Big man in mood but big names head for the exit

Shane Lowry cast himself in the role of Irish Open messiah once more when he finished with a roof-raising brace of birdies to ease the pain of a major exodus by Rory McIlroy and the rest of Ireland’s Big Five at a wind-blown Carton House.

Even without the heavy rain and the deep rough that caused havoc here in 2005 and 2006, the Montgomerie Course claimed the scalps of five of the six headline stars that adorn the publicity hoardings for a €2 million event that simply cannot fail if those who control the purse strings are to remain convinced that it can continue without a title sponsor.

As a crowd of 21,377 took the week’s attendance to an acceptable 40,000 plus — down 10,000 on Royal Portrush’s record gate but slightly ahead of Killarney in 2011 — only Lowry managed to live up to his star billing as just eight of Ireland’s 27 starters made the level-par cut.