. Of course it was nephew Raul and not his more famous uncle, Seve . . . Patty Post had designs on attending next year's PGA Professional National Championship in Oregon -- but as a caddie for her husband, Brendon Post. Well, in the latest entry that proves golf is a game of surprises, Patty realized that her trip is on, only the duties will be different. She will play, not carry. Playing from tees set up at 85 percent of the course the men competed on, Patty Post shot 5-over 220 to finish tied for 12th in the Middle Atlantic PGA Championship, thus earning a spot into the national event, where she'll compete against her husband. Brendon, the head professional at Club Golf in Gaithersburg, Md., shot 5-under 210 to finish second.