'I want to get back here so bad' - Howard misses cut but proud after dream week

Amateur, David Howard of Ireland tees off on the first hole during Day Two of the The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 17, 2026 in Southport, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

David Howard vowed to return for a second bite of the cherry in The Open after a dream week ended in heroic disappointment when he missed the cut by just two strokes.

The Cork amateur (27), whose feat in qualifying for the game’s biggest Major after a lifelong battle with Cystic Fibrosis made headlines worldwide, shot a superb 69 but narrowly missed the weekend on three-over.

Despite not playing his best, he took huge confidence from his performance, finishing level with US Open champion Wyndham Clark and a shot better than world number four Matt Fitzpatrick.

It added up to a “dream” experience—from the locker room to the crowd support—and fuelled his determination to return.

“I played nowhere near my best golf and only missed the cut by two shots,” said Howard, who plans to remain at Royal  Birkdale to watch the weekend action.

“I suppose there’s a lot to take from that and I suppose it shows I’m well capable.”

He added: “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.

“This is definitely going to push me on to try and get back to this. This is where I want to be.”

Howard was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of seven and has spoken about using golf to inspire others living with the condition, while also serving as an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

Four over starting the day, Howard birdied the third and fifth and followed a bogey at the seventh with birdies at the eighth and 11th to get within a shot of the cut line.

But he bogeyed the par-five 14th after being forced to take a penalty drop in the heavy rough and while he couldn’t find the two birdies he needed to make the weekend, he parred his way home.

“Yeah, it was great to have an under-par round in The Open Championship, which is mad to think about,” he said. “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.

“I could see one-over was kind of looking likely (to be the cut and (I was) looking forward to the par-fives, 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.”

As for what’s next, he had no plans to head home just yet.

“Yeah, we booked a ferry home for Monday two days ago, so we're going to stick with that plan,” he said. “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.

‘I got a bit of advice and had a good chat with them (the stars). Min Woo Lee in the practice round, too. That was pretty cool. The whole experience has been unbelievable.

“I'll definitely wake up the next couple of days and think of the dream, to be honest.

“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 Ryanair flight on Wednesday was just people coming here to watch me. It was class, and it was such a great experience.”

As for tears amongst his supporters as he came up just short of being the only amateur to make the weekend and securing the Silver Medal, he admitted he’d likely show his emotions later.

“Yeah, I'd say there might have been a few tears,” he said. “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.

“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.