The Open 2019 journal: & # 039; Chance of a life & # 039; for early birds
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Brian Miller (top left) and his young sons left home at 3:30 AM to get a good spot on the track
The thousands outside Royal Portrush from early morning demonstrated the international appeal of The Open.
Americans, South Africans and Australians joined local golf fans waiting patiently to come in.
It was a moment of sports history that they did not want to miss. It was cold, rain threatened, but they didn't care.
Nothing would stop them from seeing how Darren Clarke struck that historic first shot.
It is estimated that at least 5,000 spectators were on the track before the first shot at 06:35 BST was hit by Darren Clarke.
Among them was Brian Miller from Moira, with his two boys Ewan, 11 and Scott, nine.
He left his house at 3:30 AM to make sure he arrived on time. "It's the chance of a lifetime, I wouldn't miss it," he said.
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ALLSPORT / Getty Images
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Dungannon & # 39; s Darren Clarke in action at the seventh hole in the opening round
Most people in the line were not born the last time. The Open was played in Portrush in 1951.
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There is no question who's favorite this week
Apart from the hordes of children who follow Rory McIlroy as a golfing rat catcher, there is a certain group of people who keep a sharp eye on the best sport output of Northern Ireland.
Each hole on the Dunluce course is composed by voluntary members of different golf clubs.
The club chosen to direct the traffic of spectators on the 14th is none other than Rory & # 39; s Holywood home club.
"Rory & # 39; s hole", as it is now called, is a par 4 of 473 yard that most players like to match, but the men and women in the light blue marshals' outfits will try to make their man to bring higher heights.
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GLYN KIRK
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Rory McIlroy's fans, friends and family hope the Holywood star will shine this week
Husband and wife team Conor and Fiona O & Kane, who manned the greenside grandstand, heard how great Rory would be if they joined Holywood in 2004.
"At the time, Gerry McIlroy was a bar manager and talked about how good his son was on golf," Fiona said.
"We used to say: & # 39; Wouldn't it be great if your Rory were good enough to go on a tour? & # 39; That's how much we knew."
Today, Conor and Fiona diehard are members of Team Rory.
Fiona admits that she sometimes finds it hard to see when he is in battle, saying, "I just get too scared."
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Conor and Fiona O & # 39; Kane gather one of the stands
Conor believes that, precisely because he has not won a major since 2014, the World Nr. 3 is assessed very hard.
"He is still one of the best golfers in the world and as good as anyone on his day."
Whether Sunday is his day remains to be seen, but there will certainly be enough people with an extra incentive to support him on the 14th.
G Mac & # 39; s in cider knowledge
If there's a man Raling McIlroy and Tiger Woods Rays for encouragement this week, it's Portrush & # 39; s own Graeme McDowell
In his own estimation, he must have passed Fred Daly's clubhouse photo with the Claret Jug in his hand "about 10,000 times" and the former US Open winner is immensely proud of the Open on his home field.
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ANP
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Graeme McDowell braved the practice area on Wednesday morning
While G Mac sees his chances when he can "settle down" in the first nine, it is his countryman Rory McIlroy who holds up the bragging rights around the Dunluce Left with a track record 61, shot when he was just 16.
But did McDowell ever match that total in all times that he played here?
"I remember 63 in an informal round. A few times.
" Never in the Northern of Ireland qualifying, that is when Rory did his.
"When you have a card in your pocket and you play the game pins, such a score is a real score.
" Not when you're out with maybe a Magners on the 10th tee with the boys, that's not a real 63 … maybe it's a better one, who knows? "
Rain game
When the first days of glorious sunshine in Royal Portrush braved the Irish weather gods, then they had their revenge on Wednesday
Strong winds and stinging crowds saw spectators huddled under umbrellas and plastic ponchos, while even some golfers knew better.
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell both braved the practice ground in the morning and hit balls in hopefully the worst conditions of the week, but when the tough Spaniard Jon Rahm first stepped on the first tee, he stood around for about 10 minutes, looking at the sky and thought about it
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Getty Images
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Crowds encourage it again during a practice round on Wednesday
The rain in Spain may fall mainly on the plain, but in Northern Ireland it falls where it wants.
Please note, while informal golf enthusiasts may prefer a sun-drenched week, there are many who donate I want to see the Dunluce link humiliated by & # 39; the world's best in benign conditions.
One fan who arrived at the course on Wednesday said: "This is exactly what I wanted to see … a real test. Tighten them!"
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Media Caption The Open 2019: & # 39; It & # 39; s the local accent & # 39; – Tiger Woods is struggling to understand BBC reporter
As the day wore on the rain, but not the wind.
If the prediction is something to pass, the man who lifts the Claret Jug on Sunday to Sunday has overcome most elements as well as the golf course.
