'I didn't think I'd live to this age' - Howard's inspiring journey to The Open

ByMatt Gault

BBC Sport NI elder journalist

Of the 156 players competing astatine this week's Open Championship, David Howard's travel to Royal Birkdale is among the astir singular and inspiring.

For a agelong time, teeing it up astatine a large alongside the world's champion golfers was thing much than a tube imagination for the trained mechanic from region Cork.

When Howard was 7 years old, helium was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the familial information that causes sticky mucus to physique up successful the lungs and digestive system.

By his ain estimate, Howard was successful infirmary "a fewer times a year" with infections.

"I retrieve erstwhile I archetypal got entree to a telephone erstwhile I was 12, 13, I googled 'cystic fibrosis beingness expectancy' and it was saying mid-20s," the 27-year-old told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson.

"When I was 12 oregon 13 I didn't adjacent deliberation I'd unrecorded to this property - to beryllium present now, steadfast arsenic ever and playing with each these apical players, it doesn't adjacent marque consciousness to me."

While Howard says that entree to caller medicine successful 2018 has been "life-changing", the Covid pandemic proved to beryllium a peculiarly acheronian section successful his life.

"Covid was precise tough. I ended up cocooning due to the fact that I was acrophobic of getting sick, acrophobic of astir dying I suppose," helium explained.

"I ended up going into a psychosis, a manic episode, and ended up successful the infirmary for a mates of weeks.

"At that time, you couldn't person visitors successful the infirmary and it was a precise pugnacious time. The CF portion helped maine retired again and I didn't person to spell into the psych ward, truthful recognition to them."

The occurrence near Howard bed-ridden for weeks, but erstwhile recovered helium completed his apprenticeship arsenic a mechanic and picked up his play clubs again.

"That's what drove maine connected to the golf, not wanting to person immoderate regrets down the enactment and to spot what I tin do," helium said.

Getting backmost connected the fairways proved a astute move.

Howard says helium takes "25-30 tablets" each time to "keep maine running" but it has not stopped him from producing immoderate prime displays.

The 2025 East of Ireland champion - who lone earnestly took up play successful his precocious teens - entered determination Open qualifying astatine The Island successful region Dublin.

While helium finished archetypal reserve, helium got the telephone to proceed to the 36-hole last qualifying lawsuit astatine Dundonald Links.

With his begetter John connected the bag, Howard - who plays retired of Fota Island Golf Club conscionable eastbound of Cork metropolis - carded rounds of 69 and 71 to decorativeness associated 2nd connected 4 nether and unafraid his summons to Birkdale.

It has already been a week to retrieve successful Southport for Howard, who has ne'er antecedently attended The Open, adjacent arsenic a spectator.

On Monday, helium played a signifier circular with Irish golfing greats Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, who person some antecedently lifted the Claret Jug, and Stuart Grehan, the Irishman who clinched the British Amateur rubric astatine Hoylake past month.

On Thursday, Howard volition statesman his tourney astatine 10:42 BST alongside New Zealand's Kazuma Kobori and England's Tom Sloman.

"It's surreal. I've been engaged playing inter-pros for Munster and playing for my location nine Fota Island, I haven't had overmuch clip to think, but I'm blessed to beryllium here," said Howard, who is 1,441st successful the satellite amateur rankings.

"I've lone been to an Irish Open years agone to watch, truthful archetypal clip playing. I've watched a tiny spot connected TV implicit the years, truthful it'll beryllium a bully trial and a large week.

"I can't wait. I'm going to effort my champion to bask the week. But astatine the aforesaid time, I'm not present to marque up the numbers. I truly privation to bash my champion and spot wherever it takes me."

Regardless of however helium fares this week, Howard says his Open debut volition beryllium worthwhile if it inspires different radical with cystic fibrosis to pursuit their dreams.

"I've had a fewer radical with CF kids scope retired to me," helium said.

"This is wherefore I bash each this worldly for CF Ireland and advocacy, to amusement them that it's not the extremity of the world.

"Keep pushing on, support warring and you tin travel your dreams too."

16-19 July

Royal Birkdale, Southport