Golf Links: Friday, July 7 news and updates

HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Golf journalist Shane O'Donoghue; broadcaster Ken Brown and Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland on the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Golf journalist Shane O'Donoghue; broadcaster Ken Brown and Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland on the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Golf Links
Daniel Im of USA celebrates a final score of -8 during Day One of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images) /

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Rory McIlroy may be the host and defending champion at Portstewart Golf Club in Londonderry but Daniel Im and Benjamin Herbert are leading the way at the Irish Open with a pair of 64s. Still, the competition for the seven million dollar purse is already fierce.

Top-ranking Jon Ram, Matthew Southgate, and Oliver Fisher are coming to the second round right behind the leaders at 7-under par and Matt Fitzpatrick, one of my sleeper picks, is starting today alongside Jamie Donaldson and David Drysdale at 6-under.  As the 17,000+ fans who watched the first round will attest, this thing’s just getting started!

American Im, who almost lost his European Tour playing privileges last year, explained why he was particularly pleased with his first round.

"I think it was a bit of luck. I think the big man was definitely watching out for me today. And then I striped the ball quite well at the end. I putted really well through the round. I made some good par saves and I made some good birdie putts to keep it going."

Lee Westwood and Paul Dunne, in consecutive shots, both from about 140 yards, rattled the pin on the par-4 8th hole on Thursday.

Now what are the chances of that happening again today?

TV broadcast of second round action at the Irish Open begins on Golf Channel this morning at 5:30am ET.