IRISH OPEN:FOR A time you could have been anywhere. Pebble Beach or St Andrews, Augusta or Whistling Straits. As the roars reverberated around the Killeen course hard by the shore of Lough Leane, the 3 Irish Open had a feel beyond that of a regular European Tour event. It had a resonance more attuned to the Majors and, for a while, it seemed as if Ross Fisher – the perpetrator of so many of those roars – was on the verge of creating history.

As it transpired, that magical 59 – never achieved on the European Tour – remained as elusive as a leprechaun.

Fisher’s course-record 61, which gave him the midway lead on 12-under-par 130, was special to behold on a day when quality golf was the main commodity on offer.

Even so, a number of anguished souls carded scores as high as 12 on individual holes and were left to contemplate how the Englishman could conquer the course so completely.

If Fisher’s round was a master class which just ran out of steam at the death in his quest for that first sub-60, another wonderful day’s play on this pristine course saw some notables adopt the role of pursuers.

Francesco Molinari, like Fisher, covered the front nine in a mere 29 strokes to emerge as the chief chaser, three shots adrift.

But Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and Michael Hoey were among those in a nine-strong group just a further two shots behind in a share of third.

“It all depends what Ross does, to be honest,” said McIlroy of the task facing those seeking to make up ground. “I think the guys chasing him just have to concentrate on their own game and try to get off to the best possible start to put pressure on him. But, then again, he showed at the European Open a couple of years back that he can run away with championships.”

On that occasion, Fisher won the 2008 European Open by seven strokes.

Fisher, a three-time winner on tour, played what he considered to be “flawless golf”. As the grey clouds occasionally dispensed rain on the 17,396 spectators, Fisher, who has veteran caddie Phil “Wobbly” Morbey on his bag for the first time, accumulated 10 birdies in the opening 14 holes, and, until an eight-foot birdie putt on the 15th evaded the hole, it seemed as if he was destined to make history.

It was not to be, despite Fisher giving himself other chances coming in. “Unfortunately, I didn’t make them,” he said.

“This is why we play golf. You always want to have your name up on the leaderboard and to be contending. This one is a special tournament and it’s the start of three really important weeks (including the Bridgestone Invitational and the US PGA). It bodes well.”

His course record started with a 15-footer for birdie on the third, which sparked a run of six birdies as his driver, irons and putter seemingly obeyed his every whim.

Standing on the 14th green, which was to be the scene of his 10th and final birdie, Fisher allowed the thought of the 59 to cross his mind for the first time.

“I thought, ‘if I knock this in, I’ll get it to 12 and 10-under for the round and I need two more in the last four’. I immediately forgot about it, and got on with the job at hand which was holing that putt.”

He would achieve that immediate goal, but thereafter the birdies dried up. He missed an eight-footer on the 15th, found the rough on the 16th, and although he had birdie chances on the 17th and 18th, the man who grew up playing his golf at Wentworth had to be satisfied with a career-low 61.

Now, he wants to push on. Having won a tournament in each of the last three seasons and jumped into the world’s top-20 by the end of last year, Fisher’s best result this season came in the BMW International in June where he was second. More evidence of a return to form came with an eighth-placed finish in the Scottish Open.

“The season so far has been disappointing. But, you know, with a change on the bag, and I know the game is in good shape, I’ve just got to go out there and capitalise on good golf on the greens. So far this week, it’s doing all right,” said Fisher.

Molinari threatened to move into closer proximity, but the Italian suffered bogeys on the 12th and 14th, before he grabbed his only birdie of the homeward run on the 18th for a 66, which left him on 133.

Nine Irish players survived the cut, which fell on level par 142.

McIlroy, the pre-tournament favourite and highest ranked player in the field, was alongside Harrington and Hoey on seven under, with Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley on six under.

Damien McGrane is five under, Shane Lowry three under and Barrie Trainor and Graeme McDowell level.

McIlroy, for his part, was a little frustrated. “It seemed like every time I made a birdie, I made a bogey and it sort of halted me in my tracks. I’ve got myself out of position a couple of times and found it difficult to get up and down. I’ve got to take it nice and easy and play within myself a little bit.”

As he knows from his breakthrough at Quail Hollow, anything can happen over the weekend. The important thing is to have the chance to make it happen.