Ryan Fox quickest from the traps at Irish Open

DOFF OF THE CAP: Ryan Fox acknowledges the crowd after finishing his opening round at the Irish Open at Mount Juliet.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox is the early leader at the 2022 Horizon Irish Open with the local challenge being led by Dublin’s Niall Kearney and Waterford’s Seamus Power.

Tournament favourite Shane Lowry had to settle for a 71 after a round that started badly with a tee shot pulled left into a fairway bunker at the tenth, his first hole, and he will need to make a sizeable dent in the scorecard tomorrow.

Fox, son of former All Black and current selector Grant, shot an eight-under 64 around a course whose defences were compromised by the soft conditions and lack of wind. All told, 26 players managed to break 70 on the par-72 course in front of a sold-out first day.

The clouds were dark but delivered only spits of rain.

Lowry and Power were part of the morning’s featured group, alongside England’s Tyrrell Hatton who could only muster a one-over par 73, but it was Fox, playing in the group behind them, who continued his recent fine form with the most eye-catching of efforts.

The 35-year old didn’t drop a single shot on his way around this corner of Kilkenny and he looks well set to contend yet again this week and maybe even add to the second DP World title he claimed at the Ras al Khaimah Classic back in February.

Others will feel equally happy about their efforts early doors with seven players standing between Fox and the Irish pair of Kearney and Power after the morning session and with the other half of the field, Pádraig Harrington included, on duty through the afternoon.

Power’s round was marred only by a pair of bogeys at 5 and 8 – his 14th and 17th – but he started with a birdie and finished with one thanks to a long putt on the ninth that drew a huge roar from the gathering that had grown steadily around the group across the four-plus hours.

“Holing that putt makes me feel a bit better for a few sloppy mistakes coming up to that on the front but overall very pleased,” said Power. “I did some good things out there and I hit enough fairways and green and made enough putts so pretty pleased all round. A bit frustrating on five and eight with a couple of bizarre bogeys but aside from that it was pretty sharp.”