ESPN revealed during the British Open that they may know their sport but when it comes to Irish politics they are all at sea.

The blathering about The Troubles when Darren Clarke was playing was pathetic to listen to.

On several occasions, commentators brought The Troubles up in the context of Clarke and Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell setting the golfing world alight.

In every conversation they reported that The Troubles were ongoing and the golfers were somehow battling terrrible odds while succeeding.

Perhaps a brief look at the history books might have reported that The Troubles essentially ended around 1998 and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement which created the framework for a joint government from both sides in Northern ireland.

The numbers of people shot and killed in the new century would not match a bad weekend in Detroit.

A 22-year-old like Rory McIlroy would barely remember when The Troubles were constant.

The sporting experts appeared blissfully unaware of that fact in their commentary.

They were certainly playing into the dumb sportswriter comparisons that are often made.