THE 154TH OPEN

July 17, 2026

David Howard

Mixed Zone

Q. David Howard, you just shot in the 60s in an Open Championship. Talk a little bit about your round and the reaction to that.

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, it was great to have an under-par round in The Open championship, which is mad to think about. But yeah, a bit disappointed with the way I finished, but happy how I went at it today. Stayed really aggressive, hit driver on every hole and just disappointed with the finish, but great experience overall.

Q. 2-under for the day and one outside the cut with five to play and two of them par-5s. Were you totally aware of your position and the likely cut?

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, I could see 1-over was kind of looking likely. Looking forward to them par-5s, but a couple loose drives, bad timing, got a bit quick and didn't work out in the end, but yeah, it was a great day all around.

Q. What were your biggest takeaways from the week, first in a golfing sense?

DAVID HOWARD: Golfing sense, I played nowhere near my best golf and only missed the cut by two shots. I suppose there's a lot to take from that and I suppose shows I'm well capable. Just need to put a bit more work and let's see where we can go.

Q. Given you finished level with the U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, you were ahead of the world No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick, a few weeks ago that would have been unimaginable.

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, I didn't know that. No, it was an unbelievable week and shows my game is not that far off. My game today and the last two days wasn't great, I thought, but just shows that even with being off, I'm still up around that mark, which is great.

Q. Overall, the week as a whole, any other particular highlights?

DAVID HOWARD: Just the whole thing in general. My first time at an Open, even as a spectator, so it was just unbelievable, everything. Even just being in the locker room with all the top players and in the gym with all the top players. I think I'm going to look at it back in a week's time like, how was I there, to be honest. It's like being in a dream. It's been such a great week. The whole setup is unbelievable.

Q. It sounds like you'll be giving it a chase to try and get here again?

DAVID HOWARD: Exactly. This is definitely going to push me on to try and get back to this. This is where I want to be, and hopefully I can get back here.

Q. Are you going to hang around at all for the weekend? Are you back to Cork? What happens the next couple days?

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, we booked a ferry home for Monday two days ago, so we're going to stick with that plan. Go out and watch it and see how it's done and maybe take a bit from that too and just enjoy the weekend. It'll be a great weekend anyway.

Q. Any standout memories or interactions?

DAVID HOWARD: Well, (indiscernible) I got a bit of advice and had a good chat with them. Min Woo Lee in the practice round, too. That was pretty cool. It's just been -- the whole experience has been unbelievable. Yeah.

Q. You've just played at The Open; your thoughts?

DAVID HOWARD: Unbelievable. What a great week and some experience. I'll definitely wake up the next couple days and think of the dream, to be honest. It was unbelievable.

Q. Your home club at Fota Island, it's used to big moments. You created quote a lot of them today.

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, I had plenty of Fota Island people out there today. The support out there is unbelievable. Can't thank them all enough. I'd say the Ryan Air flight on Wednesday was just people coming here to watch me. It was class, and it was such a great experience.

Q. It was extraordinary because there was noise but there was tears. It was a very emotional last five or six holes that you played.

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, I'd say there might have been a few tears. Everyone out there today are special people to me. I tried to hold myself back from getting emotional myself, and I'll allow that to come out soon. But no, it was such a special few days, to be honest.

Q. You shot under par today. Front nine, difficult conditions. Has it given you an appetite for next year?

DAVID HOWARD: 100 percent. I want to get back here so bad. Definitely going to make me work harder and keep putting in the work to keep pushing on. Yeah, I just want to get back here so bad. It's unbelievable.

Q. You have the weekend off; how are you planning to celebrate?

DAVID HOWARD: Yeah, we have the ferry home and the camper van on Monday, and then I have to go to a third event so I'm going to enjoy the weekend, see our sons play the big dogs, and yeah, just enjoy the week with friends and family, so it'll be great.