Golf – JP McManus Pro-am:Perhaps it was the jetlag. Maybe it was the champagne gathering or the simple fact Adare Manor is a brute of a course at 7,453yards. Whatever the case, many of the game's leading lights were off the pace on the opening day of the JP McManus Invitational Pro-am at the Limerick venue.
The 36-hole charity event at the former Irish Open venue, where a who's who of the celebrity, sporting and golfing worlds are on show, boasts 11 of the world's top 15 golfers - Lee Westwood was forced to withdraw - but only a select few featured at the business end after day one.
In fact only four players in the 54-professional field managed to break par. They were Americans Jim Juryk and John Cook plus Sweden's Peter Hanson and South Africa's Rory Sabbatini, who all carded one-under 71s.
Rory McIlroy and Irish Open champion Shane Lowry led the Irish challenge after they signed for level par 72s to join the chasing pack.
Damien McGrane was a shot further back on one over alongside the likes of Darren Clarke, who threatened to take the lead and was two under at one stage before dropping shots in the latter stages.
Crowds turned out in their thousands - over 40,000 hats which serve as ticket entry were sold at a cost of €50 - to watch their idols in action. Such has been the demand organisers have had to stop selling any more entrant hats for tomorrow's final round.
Although the event is all about raising funds for charities in the midwest region, there is always a competitive edge with such a stellar gathering.
That said, some of the stars clearly forgot to bring their A-game. US Open champion Graeme McDowell was making his first appearance since that famous win at Pebble Beach and could only manage an opening three-over 75.
The unshaven Portrush pro turned up in Limerick admitting there had been "one or two late nights" since becoming a major champion.
However he said he was “back in business” after a two-week blow-out when he jokingly said the famous trophy had already been involved in a few scrapes.
“There’s been a few worrying moments,” said McDowell. “It’s been in a few bars and restaurants in the small hours of the morning, but I guess I always comfort myself with the fact that it has been to some parties over the years.
“I’d say she could tell a few good stories at this stage.”
McDowell said he had not really practised during the last two weeks, bar a game with fellow top Northern Ireland professional Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down and a game with his father and brother at his home club in Rathmore.
He said he was taking time out to enjoy a few pints of Guinness and a few glasses of wine as he acclimatised to being “less anonymous” than he used to be.
But he insisted his “business head” was now firmly screwed on as he prepared the Scottish Open and British Open.
“It honestly feels like two months ago when I holed that winning putt at Pebble Beach,” he said. “You’ve got to enjoy it, but at some point you’ve got to get the business head back on.
“That process began this morning.”
JP McManus and his wife Noreen presented McDowell with a special glass memento to mark his becoming the first European to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970.
Pádraig Harrington, defending champion from 2005 when the event was last staged, was a shot worse after he could only manage a four-over 76.
Huge galleries followed Tiger Woods as the world number one made his first appearance outside the US since his well-documented personal problems. Unfortunately they didn't get to see the 34-year-old in full flight for he finished almost bottom of the field with a one birdie seven-over 79.
Tough pin positions were just one aspect of the difficult layout and some struggled more than most. Spain's Alvaro Quiros and South African Trevor Immelman were unable to complete the course.
The event concludes tomorrow before many of the tour players move on to Loch Lomond for the Scottish Open which starts on Thursday. The following week the 150th British Open takes place at St Andrews.
Woods will return to the States before teeing it up at St Andrews where he is looking to repeat his Open wins from 2000 and 2005.
JP McManus Pro-Am
(Irish unless stated)
First Round scores
71– P Hanson (Swe), R Sabbatini (SA), J Furyk (USA), J Cook (USA)
72– J Edfors (Swe), S LOWRY, S Hansen (Den), R McILROY, H Stenson (Swe)
73– D McGRANE, C Villegas (Col), A Noren (Swe), S Webster (Eng), L Donald (Eng), R Allenby (Aus), E Els (SA), D CLARKE, D Johnson (USA), L Glover (USA)
74– M Kaymer (Ger), R Finch (Eng), J Van de Velde (Fr), D Howell (Eng), N Watney (USA), T Lehman (USA), G MAYBIN
75– G McDOWELL, I Poulter (Eng), F Castano-Gonzalez (Sp), S Marino (USA), R Green (Aus)
76– G MURPHY, J M Olazabal (Sp), P LAWRIE, D HIGGINS, P Casey (Eng), J Daly (USA), H Slocum (USA), P HARRINGTON, M O'Meara (USA)
77– T Bjorn (Den), A Scott (Aus), JB Holmes (USA)
78– R Rock (Eng), P McGINLEY, M Campbell (NZ),
79– M Manassero (It), T Woods (USA), F Funk (USA)
80– J Rose (Eng)
81– B Curtis (USA)
82– S Lyle (Scot)
NR– T Immelman (SA), A Quiros (Sp)
TEAMS
55 (17-under)– Lourdes Invalid Trust II (C Villegas with G Neville, N Whelan, C Foley)
56 (16-under)– Lourdes Invalid Trust I (M Manassero with B Hackett, P Hackett, R Hackett); Gerry McManus (F Funk with G McManus, M McManus, C McManus)