Irish Open Day One: Rory McIlroy best of the Irish after opening 68 at ...

Irish Open leaderboard

Todd Clements -5 (66)
Sami Valimaki -4 (67)
Alejandro Del Rey -4 (67)
Rory McIlroy -3 (68)
Will Enefer -3 (68)
Marcus Armitage -3 (68)
Thriston Lawrence -3 (68)
Filippo Celli -3 (68)

Irish selection:

Shane Lowry +1 (72)
Max Kennedy +1 (72) 
Simon Thornton +2 (73)
Pádraig Harrington +2 (73)
Gary Hurley +3 (74)
Séamus Power +3 (74)
Tom McKibbin +3 (74)

That's the end of these updates on day one of the Irish Open but we will be back bright and early in the morning to follow everything that Friday has to offer. 

Before then, check back in with Independent.ie this evening as there will be a report on today's golf along with reaction from Brian Keogh at Royal County Down. 

Clements (-5) heads for the clubhouse with a one-shot advantage

A par on his final hole leaves the English golfer one ahead of Sami Valimaki of Finland and Spain's Alejandro Del Rey, who are both on four under, with a group of five – that includes Rory McIlroy – back on three under.

Todd Clements moves to five under

The 28-year-old from Colchester is certainly making his mark on day one, birdies on 7 and 8 taking him into the outright lead with just one hole now remaining. 

Then, on the par-five 18th, he lines up a long eagle putt and goes for the pin. It's not to be but he does make the birdie putt to card a 68, leaving him right in the mix – one behind leaders Sami Valimaki and Tom Clements. 

It's a 74 for Co Down's Tom McKibbin 

21-year-old McKibbin attempts an eagle on the final hole but his putt doesn’t turn. He taps in for a three over 74 on day one. 

Shane Lowry records a one over 72 with birdie finish

The 37-year-old adds another par on 17 and, looking to end on a positive note, gets himself on the green in two on the final hole.

He makes the birdie – his second today – to end the first round on one over. Lowry may not be playing his best golf but has stayed very much in the running and will be confident of making improvements tomorrow. 

Three more join the group out in front

Finland's Sami Valimaki, Marcus Armitage and Jordan Smith – both of England – are the latest players to play themselves into a score of three under. 

That means there are seven golfers edging it ahead of the rest right now, while 29 are under par as the scoring improves as the day has gone on. 

Rory birdies 16 to return to the red

On the par-four 16th, McIlroy sends his tee shot 327 yards down the fairway and then sticks his second shot 3ft from the pin. That allows him to putt for birdie and go back below par with two remaining.  

Clements back in the pack after missing par putt

We've got four golfers on three under as Todd Clements is unable to hole his putt for par on 13. He joins Will Enefer, who's in the clubhouse, Alejandro Del Rey and Filippo Celli in a tie for the lead. 

Lowry cards two more pars, McIlroy drops off the pace with consecutive bogeys

Shane Lowry holes pars on 15 and 16, both par-fours, so it's still two under for the Offaly man. 

Unfortunately, Rory McIlroy has just bogeyed 15, his second dropped shot on the bounce, to drop to even par. 

Clements one shot ahead as Del Rey and Celli come into the reckoning

That bogey-free run has ended for the current leader, Todd Clements, who is back to four under after a five on the par-four second. 

Spain's Alejandro Del Rey and Filippo Celli of Italy have both got themselves up to three under with six and seven holes remaining respectively. 

McIlroy (-1) slips up on 14

On 13, McIlroy sends his first shot 281 yards into the rough, but finds the green with his approach. He leaves his birdie putt two yards from the hole and tidies up for par. 

But par-three 14th sees Rory send his par putt around the lip of the hole – meaning it's a second bogey today. 

Bogey-free Clements out on his own

There has been some significant movement at the top of the leaderboard. It's five under for Todd Clements thanks to his latest birdie on 1. 

Elsewhere, Thriston Lawrence has double-bogeyed 14 after an awful tee shot and he's fallen to two under. 

Rory moves to two-under-par

McIlroy hits a top-class pitch on 12 to set himself up for a routine birdie putt. He's brought himself to within two shots of the leaders. 

Lowry (+2) has putt for par on 14 and has just four holes to play. 

Lawrence joins Clements on four under

27-year-old Thriston Lawrence has just sunk a 20-foot putt on 13 for his fifth birdie of the round, so he's now joint-leader with Todd Clements.

Eagle putt gives Clements (-4) the solo lead

England's Todd Clements has jumped into a one-shot advantage at the summit of the leaderboard with a sublime eagle on 18, which is his halfway point. 

Thriston Lawrence of South Africa (-2) has birdied 12 to leave him one behind Clements and tied for second with Will Enefer. 

Lowry loses ground on two over, excellent recovery shot from McIlroy

From the 11th tee, McIlroy drives into marram grass and then, with his second shot, sees the ball trickle into the bunker. However, he produces a fabulous shot from the sand to give himself an easy putt and take par. 

Lowry has to hack his way out of the long grass with his third shot on 12 after getting in a spot of bother. He has done well to give himself a putt for par, but must be kicking himself after missing it and that’s a third bogey today. 

McIlroy is two shots ahead of his close friend – and two behind the leader – thanks to his birdie at 9.

"It was cold, really. That was the tough thing at the start. The wind wasn't that bad, it was probably only about 10mph but by the time we got to 6/7 it was pretty brutal by then."

Will Enefer, who is currently leading the way on three under, chats about the challenging conditions and his first-round 68.