Killarney’s subtle greens quell pushover forecasts

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

Though the sun shone from a blue sky, there was hardly a puff of wind and the greens were at their best, the best clubhouse score entering the early afternoon was a 65 by the Australian Richard Green.

Several of the more fancied players, including Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Justin Rose completed their deliberations in good time to enjoy a leisurely lunch. Clarke and McIlroy would have digested their meal with a degree of comfort having opened with respective rounds of 66 and 67 while Paul McGinley wasn’t complaining after signing for a 68, despite a disappointing bogey at the 18th.