NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland — Rickie Fowler proved an unwelcome guest for the second time in as many visits to the Royal County Down course when he outplayed his close friend and rival Rory McIlroy at the Irish Open.
The duo were paired together but had vastly different fortunes in the first round at Royal County Down on Thursday.
Northern Ireland's world number one McIlroy shot a nine-over-par 80 and faces missing another cut, having failed to progress at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week.
American Fowler, meanwhile, returning to the country for the first time since 2007, fired four birdies in a solid level-par 71 to sit four strokes behind clubhouse leader Padraig Harrington of Ireland and nine ahead of McIlroy.