European Tour

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 2018

July 05-08

Ballyliffin Golf Club, County Donegal

$7,000,000

July 05-08

Ballyliffin Golf Club, County Donegal

$7,000,000

Round 1

Fantastic Fox charges ahead in Ballyliffin

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

July 05, 2018

Ryan Fox carded a five under par 67 to take the first round lead at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation – the fourth Rolex Series event of the season – with Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Danny Willett among those a shot back.

- Getty Images

The New Zealander, who showed his class on links courses last year with consecutive fourth-placed finishes at Royal Portstewart and Dundonald Links, carded six birdies and one bogey to sit one ahead of a chasing pack which includes three-time Major winner Harrington, 2016 Masters Champion Willett and 23-time European Tour winner Westwood.

“I hit driver a lot, and there are a lot of patches of rough. I drove it nicely. I think I probably only hit five or six fairways, but missed them in the right places and hit a lot of good drives that just ran through fairways so I gave myself a lot of chances,`` said Fox.

“I'd love to be in The Open and Carnoustie is one of the best golf courses in the world I think and I'd love the chance to play there in an Open. As good a start as I can have, really, and hopefully three more rounds and if I can sneak in that top five like last year and get an Open spot, that would be great.”

Harrington, who holds the record for the most top-ten finishes in Dubai Duty Free Irish Open history with eight, chipped in for eagle on the par-five 17th before making three birdies in four holes over the back nine to sign for a 68.

“There was some good and bad but on a links golf course you could get away with that at times, and I knew I could create some opportunities out there. Thankfully, my short game was good enough to handle the odd bad shot and I hit plenty of good ones.``

“It definitely plays into my strengths. I think a lot of times, a lot of tournaments I play now would be the opposite. The whole field plays it a certain way and you know, maybe the most orthodox player tends to have an advantage, which I suppose is right but when it comes to links golf that's not the case.``

Joining Harrington on four under par after 18 holes are a French duo of Adrien Saddier and Matthieu Pavon, and an English trio Robert Rock, Ashley Chesters and Westwood, while tournament host Rory McIlroy sits three off the lead after carding a two under par first round of 70 at Ballyliffin Golf Club.

“It could have been a lot better,`` said McIlroy. ``It’s the best I have hit the ball in a long time. I put the ball in play, what I needed to do, and drove the ball very well. My iron play was good. I just struggled on the greens. It was either I hit good putts and just didn't read them right, or sometimes it was maybe a reaction to putts I had hit previously on a couple holes earlier.``

“I just got into my head a little bit. I held some decent putts. I held a couple of good ones for par. I held a nice one on 12 for birdie but I'm going to need to putt a little bit better over the next three days to have a chance.”