McIlroy paired with Fisher and Horsey

THE bumper crowds expected for this week’s Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland will be spoiled for choice after the draw for the first two rounds was made yesterday.

Ireland’s four homegrown major champions will be the main attraction at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club and the European Tour have given fans an even split between the morning pairings and the afternoon ones, with the entire field starting their rounds from the first tee between 7am and 3:30pm on both days.

The first round sees US Open champion Rory McIlroy tee off alongside defending Irish Open champion Ross Fisher and England’s Dave Horsey at 7.50am, followed 10 minutes later by the 2010 hero of Pebble Beach Graeme McDowell. The former US Open champion from Portrush is grouped with England’s Simon Dyson and Australian Richard Green, who finished fifth in Killarney last year.