Tom McKibbin leads home chase at Irish Open as rounds hit the six-hour mark
WAITING GAME: Dylan Frittelli, right, and Nicolai Von Dellingshausen stand on the 6th tee-box awaiting their turn, having started their round at 2.20pm. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Joaquin Niemann took the early lead at the Amgen Irish Open in Co. Clare with a five-under par round of 65, but the story of the day is the sheer length of time it is taking to get around the 18 holes.
The Chilean carded half-a-dozen birdies in Doonbeg, four in a row between the 14th and 17th, against only one dropped shot. That was on the par-four 12th. Scotland’s Connor Syme and Niklas Norgaard of Denmark had set the lowest rounds earlier in the day with a pair of 68s, both mixing five birdies with three bogeys.
The morning conditions were wet, a constant coat of drizzle falling on the Doonbeg links, and the wind was stiff enough to act as a bulwark against the sort of high scores that can rack up on a calm day on a links course like this.
“The first 10 holes were so tough, raining sideways, windy, everything,” said Noorgard. “Then you turn and you get the wind into your face. The wind calmed down a little bit on the last few holes, but pretty tough golf course when it's like this.”
Norgaard's take chimed with the stats. Add up the combined scores of the highest-placed 20 players in the clubhouse by 4pm and they completed their front nines for a combined 20-under par. Their total for the back nine came in at one-over.
Gusts of 55kph were being recorded as they swept in off the Atlantic.
Jon Rahm actually called for a timeout late in the afternoon and a word with the chief official on the 5th green due to an oscillating ball.
Balls moving and hats flying off! 🤣
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2026
The wind is causing carnage on the 13th 💨#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/uqQ7g4KJRt
Blue skies finally started to peak through as lunchtime approached and the heavy hitters lumbered up for their day’s work. Good news for them and for the galleries following, but the gusts would still be a big factor.
The pick of the day's playing groups started one after the other with Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre and Brooks Koepka followed by Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed and Jon Rahm.
Tom McKibbin was best of the Irish early doors and through much of the afternoon.
Another LIV man, he had reached three-under through five and pushed on to -4 with a birdie at the last of the par fives, the 10th. Then it was a case of facing into that wind for the last eight holes and surviving. A bogey on 11 was followed by four pars through 15. Decent.
McIlroy and Lowry were -2 after four, the former staying that way after nine and Lowry making it to -3 through the 8th. Both would slip.
Lowry coughed up a shot on 9 but steadied the ship for the first four on the back nine to stay at -2.
McIlroy took two shots to escape a fairway bunker on 13, the second catching the lip too, eventually signing for a double bogey and retreating back to level par.
All three Irishmen were still on the course approaching 7pm, despite those lunchtime starts, with bottlenecks on the 4th and 6th tees, high winds and the organiser's inability to implement two tee starts due to the course layout making it a certainty that round one will not be completed by close of play.
Rounds of over six hours are being recorded on a day when winds have hit 55kph.
As for the other Irish, Cormac Sharvin and Seamus Power both ended with three-over 73s. Mark Power was one shot further back while Thomas Higgins was at the same +4 mark after 17.
Among the nearest chasers to Niemann, just after 5pm were McKibbin, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Andy Sullivan and Patrick Reed, all on four-under. All slipped back with Francesco Molinari coming through to four-under through 12.
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