Colm Moriarty hits 68 to lead Irish challenge

The 42-year-old played his first Irish Open at Fota Island as an amateur back in 2001.

Colm Moriarty will begin his second round at 9am on Friday morning as the leading Irishman. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The shadows were lengthening across Mount Juliet when Colm Moriarty strode up the 18th fairway. Most of the crowds that had followed Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy in their hundreds earlier in the day had headed for the hills but the Glasson GC pro was too busy eclipsing his illustrious compatriots to notice or care.

The 42-year-old, who played his first Dubai Duty Free Irish Open when Murphy’s was the sponsor at Fota Island as an amateur in 2001, will begin his second round at 9am this morning as the leading Irishman after 18 holes thanks to a four-under-par 68 that left him in a tie for 19th place overnight, four off the pace set by overnight leader Lucas Herbert.