Irish Open: Padraig Harrington leads, Rory McIlroy struggles
Friday 29 May 2015 07:23, UK
Padraig Harrington kept his US Open qualification hopes alive by posting a first round four-under 67 to set the pace at the Irish Open, with world No 1 Rory McIlroy joint-bottom of the leaderboard.
The three-time major winner, who needs a strong week to bolster his chances of breaking in the world’s top 60 in time to qualify for Chambers Bay, fired five birdies in six holes on the back nine to set the pace along with Max Kieffer in tricky conditions.
Harrington showed no signs of the shoulder injury that saw him last just two holes of last week’s BMW PGA Championship, almost breaking the post-war record for lowest round Royal County Down GC with a missed birdie chance at the last.
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World No 1 and tournament host Rory McIlroy posted nine bogeys and no birdies in an opening 80 to sit joint-bottom of the leaderboard.
Harrington's round was made from the 11th, which he reached at one-over par before kicking off a sensational run of birdies, only broken up by a par at the short 14th.
"After nine or ten holes I thought to myself 'C'mon, we've got to hit a good shot, no need to be afraid,'" said Harrington.
"I know from experience now that I'm in a position where there's many ways of competing in this tournament. I've two options; play great from now on and try and get away from the field or play average and fight it out on Sunday afternoon."
He looked like leading on his own until late in the day, but Germany's Kieffer came good in the very last group of the day to match his round of 67.
Kieffer carded five birdies and an eagle, which came at the 12th, and the leading pair have a one-stroke advantage on Denmark's Soren Hansen on a day when only 13 players shot under-par rounds.
“I had two three-putts from off the green on the front nine, but then I made two long putts after that, so that really like kept the momentum up. That was really nice," Kieffer said.
Danny Willett is in a group on two-under alongside Soren Kjeldsen and Emiliano Grillo, who made a fine start as he did at Wentworth last week before fading at the weekend.
Martin Kaymer (79) and Thorbjorn Olesen (80) were among plenty of players who struggled badly in tough, unpredictable conditions, while Simon Dyson withdrew from the tournament after opening with a 79.
Watch the Irish Open on Friday from 12pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.
