Irish trio, Graeme McDowell, Gary Murphy and Peter Lawrie are hoping Bangkok will kickstart their year.

HENNIE OTTO is the distinctly unlikely name at the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the 132nd Open Championship at Royal St Georges.

The omens are still good for this year’s Irish quartet and especially the in-form Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington.

DARREN CLARKE shot one of the finest rounds of his golfing career at Augusta National yesterday when a six under par 66 enabled him to open up a three-stroke lead after the first round of the 67th Masters.