David Howard confident of making cut after posting four-over par 74 on major debut
David Howard soots a commendable 74 on day one of The Open at Royal Birkdale. Pic: Sean M. Haffey/Getty
After a day David Howard will never forget, the Open Championship qualifier from Fota Island is confident he has the game to ensure he will beat the halfway cut on Friday and play all four rounds on his major debut.
The 27-year-old amateur from Currabinny, Co. Cork, opened with a commendable four-over-par 74 at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, cheered on at every hole by a morale-boosting contingent of at least 100 of his fellow Fota Island Golf Club members.
He will need their support once more for a second round that will require him to learn some valuable lessons for an eventful first 18 holes of two birdies and six bogeys if he is to play himself into the top 70 (and ties) who will qualify for the weekend’s last 36.
“My game is decent enough,” Howard said. “I just need to tidy up a few things, maybe do a small bit of work on the range.
“Hopefully I'll have a better round tomorrow, and we'll see where that leaves me.
“I got off to a nice enough start. Made a few nice pars. I feel like approach play wasn't great, and I missed greens when I felt like I shouldn't have been. Managed to make a few nice saves, up-and-downs.
“Made a few putts that were nice but it was a bit sloppy here and there. I feel like the more I hit iron off the tee, I got myself in trouble. So think more driver tomorrow.”
None of that self-described sloppiness spoiled a memorable day for Howard, whose father David is his caddie, and mother Eithne was his loudest supporter in a large gallery. His Fota comrades gave him a rapturous reception at the first tee with a welcoming cheer that Rory McIlroy would have been proud of.
“It was mad. I was nervous enough as it was, but I think it made me more nervous, if anything. Had to give them a motion to quiet down. It was unbelievable.
“No, I can't thank them enough. So many friends, family, club, girlfriend. It's just a special moment out there. I never got such applause for a bogey before, when I tapped in for bogey on 15. It was like making a big birdie putt to win something. No, they're unbelievable. It was a great moment. My mom was out there as well. It was class to have them all there and great support. Seeing all the faces, it's unbelievable.
“I definitely feel the support out there. Definitely a lot of Cork people and a lot of Irish out there. It made my day even more special. I can't thank them enough. It's been a great day and a great start to this.”
Howard’s profile has now grown beyond Irish golf, though, with his qualification a fortnight ago drawing attention to his story of playing elite golf in spite of living with Cystic Fibrosis. The purple rose in his cap was a symbolic nod to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland’s annual “65 Roses” fundraising day and he was happy to explain his journey to a wider audience of journalists following his round.
“When I qualified, it was nationwide, people getting onto me and kind of supporting me and telling me they have relatives with CF. From all around the world, definitely, loads of people... I definitely feel that support as well, and it's great to see that.
“I suppose people with CF have something to look forward to or look up to, and maybe that can drive them on as well.
“It's been a rough patch for years, and it's definitely been up and down. But thankfully a lot more ups at the moment. Thankfully, since kind of after COVID there, it's been pretty good.
“I can't thank my family, friends, the CF team at my local hospital (Cork University Hospital) and Vertex for bringing this life-changing drug as well. It's been unbelievable, life changing.”
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