Six weeks after Rory McIlroy finished the US Open 16 under par and David Howell 10 over, it was a very different story at Killarney today.

David Howell gave away 278 places to Rory McIlroy on the world rankings at the Irish Open in Killarney today but beat him by eight shots to storm into contention for a first victory in five years.

Open champion Darren Clarke bogeyed the last hole and was in danger of joining three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington in missing the cut at the Irish Open in Killarney today.

Rory McIlroy bounced straight back from his disappointing Open Championship by taking the early lead at the Irish Open in Killarney today.

SO Killarney didn’t prove the pushover everyone had expected.