The chances of the Irish challenge at next week's British Open at Hoylake increasing beyond its current quartet of exempt players - Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell - appears extremely slim after yesterday's first round of Local Final Qualifying at four courses in the Merseyside region.

With 384 players competing for just 12 places, three from each venue, former European Tour rookie of the year Jim Payne has put himself into pole position after an opening round of 67, five-under, at Formby where the leading Irishman is St Margaret's professional John Kelly in tied-25th after an opening 73. The second round takes place today.

At Wallasey, England's Gary Day set the early pace with an opening round of 67, five-under, where amateur Stephen Grant, of Birr, is the leading Irishman after a 73 (tied-43rd), while Finland's Mikko Ilonen's opening 69, three-under, gave him the first round lead at Conwy.

If Ilonen is one of the three successful qualifiers at Conwy, he can anticipate a return to Royal Liverpool where he captured the British Amateur Championship title in 2000.

The best placed Irishman at Conwy is Mallow's Mervyn Owens, who shot a 73 to be in tied-12th.