McIroy makes hay

Defending champion Rory McIlroy made an ideal start to his Irish Close campaign at the European Club today, a two-under par round of 70 giving the Holywood teenager a share of the lead.

Portmarnock's Adrian Morrow was the only player who managed to keep pace with the youngster at the monstrous Brittas Bay links as both made the most of calm conditions this morning to open up a two-stroke lead on the rest of the field.

Jonathan Caldwell, runner-up at the recent East of Ireland, is among the group of three players on level par while the tough conditions this afternoon saw plenty of rounds in the 80s.

The top 64 players after tomorrow's second round of strokeplay will advance to the matchplay phase.

First Round Scores:

70:  R McIlroy (Holywood), A Morrow (Portmarnock)

72:  D O'Brien (L'town & B'town), J Turner (Royal Portrush), J Caldwell (Clandeboye)

73:  F Rafferty (Dungannon), S Ward (Co Louth)

74:  K Canty (Douglas), E O'Sullivan (The Island), N O'Briain (Royal Dublin)

75:  D Morgan (Mullingar), A Pitcher (The Island), M Sinclair (Knock), N Gorey (Killeen), D Crowe (Dunmurry), A McCloy (Ballymena), G Bowden (Hermitage)

76:  K Stack (Dungarvan/UCC), G Lawlor (Citywest), R Cannon (L'town & B'town), P O'Kane (Moyola Park), B O'Connor (Hermitage)

77:  R Leonard (Banbridge), M Mulryan (Athenry), H Diamond (Holywood), R O'Connor (The Island), D Houlihan (K Club), D mcInerney (Lahinch), N Grant (Knock), A McAllister (Portmarnock), S Lowry (Esker Hills)

78:  P Murray (Limerick), K Lewis (Skerries), P Connolly (Clontarf), G O'Flaherty (Cork), A McKinley (Shandon Park), C Doran (Banbridge), P Sheehan (Ballybunion), D Scully (Galway), C Curley (Newlands), A McCormick (Scrabo), S Dwyer (Newlands), E Power (Kilkenny), B Walton (The Island)

79:  W McCully (Donaghadee), A O'Callaghan (Douglas), P O'Hanlon (Curragh), R McCarthy (The Island), H Boch (Ballybunion), C McAleavey (Banbridge), S Grant (Birr)

80:  K O'Neill (Strandhill), P Sheehy (Limerick), G O'Connor (Malahide), J Lyons (Galway), J Toner (Woodbrook), S Power (West Waterford), D Rawluk (The Islaand), G Flynn (Delgany), C Carvill (Belvoir Park), C McNamara (Limerick), M Campbell (Stackstown)

81:  K Kennedy (Co Tipperary), S Loftus (Ennis), R Williams (Baltinglass), J Hughes (Douglas), S Crowe (Dunmurry), J McWilliams (Belvoir Park), D Finn (Mallow), N O'Connor (UCD/Elm Park), G Lynas (Shandon Park), C McCarthy (St. Annes), D Moran (The Island), S Moloney (Castletroy), N Turner (Muskerry), R Boal (Scrabo), A Glynn (Porters Park), A Darbey (Sutton), J Mulready (Castle), C Daly (Castletroy)

82:  B McCarroll (Ballyliffin), D McNeill (Ballybofey & Stranorlar), N McGrane (Royal Dublin), J Fox (Portmarnock), E McCormack (Galway), P O'Keeffe (Douglas), C Hughes (Royal Portrush), D Coyne (Tuam), M Clifford (Lucan)

83:  M Lavelle (Belmullet), D Joyce (The Curragh), R Forsythe (Ballyclare), J Hughes (Woodbrook), G McGrane (Royal Dublin), M Buggy (Castlecomer), D Keating (Dun Laoghaire), J Somers (L'town & B'town), T O'Neill (Rathsallagh), P McGrath (Dromoland)

84:  D Ruddy (Thurles), A Pigott (Dunmurry), G McDermott (Co Sligo), J Waldron (Muskerry), T Cleary (East Clare), B McSweeney (Woodbrook), J Moore (L'town & B'town), D Lewis (Woodbrook), D Lernihan (Castle), J Curran (Elm Park)

85:  T O'Flynn (Fota Island), G Carew (Edenderry), M Brett (Portmarnock), D Murray (Skerries), D Coughlan (Douglas), C Cassidy (Portmarnock), J McIntyre (City of Derry), S O'Flaherty (Hermitage)

86:  D Coyle (Co Louth), E Lonergan (Kilcoole), S Heavey (Co Sligo), K Crowley (Lee Valley), L MacNamara (Woodbrook), D Byrne (Douglas), D Lally (Tuam), M King (Athenry)

87:  A Condren (Greystones)

88:  R Guilfoyle (Kilkenny), D Errity (Delgany), M Redmond (Blainroe), J McGinn (L'town & B'town)

89:  M Rowe (Athlone), C Griffin (Curragh), D Daly (Muskerry)

90:  A McCully (Banbridge)

93:  M Hammond (Moyola Park)
   
NR:  M Reck (Lucan), C Clancy (Stackstown), A Boyle (Hollystown), A Dooley (Athlone), B Cashman (Belvoir Park), C O'Malley (Westport), R Maher (Nenagh)
   
DQ:  R McDaid (Co Sligo)
   
RTD:  P Errity (Delgany), M Horan (Birr), G Mallon (North West), G Nugent (Kilkenny), S O'Donnell (Portarlington)