David Howard was on top of the world after he secured his place in this month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and he can’t wait to rub shoulders with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington.
Howard’s story is inspiration in more ways than one. He only started playing in Irish championships three years ago but his battle with Cystic Fibrosis is well documented in Ireland and will be highlighted even more during Open week in a fortnight as he shows that anything is possible.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet but it’s pretty special and I’m looking forward to it. I only started playing Irish championships as an amateur three years go so it can’t get much better than this. It’s mad. I actually can’t even imagine it. I can’t wait to be there and see how it goes,” said the Fota Island star who spent much of his childhood in hospital with the genetic disorder and eventually suffered from psychosis.
“If the younger kids can see me do this, it shows anything is possible if you put in the work. It’s good for the whole CF community that someone with CF can play in it in a Major championship.”
Howard will link up with McIlroy, Harrington, Shane Lowry, Amateur champion Stuart Grehan, Darren Clarke and Tom McKibbin at The Open and it will be his first Open experience altogether having never traveled over as a spectator before.
“We’ll see how much different I am for them. To tee it up with Rory McIlroy or Pádraig Harrington, or any of those boys in practice would be cool and Stuart Grehan is playing as well after winning the Amateur title.
“Seeing all the messages coming in from everyone is mad. It makes you realise what a big deal it is. It’s class. I am looking forward to it. No words for it really.”
Howard’s story is quite something, having worked at Audi Cork as a mechanic for five years he decided to transition to full time golf. The Cystic Fibrosis ambassador won his first Irish championship last year at the East of Ireland and is looking to try and launch a late summer bid for the GB&I Walker Cup team in Lahinch.
For now it’ll be back to amateur golf for the Cork man who will tee it up in Knightsbrook for Munster at the Interprovincial Championships next week.
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