Irish Open: Sprinkled with stardust, Danny Willett makes his own magic

Rory McIlroy’s injection of golfing Hollywood into the Irish Open was manifestly evident approaching 8am yesterday, as elements of the game’s royalty limbered up to unleash their opening shots of the 2015 renewal.

The 7.40am grouping offered up for the delectation of the hundreds of early risers nothing less than Darren Clarke, Luke Donald and his English compatriot Danny Willett. Ten minutes later and it was G Mac, Lee Westwood and Miguel Angel Jimenez breezing through. Following them was the pièce de résistance: McIlroy himself, Martin Kaymer and Rickie Fowler.

It’s not so long since the Irish Open was scrambling for its very existence both on and off the course — some would say it still is — so it felt significant to stand in the hinterland of the magnificent Mournes, bathed as they were at the time by watercolour worthy rays of sunshine, and watch that class of talent amble over the dunes and fairways of this most picturesque of peninsulas.