Multiple threats leave Ireland in a strong position for another major push

The undoubted golden period of Irish golf arrived in the eight-season period from 2007 to 2014 – but are we on the verge of another spell of success on the world stage?

The latest men's world rankings today have three Irish players inside the top 40 with Rory McIlroy moving up to second, Shane Lowry staying at 24 and Seamus Power jumping up to 36th. Leona Maguire is in the top 25 in the women’s listings after a fruitful weekend.

The blocks for another sustained push are being put in place. Maybe not to match that winning streak of 07-14 [ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann] but to at least provide genuine reasons to be hopeful.

Fifteen years ago this week, the US Open had just drawn to a close and Ángel Cabrera, currently incarcerated in Argentina after being found guilty of an assault charge, held off Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods to claim the title. At 17 over par, Graeme McDowell was best placed of the Irish contingent in a tie for 30th.

Over the next 30 men’s majors, Ireland’s haul would go from one [Fred Daly’s 1947 Open success in Liverpool] to an astonishing 10. What’s more, it wasn’t through one golfer’s domination, although Rory McIlroy contributed four of those nine wins. Padraig Harrington [3], McDowell [1] and Darren Clarke [1] also joined the major roll of honour as the greens were painted, well, green.

Just over a month after McIlroy lifted his fourth, the PGA Championship, Paul McGinley became the first Irishman to captain the European Ryder Cup team as they defended the trophy against Team USA in Scotland.

The Irish Open also had two home winners in that period, Harrington at Adare Manor in 2007 and an amateur by the name of Shane Lowry at a wintery Baltray two years later.

Lowry is the only Irish major winner since that