Joaquín Niemann Leads Wind-Hit Irish Open After Closing Birdie Burst

Joaquín Niemann made four consecutive late birdies to shoot a 5-under 65 and take the first-round lead at the Amgen Irish Open in County Clare.

Strong winds and rain made scoring difficult at Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg, while delays left several players needing to complete their opening rounds on Friday morning.

Shane Lowry, the 2009 champion, finished in fading light and shared second place with South Africa’s Shaun Norris after both returned 67s. Adrian Meronk, Maximilian Steinlechner and Renato Paratore were also 3-under but had holes remaining.

Niemann surges through Doonbeg’s closing stretch

Niemann reached the turn in 34 after getting up and down from a bunker at the par-5 4th and producing a fine recovery at the 6th. His only bogey came at the 12th, where he three-putted.

The Chilean responded immediately, striking his tee shot to three feet at the par-3 14th, hitting a precise approach into the next and creating another close-range chance at the 16th. A wedge to two feet on the 17th completed four birdies in succession and established the clubhouse target.

“It was a lot of fun out there,” Niemann said. “It’s a really tricky course and a really fun golf course to play with. Especially with the Irish weather.”

The links required controlled trajectories and careful calculation. Our course review of Trump Doonbeg examined how Martin Hawtree’s redesign and the coastal wind shape the challenge.

“You’ve got to hit those tee shots and keep it under the wind, left-to-right wind, right-to-left wind,” Niemann said. “Every shot into the wind just times a hundred probably. So if it’s a bad shot, it’s a really bad shot. But if it’s a good shot, it was so nice to see it.”

The 27-year-old has played a limited schedule this season but arrived with three top-ten finishes from his previous four DP World Tour starts, including a tie for seventh at the US Open. He also won LIV Golf New York in August for his second victory of 2026.

Lowry leads the home challenge

Lowry opened with birdies at the 2nd and 4th before driving the par-4 6th to set up another gain. Bogeys at the 7th and 9th interrupted his progress, but birdies at the 8th and 14th secured a 3-under round.

Norris also reached 3-under, holing from off the green at the 6th and responding to a bogey at the 15th with an immediate birdie.

Meronk made six birdies and three bogeys through 15 holes. Steinlechner was 3-under after 13, while Paratore had six holes left after recording four birdies and one bogey.

Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed completed a 68 to join Tom McKibbin, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Kazuma Kobori, Frederic Lacroix, Niklas Nørgaard and Connor Syme at 2-under. Defending champion Rory McIlroy opened with a 69.

Thomas Detry produced the day’s rarest shot at the par-5 10th, holing an eight iron from 227 yards for the fourth albatross of the DP World Tour season.

Niemann will begin the second round with a two-shot clubhouse advantage, although the first-round leaderboard can still change when the unfinished groups return on Friday morning.

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