When I had learned about getting the job at Mount Juliet from Jon Kiger, I had a meeting with Mike O'Keeffe to talk about what to do after Ireland and we decided to try and get into The Hills in New Zealand to work the NZ Open. That brought up conversation on the Irish Open in June at Fota Island. Mike said he knew Simon O'Hara there and that he would most likely take me on the crew for the week.

Once I got to Ireland I got into contact with Simon and made it official. I would be working the Irish Open. My first big tournament. I am excited to be working at Fota for the week and look forward to seeing how a course prepares for a championship event. Fota Island is no stranger to the Irish Open. In 2001 and 2002 the course played host to Ireland's national tournament. It has been 12 years since the last time Fota hosted the tournament, but the course is in great shape and has had a few changes since 2002, I have been told. 

After arriving to Cork Sunday at 5:30 PM fellow Mt. Juliet worker Pat Mckenna and I walked around Fota Island for a bit to get a layout of the course. Fota is in beautiful shape for the up coming Irish Open and the week looks like it is going to be a good one. After we got into our accommodation at The Kingsley Hotel. Following a flood in 2009 the hotel has not been open since. However the apartments are and they are great. Pat and I are living in luxury for the week! 

Simon O'Hara, the deputy (assistant) at Fota Island, called Pat telling us that Monday's start time was moved up from 7 AM to 5:30. There would not be much sleep that night. I got in a few hours of rest and was good to go as I woke up at 4:30 ready to tackle the day.

We made it  to the course on time and promptly got our job from Simon in the break room, or canteen. Pat and I would be mowing greens. Putting, 9, and 18, so not a bad job for the first morning. To make it better the mowers used are the exact ones used at Mt. Juliet. Old Jacobsen greens mowers with many years under their belt, but still provide a quality cut. The greens are being double cut at 3.1mm, or 0.122 in, and rolled after. Not many practice rounds were expected today so we had not time constraints. All greens, tees, approaches, fairways, and first cut rough was mowed today. Simon said that the fairways will normally be cut in the afternoon, but did not say if greens would be cut twice a day. 

On the 1st tee, with the clubhouse in the back

Pat on the 1st

6th hole

Stands on 9

After finishing the greens, Pat and I were put on debris duty. We had to go around fairways and pick up any messes the mowers left behind and clumps of grass in the rough that looks bad. Not and exciting job, but one that needs to be done to make the course look better. At 1:30 PM the day was done for the crew. We go back at it tomorrow at 5 AM so for now just rest.