McDowell, McIlroy bring huge Ulster hopes for St. Andrews

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Rory McIlroy, 20, is already competing in his third Open Championship.

United Kingdom at the British Open

Click the flag for analysis of each country's favorites, history in golf's oldest major:

ENGLAND Westwood, Rose, Poulter among favorites this year NORTHERN IRELAND Graeme, Rory bring lot of momentum SCOTLAND Monty's last shot at a major title? WALES 2010 Ryder Cup host winless all-time in Open

Although Padraig Harrington has twice brought the Claret Jug home to the Emerald Isle in the last three years, Fred Daly remains the only player from Northern Ireland to have won the Open Championship.

Northern Ireland

By the numbers

Population: 1.7 million '10 British Open entries: 3 Former winners: 1

Daly's victory came in 1947 as he beat American amateur Frank Stranahan and R.W. Horne by a stroke at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England. As he accepted the Claret Jug after the hard-fought win, Daly, who had six top-10 finishes at the Open in a seven-year span, charmed the crowd.

"It is a great honor to take this trophy back to Ireland with me," he famously said. "It has never been over there before -- and I hope the change of air will help it."

Northern Ireland has more than 80 golf courses, including two of the world's best in Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. But identifying world-class golfers among the country's population of just under 2 million has been more challenging until just recently. Suddenly there are two Northern Irishman -- Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy -- among the men to beat at St. Andrews while Darren Clarke and Gareth Maybin will also carry the colors in Scotland.

1. This year's favorite: Given his steady play at Pebble Beach, which offered a links-style test during the U.S. Open last month, Graeme McDowell would have to top the list of contenders. The Ulsterman grew up in the shadow of Portrush and after a standout career at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, where his collegiate scoring average beat that of Tiger Woods and Luke Donald, he paid his dues. The win at the U.S. Open was the sixth of his career -- and second straight, moving him to the top of the European Tour's Race to Dubai.

2. Best player to have won the Open: This is an easy one since Fred Daly is the only player from Northern Ireland to have hoisted the Claret Jug. Daly, who finished second, five strokes behind Henry Cotton, in his title defense in 1948, played in four Ryder Cups. Like McDowell, Daly was born in Portrush and he was affiliated with the Balmoral Club in Belfast when he won the Open Championship. Daly, who did not play in any of the other three majors, suffered a fatal heart attack in 1990.

3. Best to have never won the Open: Darren Clarke, who played his way into the Open Championship when he finished second Sunday at Loch Lomond, gets the nod here. Clarke is among the rare few who have won more than one World Golf Championships -- and his victory at the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2000 came at the expense of his good friend Tiger Woods. Even so, Clarke only has two top-10 finishes in 14 starts at the Open Championship -- a tie second in 1997 and a share of third in 2001.

4. Best young player: Again, this one is easy -- if only because McDowell turned 30 last July. The 21-year-old Rory McIlroy has all the tools to contend for the Open Championship and many other majors. His record in golf's crown jewels this year hasn't been stellar -- with missed cuts in the first two -- but McIlroy tied for third at last year's PGA and 10th in the 2009 U.S. Open. He also picked up his first PGA TOUR victory with a sizzling 62 in the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship.

5. Wild card: There are many who would look past the 41-year-old Darren Clarke and focus on Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy. Don't discount the veteran, though. Clarke played well in difficult conditions at the Barclays Scottish Open last week just to earn his spot. Not to mention, the widower has found a comfort zone off the course that brings balance to his life. A win by the affable Ulsterman would be a popular one.