Howell rides to Irish Open lead on eagle

KILLARNEY, Ireland, July 29 (UPI) -- An eagle at the 16th hole carried David Howell to the first-round lead Thursday at the European Tour's 3 Irish Open.

Howell had five birdies before his eagle and didn't have a bogey at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club en route to a 7-under-par 64. He has a 1-stroke lead over Richard Green and Damien McGrane.

Darren Clarke led a group of nine players tied for fourth at 5-under 66.

Robert Rock, who finished second when he lost a playoff at last year's Irish Open, also shot 65 but was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Two of the scores on the back nine were reversed.

Howell jumped up the leaderboard with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from Nos. 4-7. He added birdies at 13 and 15 before an eagle at the par-5, 519-yard 16th hole gave him the lead.

"That was nice. Haven't done that for a long time but I holed a few bombs today," Howell said. "I chipped in and I think I holed three long ones as well.

"As it happens, I had a few more chances that I missed but I certainly holed more than my fair share, which in fairness you normally do when you shoot 64."