Howell seizes the initiative in a thrilling first round

KILLARNEY, the 3 Irish Open and Englishman David Howell were the winners after yesterday’s outstanding opening round of the national golf championship.

From early morning, warm sunshine bathed the course and the awesome lakes made for a worldwide television scenario that just must have worked wonders for our tourism industry.

A total of 17,812 spectators turned up to watch and enjoy and will surely return for more of the same, not least because the much hoped for home challenge remains very much alive.