Dougherty impresses early

Nick Dougherty, without a single top-10 finish since last August, reminded everybody of his talent when The Irish Open began at a wet and windy Baltray today.

Four birdies in six holes around the turn lifted the Liverpool 26-year-old to four-under-par and alongside Finland’s little-known Roope Kakko, who owed his place in the event to his top-10 finish in last week’s Italian Open.

Some of the other big names were struggling to make their presence felt, however.

Playing partners Colin Montgomerie and Rory McIlroy, whose opinions about the Ryder Cup yesterday could hardly have been more different, both started for home one-over.

McIlroy’s fellow Ulstermen Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell were two-over and five-over respectively and last week’s winner Daniel Vancsik bogeyed four of his first five holes.

Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington, commuting to the event by helicopter from his Dublin home, Lee Westwood and John Daly – joint second in Turin – were among the later starters.

This time last year Dougherty was devastated by his mother’s fatal heart attack and after looking a likely Ryder Cup debutant for so long he just missed out on qualifying.

His best finish since then was a 14th place in Australia in February, but after starting on the far tougher back nine he followed six pars in a row with birdies at the 16th, 18th, second and third.

Kakko, eighth in Italy, picked up shots on the first, third, fourth and short seventh for a share of top spot.

In joint third place were former Open champion Paul Lawrie, fellow Scots Marc Warren and David Drysdale, England’s Sam Little and Swiss player Julien Clement, another top-10 finisher last week.

While Ryder Cup captain Montgomerie believes next year’s match will be the highlight of his career if the trophy is won back, prospective team member McIlroy considers the contest “an exhibition” and does not place anything like the same importance on it.

Montgomerie believes the 20-year-old might come to think differently once he has experienced it.