Joaquin Niemann has set the early clubhouse lead at the Amgen Irish Open as Pádraig Harrington saw a messy finishing stretch leave him with work to do at Doonbeg.
A tournament dominated beforehand by the expected visit of United States President Donald Trump, the on-course action got underway on Thursday in trying conditions.
Chilean Niemann was out in a group with Ireland’s Seamus Power and Austria’s Sepp Straka, and a run of four birdies from the 14th to the 17th saw him shoot to the top of the pile on five-under par.
A birdie at the 14th saw Waterford’s Power return to level par, but three bogeys from there leaves him a precarious position ahead of Friday’s action with Straka finishing two shots better on one-over par.
Harrington was in the group after that trio and a birdie at the second thrilled the early morning crowd.
𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗴
McIlroy gets up and down from the greenside bunker for a birdie before Lowry, Reed and Rahm have a cut at the par-five fourth hole… #RTEgolf #AmgenIrishOpen
📺 RTÉ2
🖥️ https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/1kyVlBHSsX
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 2026
It was pars all the way elsewhere until he reached the 14th, which he bogeyed, with further dropped shots at the 15th and 18th – offset somewhat by a birdie after a brilliant tee shot at the par-three 16th – saw him finish on one-over par.
Cormac Sharvin is three-over par after his opening round while Mark Power is a shot further back after bogeys on his two closing holes.
Thomas Higgins is also four-over par after a disastrous pair of consecutive double bogeys on the back nine.
The Roscommon golfer, on his professional debut, provided one of the highlights of the day for the County Clare crowd with an eagle on the par-five eight, but double bogeys at the 14th and 15th saw him fall down the leaderboard.
A number of Irish golfers remain on course currently with Tom McKibbin best placed on three-under par after seven holes.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are both two-under par after five holes.
‘𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿’
The wind is blowing in Doonbeg and the action has slowed to a crawl. Not that our panel will be getting the violins out for the #AmgenIrishOpen field #RTEgolf
📺 RTÉ2 & RTÉplayer pic.twitter.com/7NdG3OWxqj
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 2026