Kiwi star Fox grabs slim lead, veteran Harrington in chasing pack
>> DONEGAL: New Zealander Ryan Fox led the Irish Open after the first round on five-under-par 67 on Thursday, a shot ahead of a chasing pack including veteran home hope Padraig Harrington.
Fox, 31, finished tied for fourth in last year’s Irish Open to earn himself a spot at the British Open and will hope for at least a repeat this time round.
The £5.3 million event is being played for the first time at Ballyliffin golf course in Donegal, in North West Ireland.
There are three spots at the British Open — which is being hosted at Scottish links course Carnoustie — available to those not already qualified and who finish in the top 10.
However, whilst Northern Irish superstar Rory McIlroy came in with a two-under-par round it was 46-yearold Harrington, who displayed form that has eluded him all season.
The three-time major champion showed his adroitness f or links courses — two of his majors have come at the British Open — with a wonderful round hardly befitting a player who was quoted s a 66/1 chance for the tournament earlier in the week.
Harrington, who has not won a tournament since 2016, was tied for second with six other players including fellow veteran Lee Westwood and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett, another major winner who is experiencing a fallow period.
McIlroy, who in a fortnight will hope to end a four-year major drought at the British Open, recorded a 70.
Defending champion Jon Rahm’s fiery temperament threatened to come to the fore during a round that promised much but ended with the 23-year-old Spaniard carding a 74, back-to-back bogies at the turn provoking the burly world No.5 into smashing a club in to the ground.