When David Howard googled the life expectancy of someone with Cystic Fibrosis, it wasn’t much older than the age he is today which makes his qualification for this month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale all the more inspirational.
From a golfing perspective Howard’s journey to The Open is eye catching, he only began playing in Irish championships three years ago. But from a life view, his story is remarkable and he hopes to show children battling Cystic Fibrosis that absolutely anything is possible.
The Fota Island star was diagnosed with CF when he was seven. Much of his childhood involved prolonged stints in hospitals and even a battle with psychosis during Covid. Unsure of whether he would see his current age of 27, Howard is set to inspire on a global platform at the 154th Open.
“I’ve been saying it the last year or so that a lot of what I do with CF Ireland is to show families or show people with CF that anything is possible,” says Howard who has been an ambassador for CF Ireland since 2024 and recently raised €3,445 during the 65km for 65 Roses challenge.
“The advancements in treatment has allowed us to follow our dreams and live a longer life which is just incredible. I am very grateful for that. It’s good to show younger kids, a few have contacted me on instagram, it’s great to show them that it’s not the end of the world having CF. You can still do plenty and live a good life.”
In 2023, Howard decided to walk away from Audi Cork where he worked as a mechanic to give full time amateur golf a go. His big breakthrough on the golf course came last year when he won the East of Ireland Championship, but The Open in two weeks is a seismic leap for someone who was unable to get into the Munster Strokeplay field three years ago.
Once proper CF medication became available in 2019 and Howard started to see improvements in his daily life he wanted to have no regrets in life and is living each day to the fullest.
“No, never. I only started taking golf seriously in 2023 when I got through the qualifier in the West. I didn’t even get into the Munster Strokeplay three years ago so from not getting into that to getting into The Open is a nice step up!
“When I was younger with CF I played a lot of pitch and putt when I was younger. In 2019 I beat my dad in the Muskerry Junior Scratch Cup and from there I won a couple of Senior Scratch Cups and began working in Audi Cork as a mechanic and got to plus two handicap on the old system. That was from showing up on weekends not doing any practice so I thought imagine what I can do if I put some time into it.
“I was still working full time and did well on the Irish circuit and decided to give golf a lash full time and see where it takes me. With the CF thing I didn’t want to have any regrets down the line not knowing what will happen so I’m giving it everything.”
Howard chuckles that he can’t complain with how life is going despite his battle with CF. But there was a time where he didn’t know where to turn. In fact, he went undiagnosed for the first seven years of his life but his mother Eithna tirelessly searched for the answers and finally got them.
“At the age of seven you are still young and don’t know exactly what’s going on in the world but I was thrown into the deep end of being in hospital for weeks and missing school, not living a normal childhood. My friends and family were all very good to me.
“Medication wise there wasn’t really anything until 2019 and since then there have been a few ups and downs but I can’t complain, I am going in the right direction and it’s great to see mainstream companies bringing out modulators to give us more of a future.
“I remember googling it for the first time when I was 12-13 and life expectancy was mid-20s so we’ve come this far now and doing quite well.”
CF is a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. The word rare is key as it meant that Howard spent most of his childhood alone. Stints in hospital saw him miss huge chunks of the school term and given the rarity of the disease it made it difficult to talk about and relate to other people.
Then a transition to new medication and the Covid lockdown presented Howard with another daunting challenge as he suffered from psychosis and more hospital visits.
“I had a different childhood. CF is a very lonely thing you can’t just go for a coffee and chat about it because it’s a very rare thing to have. So I was on my own a lot. It was a strange time. Then the psychosis moment during Covid was a tough year or two. I was told I might never be the same again it was that bad but thankfully to friends, family and my girlfriend we came out the other side. A lot of that suffering gave me the appetite to give this whole golf thing a go and take some positives from it after a rough few years.”
These days, the Currabinny native near Ringaskiddy takes up to 30 tablets per day between nebulisers, modulators and digestive enzymes that he must take while having food. It’s quite a complex thing to keep on top of when you are playing full time golf. He says a three month supply of medication will fill a 10kg bag. Airport security must be delighted to see him coming!
Howard has an incredible team behind him whether it is the CF team in Cork University Hospital, his PT Eoin O’Donovan, psychologist Shannon Burke and swing coach Kevin Morris helping get his body and mind in the right place and of course the incredible support of the Fota Island members who will surely be scrambling for tickets to the Open!
He takes Kaftrio and Kalydeco daily and in September will trial a new medication called Alyftrek as he looks to keep inspiring fellow CF battlers. Gone are the days the days where Howard couldn’t even imagine making it to adulthood, refuses to let his condition define him.
“I finished my apprenticeship with Audi Cork and got my degree and that has pushed me on to have no regrets after such a tough time.
“Making it to adulthood with CF is a rare thing so now we are planning for the future and the stuff we didn’t think we would be able to do which is mad really. I used to not think ahead but now I am which is a positive. I want to keep on top of things and keep my lung function on point. I keep taking the medication every day and things are only on the up which is great for young people with CF coming up.”
In two weeks, Howard will live out another dream he didn’t think was possible. He came through 36 holes of golf at Dundonald Links’ Final Qualifying – where he was initially a reserve – to book his spot in The Open. Having hung around all day at the Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool two weeks ago as a reserve without getting the nod to compete, he is delighted to have a tee time just up the road.
“I have a bit of unfinished business over there after the British AM. I literally pinched myself this morning, I wasn’t dreaming!”
Howard hopes to get a tee time with Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry at some point during the week as he looks to lap up the full experience. It will be his first time at the Open Championship in any capacity.
“It’s mad to even think about it, it’s going to be a great week and it’s nice to join Stu as two amateurs. It’s hard to put into words, hopefully get to meet them all and tee it up with them, it’s hard to imagine.
“The year had been decent so far, couple of decent results without anything special. I got loads of good experiences going over to St Andrews and playing in the Brabazon Trophy. I was unfortunate in the Amateur to be hanging around as a reserve so it was nice to get in as a reserve from the Island and make it through. It’s a great buzz.”
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