Irish Open preview - Rory McIlroy leads home challenge

Chill autumn winds arrived with hasty gusto this week at Royal County Down and braced the field for the possibility of a survival test over the next few days on a scale of the brutally attritional edition of the Irish Open in 2015.

Nine years ago, a mere five players finished under par around this revered world-class links course, with the eventual three man play-off at two under seeing the feisty Dane Soren Kjeldsen outlasting a star-studded field that included the likes of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and then reigning US Open champion Martin Kaymer, who all failed to make the cut.

The mixed weather forecast over the next few days, with wind being a major factor, could see level par as a reasonable target for those who move into contention on Sunday.

However, Padraig Harrington, playing in his 29th Irish Open at 53 years of age, believes the Tour will set up the course to compensate for the conditions.

"It's a lot easier to set a difficult golf course easy than an easy golf course difficult," he commented yesterday, with the wind buffeting around him during the preview interviews.

"There’s a percentage of the field which just will not get to grips with this. It’s pretty harrowing out there at this very moment," he quipped.

In truth, while Harrington is a longshot outsider, he pinpointed one of the keys to challenging in the conditions which are forecast to vary on each of the four days, with wind being a major factor on at least three of them.

"It isn’t going to be the guy who necessarily swings the club well this week, it’s the guy who is mentally the strongest out there, who makes the right decisions, stays as upbeat as he can, so you’ve got to just get your head in the game, moreso than any other week."

McIlroy, playing in