1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 ~ 8 ounces packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 whole eggs 3 egg whites ~ slightly beaten together
green colored sugar sprinkles
5 inch clover ~ shaped template

Preheat oven to 325° if using a silver 9 ~ inch spring form pan { or to 300° if using a dark nonstick 9 ~ inch spring form pan }. Mix pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and the butter; press firmly onto the bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and the flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and liqueur; mix well. In a small bowl beat the eggs slightly together and then add 1/4 of the eggs at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is almost set. Run small knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen cake; cool 20 minutes before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Before serving; place the clover template in the center of the cake and sprinkle green sugar evenly to create the shamrock.  Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.