The Open 2019 diary: Gary Player's advice to Harry O'Hara

Graeme McDowell says his brother Gary will be the hardest working McDowell on the course

Every morning and evening a flotilla of greenkeepers sweep across the links, cutting fairways and greens, filling in divots and ensuring the Dunluce's 58 bunkers are freshly prepared for the opening groups.

Course manager Graeme Beatt is in charge of a 58-strong team this week, one of whom has a particular interest in how things pan out come Sunday.

Gary McDowell, Graeme's little brother, has been part of the team here for more than 20 years.

G-Mac himself conceded it's baby bro who'll be the hardest-working member of the family this week.

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Players… young and old

Ten-year-old Harry O'Hara dreams of one day playing on the PGA Tour and if his poise on the golf course matches his confidence off it, then he could well be on the way.

Last year, the Newtownards boy was crowned the Gary Player Trophy Champion at the Flogas Irish Junior Open.

As if winning one of the biggest junior series in Europe was not enough, Harry has now met the man whose name the trophy bears.

When Harry met Gary

"Hello Harry, how are you?" boomed the effervescent 83-year-old legend.

The South African star and Harry may be separated by more than 70 years and 9,000 miles, but in golf, they share a burning passion and the two men in black quickly struck up an easy rapport.

Asked to give Harry advice on what he could do to ensure his golfing career lasts as long as his own, the nine-time major champion said: "Eat well… you'll have to eat plenty of spinach."

"Do you like Spinach, Harry?"

"I don't know, I've never had it," laughed the young charmer.

Player, a man fanatical about fitness throughout his career, still does push-ups and stomach crunches every day and, before a lengthy conversation with Harry ended, swept the youngster up in his arms.

Gary Player, 83, gave Harry some uplifting advice

"He does a lot in the gym to be fair to him," said Harry. "He's still very fit."

Harry now plays his golf at Holywood, a club with arguably the best junior facilities in Ireland, thanks to a certain Rory McIlroy, and with a Champion of Champions World Invitational starting next year, the young prospect is tuning his game to qualify and defend his title.

He's even willing to give spinach a go to see if that helps.

Litter patter of tiny feet

Among the workers seeming to have the best time of all are the 250 school children recruited to litter pick across the property.

Of those, 150 come from Coleraine Grammar, with the rest a mix of members' kids and grandkids and pupils from Loreto College in Coleraine and Ballymoney's Dalriada.

Graeme McDowell meets the young people tasked with keeping Royal Portrush looking lush

Royal Portrush member Richard Beggs, himself a teacher, is the man co-ordinating the effort. He simply doesn't have enough good words to say about his charges.

"Even before the holidays the kids were so excited. There was a real buzz about school and in the whole area.

"People have been really positive about how smart they look in their polos and ponchos and the players have been brilliant with them too. Quite a few have had their hats signed."

One of those players was the ever-affable G-Mac who leapt on one team to grab them for a photo with all the eagerness the kids leap on a discarded crisp packet.

One pleasant surprise for Richard was how little discarded rubbish there has been thus far, given the size of the galleries, something he credits to the Open Water initiative.

With water-refilling stations around the course and reusable stainless steel bottles for all, the project has made a huge impact.

Nearly as big a one as the swarming team of teenage red arrows he's marshalling this week.