Said the Open champion: 'I feel like I have that round in me. It was an easy 6-under today'

Shane Lowry had missed the crowds when Covid-19 sent the PGA and European Tours behind closed gates last year.

Just when he needed it, after six missed cuts in nine starts this year, Graeme McDowell has finally found the decent round that could turn his season around.

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell made the cut on the mark of three under thanks to a 67

There are no mulligans or reloads for Tom Power and the team at Waterford Crystal charged with crafting this year's Irish Open trophy

Lowry described the emotion of receiving his Team Ireland uniform last week after confirmation of his qualification for the Olympics

The European Tour pros will be treated to a 7,250-yard test that will have a little bit of everything lying in wait for them

One of the things I’m learning as a professional golfer is that you have to be always ready to play. I don’t have a schedule, and that can be a bit annoying

Harrington feels he has little to prove but is still driven by the dream of majors

McDowell says he has more to achieve but is content with a ‘great career’

Irish golf professionals were joined by sporting stars and celebrities for the Irish Open Pro-Am at Mount Juliet on Wednesday

The 34-year-old is now bracing himself for the moment when he hands it back to the R&A and begins his bid to follow close friend Pádraig Harrington in winning back-to-back Open titles

McIlroy's 2016 Irish Open victory came in similarly parkland surroundings at the K Club and Mount Juliet was offering the same vibes when he played it for the first time in his life today

McIlroy and Fleetwood are the top-two ranked players in the field at Mount Juliet this week, while Catlin won the event at Galgorm Castle last year

Kearney’s been battling to make the grade for the past 12 years, but after 21 visits to the Qualifying School — 11 in Europe and 10 in Asia — he’s got a great chance now to secure his full European Tour card

Look out Ireland, Wilco Nienaber is coming.

“This week just wasn’t my week.”

Fans who purchased tickets for the 2020 edition but could not attend due to Covid-19 restrictions, as well as those who have pre-registered their interest in tickets, will be given an exclusive three-hour priority access window

Brian Doheny thinks Mount Juliet is in an even better place to stage the 2021 Irish Open given an extra 14 months of preparation

“I’m hoping there is going to be even a couple of thousand people a day, although that would probably give me a big headache as I would probably need 1,999 of those tickets!”

Shane Lowry expressed his worry that Irish Open could face a similar problem to last season when travel restrictions forced the European Tour to move the event to Galgorm Castle Resort in Northern Ireland