Sugrue braced for rough ride: "It is proper silage like, you cannot get anything out of it"
Joaquin Niemann plays from the rough during the practice round at the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course) in Mamaroneck, N.Y. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (USGA/Robert Beck)
Expectations can be a huge burden but Mallow amateur has taken a leaf of Rory McIlroy’s book as he faces the golfing challenge of his life at Winged Foot today.
The affable Cork man (23) been handed a dream draw with Lee Westwood and Bubba Watson and while he knows that missing the cut would be no disgrace, he’s no longer afraid to say so out loud.
“We had a Zoom chat with Rory during lockdown earlier this year and I always had the attitude of not taking it too seriously because the worst thing that can happen is I am going to miss the cut,” the 2019 Amateur champions said.
“That is not that bad in the grand scheme of things but I was always half afraid to say that to people because I didn’t want people to think I didn’t care.
“But when I heard Rory say it, it gave me the confidence to know that the best player in the world thinks like that, so I can think like that as well.
Rory McIlroy watches his tee shot on the second hold during the practice round at the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course) in Mamaroneck, N.Y. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (USGA/Robert Beck)
“I am trying to enjoy myself and when I do enjoy myself I play my best golf. And Rory was saying not to put yourself under too much pressure.
“If the worst things that happens is you miss the cut, it is not the end of the world. Even there yesterday, Pat Smullen, 43 years of age passed away of cancer. One of the greatest flat jockeys Ireland has ever seen. There is more to life than just golf. It was good to hear he was thinking what I was thinking but afraid to say it.”
Sugrue is not teeing it up just to make up the numbers and he’s found a new Titleist driver he believes can help him complete the No 1 mission this week, which is to hit fairways.
"The last time I put a new driver in the bag was for the Amateur, so I am hopeful that it will behave this week. It has to behave. It won’t end well if you put it in the rough around here, it is too brutal.
“If you don’t hit the fairways, you can forget it because the rough is indescribable. It is proper silage like, you cannot get anything out of it.
“I saw Kevin Na trying to hit a rescue out of it and he hit the ball a yard. It’s proper thick. It’s not like if you hit it into it you might get a lie, you’ll never get a lie. It always goes down!”
He found Pinehurst No 2’s sandy scrub a massive test in last year’s US Amateur but he sees no short cuts to success this week.
“Sometimes you might say, I’ll empty a driver here and try and get as close as I can to the green and get a wedge at it. Here you never get a good lie in the rough. And you are never going to have a wedge into a par-four either.”
Pressed for a winner and a winning score, he said: “Anyone who drives it straight and pitches and putts great, like Xander. A score? Six over unless something drastic changes. It should be good viewing for you back on your couch at home.”
His only regret us that his parents Michael and Margaret have not been able to travel but now knows that one of them can attend the Masters in November.
"They haven’t decided who it will be yet,” James added. “At the moment it’s ‘You go”, and ‘No, no, you go.”
Somehow you get the impression that the decision will not be the end of the world either.
