Of the 156 players competing at this week's Open Championship, David Howard's journey to Royal Birkdale is among the most remarkable and inspiring.
For a long time, teeing it up at a major alongside the world's best golfers was nothing more than a pipe dream for the trained mechanic from county Cork.
When Howard was seven years old, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the genetic condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system.
By his own estimate, Howard was in hospital "a few times a year" with infections.
"I remember when I first got access to a phone when I was 12, 13, I googled 'cystic fibrosis life expectancy' and it was saying mid-20s," the 27-year-old told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson.
For a long time, teeing it up at a major alongside the world's best golfers was nothing more than a pipe dream for the trained mechanic from county Cork.
When Howard was seven years old, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the genetic condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system.
By his own estimate, Howard was in hospital "a few times a year" with infections.
"I remember when I first got access to a phone when I was 12, 13, I googled 'cystic fibrosis life expectancy' and it was saying mid-20s," the 27-year-old told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson.
4 months ago
