Humble Club pro John Dwyer left Darren Clarke crying in the rain at the K Club yesterday.

Grumpy Clarke shot a two over par 74 in the afternoon rain as Dwyer hit a sparkling 69 to match superstars Greg Norman and Colin Montgomerie.

Dwyer, 28, usually plays on the Irish PGA circuit and is happy to work in his shop and give lessons at Ashbourne in Meath.

But he proved that he could rub shoulders with the best with a terrific score in the worst of the afternoon weather that leaves him just two off the lead.

Said Dwyer: "It's a good start. I've been playing really well lately and made just a few too many bogeys at Fota Island last week.

"I shot 68 in the first round at Fota last year and then had an 80 so the key is to forget today's score and go out and play the same way.

"It's nice to be on the same score as the Shark and if I go out and shoot a nice score tomorrow I will be in contention. But I'm not thinking about cuts because you can get very negative that way."

Clarke was one under after four but had the bogeys and no birdies in the lat 14 holes.

"I played bad and I putted worse," he said as he headed for the clubhouse.

Winner of the Irish Order of Merit last season, Dwyer finished second to Paul McGinley in the weather reduced Smurfit Irish PGA Championship in Westport in May.

Playing in the final group he showed his pedigree yesterday with superb golf over the rain-sodden K Club layout.

The rain started to come down in mid afternoon but late starter Dwyer was under par straight away after holing a ten footer for a four at his opening hole, the 584-yard tenth.

Putts of 30 and 20 feet gave him back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th before he made his run for home on three under par.

His first bogey came at the sixth but he got that shot back straight away by hitting a fine nine-iron to eight feet at the seventh.

Then he rifled a seven-iron to three feet at the 173 yard eighth to get to four under, a shot off the lead.

Needing a birdie at the last to tie for the lead with Darren Fichardt and Jarrod Moseley, Dwyer hit a poor eight iron to the last and three putted for a bogey from long distance.

A brother of former Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Mark, Dwyer is not keen to go out on the Tour full time.

"I've made a few attempts but I'm a club pro now. My heart tells me I don't want to go to the tour school again, but my head tells me I should go. If I have an exceptional year I'll think about it.

"I enjoy my life as a club pro at Ashbourne and I enjoy running the shop. The tour life is a hard life and I'm a bit of a home bird."

Edinburgh-born Manchip was the next best of the home- based on pros after a one under par 71.

The Royal Dublin professional was two under after 12 holes but dropped shots at the 15th and 17th before holing from15 feet for a birdie at the last.

There was also a fine performance from Kilkenny's Gary Murphy as he shot a level par 72 while Philip Walton had a solid 74, the same mark as Graeme McDowell.

"I couldn't hole anything on the greens," said McDowell. "I hit the ball really well but on the greens I was poor and I'll have to improve that aspect of my game."

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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