Finch eager to build on Sunday’s excellence

Hull’s Finch, 34, claimed the biggest prize of his career three years ago when he won the Irish Open at Adare Manor.

But despite almost losing a sponsor and clashing with the Women’s British Open, this year’s tournament at Killarney is bigger than ever thanks to the feelgood factor in Irish golf created by US Open winner McIlroy and Open champion Clarke.

Add 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington – one of Finch’s playing partners – into the mix and it makes for quite a party for the home support.

“I’m sure there’ll be a brilliant atmosphere especially with the success Irish golf has had in the last couple of majors,” said Finch. “It’ll be really buzzing. The focus will be on the main guys, and everyone else will just have to try and feed off the atmosphere.”

Finch comes into the event off the back of his best result for more than a year, a second-place finish at the Nordea Masters.

He described his round on Sunday – a best-of-the-day 69 – as one of the finest he has constructed owing to the severe winds players were up against.

“It’s very easy to lose it in those conditions, you can hit poor shots, get out of position,” said Finch, who is up to 41st on the Race to Dubai standings.

“I hit it really well, that’s all you can do, try and hit the fairways. Even in the wind putting is hard because you’ve got to judge the slope and the wind when hitting, so it makes it a bit of guesswork, but I holed everything.”

He added: “The Irish Open is a special event for me. I think if I can play as well as I did on Sunday – not that you can ever expect to play well – than I’ll hopefully have a good run.”