Emotional start at the K Club

It is often said that there is no more nervous situation for a golfer than the prospect of hitting the opening tee shot at the Ryder Cup.

This morning, that responsibility fell on the slender shoulders of Jim Furyk. Surrounded by an enormous and vociferous international crowd, the world number two appeared unflapable as he drilled a nerveless drive right down the middle of the fairway.

The biggest roar of the day, of course, was reserved for Darren Clarke. The Ulsterman walked onto the first tee amidst deafening cries - a genuine swell of goodwill towards a man who has recently lost his wife to cancer. Clarke would have been forgiven for letting his focus slip but instead he pulled out his driver (an aggressive strategy from the first tee at the K Club) and proceeded to split the fairway.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he went on to become a feature writer interviewing many of the biggest names in the game including Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer.

A 5-handicap golfer, Neil is a club member who takes a keen interest in the health of the game at grassroots level. You’ll often now find him writing about club-related issues such as WHS, membership retention and how best to bridge the gap between the range and the course.