Filed under: Golf
Ross Fisher enjoyed an encouraging start in his bid to defend his Irish Open title with a first round total of 67 that put him in joint fifth place.The Englishman, who broke the course record at Killarney by posting a 61 last year, kept his focus despite being followed by one of the biggest galleries of the day having been paired with US Open champion, Rory McIlroy.
Fisher, 30, made four birdies - two on the front and two on the back nine - and signed for a faultless four-under total.
It was a welcome return to form for the Ryder Cup star and he says he is now ready to "catch fire".
He told Sky Sports: "It does feel like it. I was disappointed to miss the cut at the Open and, because I have slipped out of the top 50 in the world, I did not play in the US Open.
"That is the target right now, to get back into the top 50 in the world, so it is going to be three important weeks for me."
Fisher says he was not put off by all the attention surrounding his playing partner McIlroy, yet the Northern Irishman suffered a mixed round and had to settle for score of one-under 70.
The 22-year-old made an early charge with four birdies in his first 10 holes but then made a bogey at the 11th. A superb second shot over the trees at 14 saved him par but more misery was to come his way when he hit the water at the 18th on his way to a double bogey finish.
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