Invitations for the Irish Open are as rare as hen's teeth, which is why there was a certain amount of gnashing of molars when John Daly was handed one for this week's Irish Open.

There was no need to worry. Daly has pulled out at the last minute after moving to first alternate for this week's Travelers Championship in Connecticut. 

Irish PGA champion Mick McGeady is standing by waiting for the call to join US Open star Matthew Fitzpatrick, American Mike Miller, last year's British Amateur champion Garrick Porteous, Derry's Ruaidhri McGee, Galgorm Castle's Gareth Shaw and Chinese players Hao-tong Li and Wen-yi Huang.

The reigning Irish PGA champions has played every Irish Open since it was revived in 1975 and possibly every Irish Open ever staged, which seems like a good reason to invite a player like McGeady.