PORTRUSH OPEN: Clarke off to steady start but McIlroy in early trouble
Mixed opener for the NI contingent
Darren Clarke finished his Open Day One with a respectable 71 on the scoreboard.
The 50-year-old ended the opening round on even par - in 30th place.
Clarke told reporters afterwards that he was more than happy with the start - and he paid tribute to the spectators.
"The support from the crowds was great," he said.
However, Rory McIlroy, who came into the tournament as one of the big favourites, had a shocking start.
He was +4 after the first hole - having shot into the rough twice.
Approaching the halfway mark, he was still struggling to get to grips with a course he knows so well.
Meanwhile, Portrush-born and bred, Graeme McDowell, was faring an awful lot better - getting into his rhythm from the off.
He went through his first nine holes on 2 under.
Ireland's Shane Lowry got off to an even better start - racing through 15 in 3 under while Webb Simpson was the early leader - one shot ahead.