After Rory McIlroy's clutch victory at the Scottish Open last week, and the strong recent performances of his Irish compatriots Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington, hopes will be high for Irish success at the final major of the year this weekend.
The 2023 Open Championship gets underway on Thursday at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, with all three joined by Seamus Power and amateur Alex Maguire as the Irish representatives in the field.
The trio of Lowry, McIlroy, and Harrington is quite the prestigious one in terms of Open Championship history. Harrington took back-to-back triumphs at the tournament in 2007 and 2008, before McIlroy joined him in 2014, and Lowry in 2019.
Ahead of this weekend's action at the Open, brilliant footage has emerged which showed the trio preparing together - and an all-timer of a one-liner from Shane Lowry in reflection of him and his compatriots' success.
READ HERE: 2023 Open Championship Prize Money: How Much Will Each Player Earn?
Royal Liverpool 2023: Lowry, McIlroy, and Harrington prepare together with game of 'skins'
Ahead of this weekend's Open, the organisers shared video to Twitter of Shane Lowry and his fellow Irishmen preparing for the final major of 2023.
Before the trio begin their preparations with a challenge match, McIlroy receives some well wishes from ex-One Directioner and proud Westmeath man Niall Horan.
In the clip, Lowry is asked something relating to his tee time, before snapping back with a smile, "We've four Claret Jugs here lads! The boys just said we've taken their tee time, I looked around and said we've fuckin four Claret Jugs here lads!" - referring to the iconic trophy on offer this weekend.
"We've got four Claret Jugs here."
McIlroy, Lowry and Harrington had some light-hearted preparation today.
Watch the trio and more with Inside The Open 👉 https://t.co/yjlAYH9y9P pic.twitter.com/gI15HZSvRE— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2023
READ HERE: 2023 Ryder Cup Team Europe Standings: Impact Of The Scottish Open
The full video on YouTube is a treat, with Lowry, McIlroy, and Harrington competing in a game of "skins" around the Royal Liverpool course.
Skins is a fun way to play three-ball or four-ball golf, with a handy description from Golf Monthly reading as follows:
Each hole is worth one “skin.” That skin is often allocated a monetary value. If a player wins the first hole outright (full handicap is applied) they get the skin. If nobody wins outright, the skin is carried over and the next hole is worth two skins. This continues until someone wins a hole outright. When that happens, the next hole will be worth one skin again. The player with the most skins at the end of the round is the winner.
With four Open championships between them, and the hopes of Irish golf fans on the line, it's a treat to see Lowry, McIlroy, and Harrington taking to the course ahead of the weekend, with a bit of a competitive edge to their friendly clash.
READ HERE: American Golfer Criticised For Response To Bizarre Bunker Shot At Scottish Open
The fly-on-the-wall nature of the footage is fantastic, capturing the three men bouncing off each other as they get to grips with the Royal Liverpool course. Hoylake is hoasting the Open for the first time in nine years this year, and the last time it was held there in 2014, McIlroy was the victor.
Judging by the video, it seems McIlroy was also the victor in the preparatory game of "skins" among the Irish players, in what may be a good omen for the weekend ahead.
McIlroy tees off alongside Jon Rahm and Justin Rose at 2:59pm on Thursday, in one of the most stacked groups of the opening rounds.
Lowry sets off at 10:09am with Rickie Fowler and Robert MacIntyre, while Harrington is off at 9:14am alongside fellow Irishman Séamus Power, and American Talor Gooch.
Alex Maguire's Open debut comes at 7:08am with 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, and Japanese Rikuya Hoshino.
SEE ALSO: Meath Golfer 'Couldn't Stop Smiling' After 'Surreal' Moment At The Open
