Christy O'Connor Snr clearly subscribes to the notion that age is only a number. Still, a two-under-par 70 in the Esso Links Society Outing at Royal Dublin yesterday remained a wonderful achievement for a player who will be 75 on the 21st of next month.

"I'm delighted - but I'll pay for this with all the shots I have to give in matches against the members," said Himself, who clearly got a tremendous lift from the score.

His only bogey came at the long 14th, where he made poor contact with a four-wood second shot, sending it into the drain.

Baltray's Paddy McGuirk holed a four-iron downwind for an albatross two at the hole, on the way to a 74. Now, if O'Connor . . .