Exertions from US Open now taking their toll

As with all great sporting events, the anticipation often surpasses the reality.

The stage had been set at Fota Island for the Irish players to deliver from the off yesterday but instead of announcing their intentions with a bang, it proved to be more of a whimper. There were no roars from across the course from the partisan crowds and no frenetic movements of traffic to follow an Irishman charging up the leaderboard.

It’s early days, of course, but already we are fretting if the Irish Open’s greatest asset, our own Rory McIlroy, will even make the cut.