Irish Golf News

Runner up Leona Maguire is presented with a bottle of pink Champagne by Ivan Khodabakhsh. CEO, Ladies European Tour. Picture: Ladies European Tour.

World amateur No 1 Leona Maguire was looking on the bright side despite agonisingly missing out on a chance to force a playoff for the ISPS HANDA Ladies British Masters at the Buckinghamshire.

Having received an invitation for one of the biggest events on the Ladies European Tour, the 20-year old Duke University star almost sounded like she felt she was the player to beat when she told the Ladies European Tour in the build up: “I’ve nothing to lose this week so I’ll see how I play and how the best players match up against me.”

Whatever she meant to say, only one player in the elite field could beat the biggest golfing sensation to emerge from Ireland since Rory McIlroy. 

And while she said last week that she’s keen to continue at Duke University, where she was the outstanding collegiate player in the US in her freshman year, the pressure to turn professional before the end of her four-year degree may prove irresistible.

Four under par for the day and needing a two to win and a par-three at the 173-yard 18th to match clubhouse leader Beth Allen of the United States on 12 under par, she found herself between clubs and confused by the swirling wind.

After a long debate with her father Declan, who was caddying, her four-iron flew through the green into the back bunker and she failed to get up and down for a par that would have forced sudden-death

Leona Maguire blasts out at the 18th. Picture: Ladies European Tour.

“It was a great week and if someone offered me second place at the start of the week, I’d have grabbed with with both hands," Leona said. "It was a great opportunity to play against the best European Tour pros in a pretty strong field, so I am delighted with my finish.

“it’s a pity about the way it ended but I am happy with the week. I didn’t make many bogeys all week—no more than one or two each day—and if a few putts had dropped here or there it would have made a big difference.

“On a golf course like that it is still pretty good shooting in that field and the wind got up a lot the last two days, which made it tricky.”

Tied for fourth, four shots behind Germany’s Caroline Masson starting the day, Leona birdied the second and third to get to 10 under and then followed a bogey at the fifth with a birdie at the eighth to turn for home within two shots of Allen, who stormed to the turn in 31 to snatch the lead.

As the American played the back nine in level par to set the target at 12 under thanks to a closing five under 67, Leona birdied the 11th and bounced back from a bogey at the 13th with a birdie four at the next to remain in touch.

Birdie chances slipped by from eight feet at the 15th and 12 feet at the 16th but she got up and down from the back bunker at the driveable 17th for birdie to match Allen on 12 under, only to drop that crucial shot at the last.

“I knew it was tight coming up 18 and we didn’t really know where the wind was coming from,” Leona said after a 69 left her a shot behind the popular American Allen, who claimed her maiden title after 10 years a professional and a cheque for €75,000.

Leona Maguire in action in the final round. Picture: Ladies European Tour.

“I thought it was downwind, dad thought it was into the wind and it was probably the wrong club off the tee but I’m very proud of the way I played all day. Going out at the start of the day I would have taken that so it’s been a great day.”

Insisting she “definitely” had more belief in her ability after a quite wonderful performance, she added: “I didn’t even play at my best this week. 

"There were glimpses of it today, so it’s definitely a huge confidence booster going into the rest of the season that I can play with the best out here.”

“I wasn’t that nervous and I hit a great shot it was just the wrong club,” said Leona, who missed out on a cheque for €€50,750 as she’s an amateur but picked Rolex World Ranking points.

“We knew it was off the left. He thought it was hurting, I wasn’t so sure. I wanted to hit five, he wanted me to hit four. It was in between. He was only trying to help and its one of those awkward yardages.”

Leona’s next task is to join her Irish team mates in Denmark today for the European Ladies’ Team Championship, which begins at Helsingør Golf Club tomorrow.

Scheduled to go back to Duke University in September, she had no plans to turn professional though she revealed that she’s received an invitation for The Evian Championship from September 10-13, one of the five LPGA Majors, and may try to pre-qualify for the Ricoh Women’s British Open next Monday.

Winner Beth Allen celebrates. Picture: Ladies European Tour.

“The focus is on the European Ladies’ Team Championship in Denmark this week,” she added. “As for turning professional, as I said before my focus is on the summer and the plan is still to go back to college in the autumn. 

“If the results keep going my way it’s a big stepping stone to bigger and better things. But my plan is to back to Duke. We will just take it as it comes.”

Like some of her Duke University team mates they watched the action on a laptop from Denmark but if they saw Leona’s disappointment, they also witnessed the greatest day of Allen’s career as she finally picked up her maiden win.

The 33-year old San Diego native shot to fame in 2011 when she donated a kidney to her brother Dan, who had been in a dialysis machine for the previous five years having undergone his first transplant in 1999.

In another twist, Allen’s caddie was five-time LPGA Tour winner and Solheim Cup star Sophie Gustafson and she admitted her help was crucial.

"I wasn’t sure if it was ever going to happen so I’m really, really happy," Allen said. "I’ve waited a long time for this and I wanted it so, so bad, I’m ecstatic.”

She had finished second three times on the LET but her secret weapon was her new caddie, Sophie Gustafson. The 26-time tournament winner who has represented Europe eight times in The Solheim Cup and this year will be one of Carin Koch’s vice captains at St Leon-Rot in Germany, was on the bag advising Allen as she plotted her way around the Buckinghamshire layout. 

“Honestly, I feel like I just showed up and I didn’t have a lot of expectations because I finished second here in 2012 and haven’t made a cut since,” said Allen. “I thought, well, I’ll do my best and enjoy it and today. I got off to a really good start and thought maybe this can happen and Sophie kept me grounded. I ended up getting it done, so I’m really happy!

“Sophie and I are friends and she offered to help and definitely did. She definitely saved me some shots out there and I am so so grateful.”

The 41-year old Swede, who left the LPGA to play the LET full-time last year, has been struggling with her game and opted to caddie for four weeks, starting at the Buckinghamshire. 

“I don’t know how long I’m going to do it but I’m sure looking forward to it now,” Gustafson told Golf Digest. “It’s a weird feeling cause I also feel I have more to give… I just know that what I’m doing isn’t working and I want something to give.”

Final scores

276 Beth Allen (USA) 71 70 68 67

277 Leona Maguire (IRL) 69 70 69 69

278 Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 67 70 69 72

279 Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN) 69 69 71 70, Rebecca Artis (AUS) 70 72 66 71, Caroline Masson (GER) 70 67 67 75

280 Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 72 69 69 70, Laura Davies (ENG) 71 70 72 67, Trish Johnson (ENG) 68 71 75 66, Noora Tamminen (FIN) 73 71 67 69

281 Ssu-Chia Cheng (TPE) 68 70 70 73, Pamela Pretswell (SCO) 69 70 74 68

282 Becky Morgan (WAL) 69 71 70 72, Melissa Reid (ENG) 71 70 71 70, Ashleigh Simon (RSA) 67 72 72 71, Diana Luna (ITA) 68 73 70 71, Louise Friberg (SWE) 71 69 70 72, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 69 72 74 67

283 Georgia Hall (ENG) 74 70 71 68, Holly Clyburn (ENG) 70 71 70 72, Alex Peters (ENG) 70 63 77 73

284 Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) 70 71 75 68

285 Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) 66 70 75 74, Johanna Bjork (SWE) 73 72 71 69

286 Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 69 70 67 80, Isabella Ramsay (SWE) 69 74 74 69, Isabelle Boineau (FRA) 71 71 73 71, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 69 75 71 71

287 Carly Booth (SCO) 71 70 72 74, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 70 75 72 70, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 70 74 73 70, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 69 73 73 72

288 Sarah Kemp (AUS) 72 70 71 75, Laura Murray (SCO) 77 69 75 67, Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK) 68 69 76 75, Amy Boulden (WAL) 72 74 69 73

289 Charlotte Ellis (ENG) 69 75 73 72, Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DNK) 71 69 73 76, Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP) 68 72 73 76, Danielle Montgomery (ENG) 72 73 72 72

290 Liz Young (ENG) 75 70 72 73, Charley Hull (ENG) 68 67 77 78, Marion Ricordeau (FRA) 72 72 79 67, Csilla Lajtai-rozsa (HUN) 72 71 74 73, Sophie Walker (ENG) 70 75 75 70, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) 72 72 77 69, Maria Palacios Siegenthaler (ESP) 71 72 75 72

291 Caroline Martens (NOR) 72 71 79 69, Heather Macrae (SCO) 70 76 70 75, Christine Wolf (AUT) 76 69 74 72, Maria Balikoeva (RUS) 73 73 76 69, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) 70 75 71 75, Hannah Burke (ENG) 74 70 73 74, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 72 74 72 73

293 Georgina Simpson (ENG) 75 70 77 71, Lina Boqvist (SWE) 72 71 77 73

294 Stefania Croce (ITA) 74 72 76 72, Louise Stahle (SWE) 73 72 77 72, Sarah Attwood (ENG) 70 76 72 76, Leigh Whittaker (GER) 71 75 75 73, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 70 76 73 75

296 Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 70 69 77 80, India Clyburn (ENG) 72 74 73 77, Holly Aitchison (ENG) 75 71 75 75

298 Sophia Popov (GER) 73 73 72 80

299 Margherita Rigon (ITA) 74 72 73 80, Laurette Maritz (RSA) 75 71 76 77

301 Maha Haddioui (MAR) 73 72 79 77

304 Rachel Goodall (ENG) 73 73 82 76

306 Josephine Janson (SWE) 67 78 78 83

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger. Picture: Getty Images

European Tour — Michael Hoey had a costly finish as Austrian Bernd Wiesberger produced a master-class in the final round of the Alstom Open de France with a flawless six under par 65 to win his third European Tour title.

The 29 year old started the day three shots off the lead, but followed his superb Saturday 66 with another fine effort, signing off in style with a birdie at the last to win by three shots from Englishman James Morrison with a 13 under par total at Le Golf National.

Morrison’s consolation prize was one of the three Open Championship spots available, with third-placed South African Jaco Van Zyl, who began the round with a two shot advantage only to card a 73, and fifth-placed Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello claiming the other two.

“This tournament is very special to me," Wiesberger said. "It’s one of the biggest events we have on Tour and the oldest one on Continental Europe.  I’m very proud to be on the winners’ list on this trophy, dating back to 1906. It's amazing and it was a great week. It was a great way to finish with a birdie at the last.

Hoey was on the fringes of the Top 20 with five holes to go but bogeyed the 14th and 17th and triple bogeyed the 18th to post a 75 for a share of 45th on four over (€15,600) as Damien McGrane (73) tied for 54th on eight over (€10,500).

271 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 68 72 66 65; 274 J Morrison  (Eng) 71 68 68 67; 276 J Van Zyl (RSA) 68 71 64 73; 277 M Kaymer (Ger) 69 69 69 70; 279 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 68 70 72 69; 280 M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 75 70 67 68, B Steele (USA) 72 69 67 72, A Sullivan (Eng) 71 70 69 70, F Molinari (Ita) 70 69 70 71; 281 M Kieffer (Ger) 70 70 65 76, T Jaidee (Tha) 70 74 65 72; 282 V Dubuisson (Fra) 68 70 69 75, T Hatton (Eng) 71 68 69 74, K Broberg (Swe) 72 69 68 73.
290 M Hoey (Nir) 72 73 70 75; 292 D McGrane (Irl) 73 70 76 73.

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power shot a second successive 67 to finish tied 16th in the Nova Scotia Open in Cananda.The West Waterford star had six birdies in a four under round to finish on nine under par at Ashburn Golf Club’s New Course in Halifax to move into the Top 60 in the money list.Americans Abraham Ancer (68) and Bronson Burgoon (68) tied on 13 under with Ancer taking the title with a bridie at the first extra hole.The top 25 in the Web.com Tour’s money list at the end of the season earn PGA Tour cards.

Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia. Picture: Getty Images

Challenge Tour — Chris Selfridge mght have bogeyed the last but a four under 67 on payday earned him € 1,547 and moved him up to 50th in the Challeng Tour rankings.

The Moyola Park rookie made five birdies in a 67 to finish tied for 24th on four under par in the AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort and has now made €12,707 from five starts having finished T17, T13, T25 and T10 in his previous starts.

Ruaidhri McGee is ninth in the standings behind Sebastien Gros of France, who leads the Road to Oman Rankings by less than €2,000 from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, who stormed to his second European Challenge Tour title on Sunday. 

The 26-year old snatched a four-stroke victory on the Beckenbauer Course in Bad Griesbach after a 67 moved him to 15 under for the tournament

The stocky Faro native has been nothing short of a sensation since making his professional debut on the European Challenge Tour almost exactly one year ago, following a glittering amateur career in the American collegiate ranks.

His maiden victory came in Rome after just seven appearances and, while it was not enough to earn graduation to The European Tour at the conclusion of the 2014 season, he has returned this year an even bigger force to be reckoned with.

269 R Gouveia (Por) 63 70 69 67; 273 D Burmester (RSA) 67 63 70 73; 274 S Gros (Fra) 70 68 63 73, J Winther (Den) 71 66 68 69; 275 C Gloet  (Den) 69 71 72 63, S Jeppesen  (Swe) 72 67 69 67, M Schneider (Ger) 65 73 68 69, M Southgate  (Eng) 69 65 73 68; 276 C Aguilar  (Esp) 71 67 67 71, F Praegant (Aut) 71 69 69 67, B Åkesson (Swe) 66 68 72 70…
280 C Selfridge (Nir) 71 70 72 67, 
281 A Snobeck  (Fra) 71 68 70 72.

Gordon Manson. Picture: Getty Images

European Senior Tour — Des Smyth made five birdies in a closing 66 to take 19th spot in the Swiss Senior Open at Bad Raz.

Smyth finished on six under par but was eight strokes behind Austria’s Gordon Manson, who secured his maiden European Senior Tour title courtesy of a superb back nine of 31 which included an eagle putt from 60 feet. 

Manson closed with a round of 66 for a 14 under par aggregateon a day when the lead changed hands with thrilling regularity.

Denis O’Sullivan (70) tied for 49th on level par with Philip Walton (69) a shot further back in 57th.

196 G Manson (Aut, € 45,000) 66 64 66; 198 P Golding (Eng) 67 65 66; 199 F Lamare (Fra) 66 69 64, J Smith (USA) 67 68 64, R Drummond (Sco) 65 67 67; 200 C Mason (Eng) 63 69 68, P Fowler (Aus) 66 68 66; 201 J Carriles (Esp) 66 72 63, K Tarling (Can) 66 69 66, A Bossert (Sui) 67 73 61.
204 D Smyth (Irl, € 3,848)) 70 68 66; 210 D O’Sullivan (Irl, €802) 72 68 70;  211 P Walton (Irl, €600) 69 73 69.

Jaco Van Zyl. Picture: Getty Images

European Tour — Michael Hoey missed just two fairways but he had little luck on the greens and a one under 70 left him 12 shots off the pace in the Alstom Open de France in Paris.

The world No 290 made two birdies at the oar-five ninth and 14th holes but bogeyed the last to end the day at two over while Damien McGrane was another four shots back after a 76.

Neither Hoey nor McGrane has any chance of challenging for one of the Open Championship spots available for three players, who are not already exempt and who finish in the top ten.

Those spots currently belog to South Africa’s Jaco Van Zyl, who shot a superb 64 to lead on 10 under, Germany’s Max Kieffer (65), who is second and England’s James Morrison (68), who is tied fourth.

Van Zyl, 36, reached ten under par for the tournament at Le Golf National in Paris, birdieing the last from a few inches for good measure.

Behind him is another player chasing his first win, Germany’s Kieffer, whose 65 propelled him into contention four weeks after he finished third at the Nordea Masters, while Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger is another shot back at seven under thanks to a five under par 66.

Ryder Cup team-mates Victor Dubuisson, who has attracted strong support from the home crowds all week, and Martin Kaymer both carded 69 to share fourth place alongside James Morrison, setting up a mouth-watering final round.

On a curious note, Italian teenager Renato Paratore made history by carding 18 fours – a European Tour first.

Renato Paratore's scorecard today: 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4. #AlstomODF pic.twitter.com/paY0l0SMBh

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 3, 2015

203 J Van Zyl (RSA) 68 71 64; 205 M Kieffer (Ger) 70 70 65; 206 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 68 72 66; 207 J Morrison  (Eng) 71 68 68, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 68 70 69, M Kaymer (Ger) 69 69 69; 208 T Hatton (Eng) 71 68 69, B Steele (USA) 72 69 67; 209 M Foster (Eng) 70 71 68, F Molinari (Ita) 70 69 70, T Jaidee (Tha) 70 74 65, D Brooks (Eng) 73 66 70, K Broberg (Swe) 72 69 68. 

215 M Hoey  (Nir) 72 73 70; 219 D McGrane (Irl) 73 70 76

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power soared 34 places to tied 28th after a four under 67 but still found himself five shots being a record haul of six, 54-hole co-leaders at the Nova Scotia Open in Canada.As Power got to five under, Bronson Burgoon (63), Abraham Ancer (64), Harold Varner III (67), Jamie Lovemark (70), Andrew Landry (72) and D.H. Lee (71) created a Web.com Tour-record.The previous mark of five players sharing the 54-hole lead came at the 1994 New Mexico Charity Classic.

Dean Burmester. Picture: Getty Images

Challenge Tour — Chris Selfridge shot a one over 72 to slip to 51st as Dean Burmester’s lead at the AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort was cut to one on moving day over the Beckenbauer Course in Bavaria.

As Selfridge fell back to level par in the sweltering German heat, Burmester posted third round 70, which moved him to 13 under and left him with his work cut out to claim a maiden European Challenge Tour title.

One of those breathing down his neck is in-form Frenchman Sebastien Gros, who equalled the eight under par course record of 63 despite suffering two bogeys in the opening four holes and moved to within one of the summit on 12 under.

The Lyon player currently sits second in the Road to Oman Rankings having won the Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC three weeks ago and victory here would virtually secure his graduation to The European Tour for the 2016 season.

200 D Burmester (RSA) 67 63 70; 201 S Gros (Fra) 70 68 63, H Joannes  (Bel) 67 67 67; 202 R Gouveia (Por) 63 70 69… 213 C Selfridge  (Nir) 71 70 72.

Gordon Manson. Picture:  Getty Images

European Senior Tour — Gordon Manson grabbed the lead on day two of the Swiss Seniors Open after a second successive bogey-free round at Golf Club Bad Ragaz.

The Austrian is yet to win on the European Senior Tour, but is in prime position to break his drought after a round of 64 moved him to the head of affairs on ten under par, two shots clear of Scotland’s Ross Drummond and the English duo of Phil Golding and overnight leader Carl Mason.130 G Manson (Aut) 66 64; 132 P Golding (Eng) 67 65, R Drummond (Sco) 65 67, C Mason (Eng) 63 69; 133 P Mitchell (Eng) 67 66, C Williams (RSA) 66 67; 134 P Fowler (Aus) 66 68, S Brown (Eng) 68 66; 135 K Tarling (Can) 66 69, L Zhang (Chn) 69 66, M Mouland (Wal) 67 68, P Wesselingh (Eng) 67 68, J Smith (USA) 67 68, M Davis (Eng) 70 65, F Lamare (Fra) 66 69, P Linhart (Esp) 69 66…. 138 D Smyth (Irl) 70 68; 140 D O’Sullivan (Irl) 72 68, 142 P Walton (Irl) 69 73.

PGA Tour — Jason Bohn barely made the cut, then shot a 61 to grab the outright lead in The Greenbrier Classic at 11 under par.

He finished when the leaders were still two hours away from teeing off but his score held up though he was joined at the top by Bryce Molder (67), Sean O'Hair (66) and SJ Park (66).

They lead by one from Justin Thomas  (66), David Hearn (68), Danny Lee (68) and Chad Collins (68).

Tiger Woods is seven behind after a 71.

Leona Maguire. Picture: Ladies European Tour

World amateur No 1 Leona Maguire is tied for fourth just four shot off the lead with a round to go in ISPS HANDA  Ladies European Masters Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

The 20-year-old Slieve Russell and Duke University followed opening rounds of 69 and 70 with another three 69 on Saturday to get to eight under par.

She birdied the fifth and 10th, dropped a shot at the 13th but then finished strongly with birdies at the 14th and 17th

Tied for fourth Australia’s Rebecca Artis and Taipei’s Ssu-Chia Cheng, Leona said: “Three rounds under par is a good start so far and I’m in a good position. It was a lot windier today so I’m very happy with my score.

“It’s coming in gusts and there were a lot of cross winds out there today so it was sometimes hard to figure out exactly where the wind was coming from. I think I navigated it pretty well.

“I didn’t finish as well as I would have liked yesterday so I really focused coming down the stretch. It was nice to get a birdie on 17 and finish strong like that.”

If Maguire wants to play for Ireland in the Olympic Games next year she will have to turn professional but right now she's taking it one step at a time.

She said: “It’s always a great opportunity to play against the pros to test your game. Obviously I’d love to be out here one day playing against them.

“I’m going to take it as it comes. I’ve one year done in college in the States so I’ve three more left but we’ll see how it goes. I’ll take it as it comes.”

Graeme McDowell

Things are nowhere near as bad as the annus horribilis of 2006 but Graeme McDowell’s fifth missed cut of the season at the Alstom Open de France is the kind of result that could send the help scurrying for cover.

Luckly for Team McDowell, it’s hard to see him slipping to the turmoil levels of 2006, whe he took up his PGA Tour card too soon, missed 14 cuts and smashed a five wood off a rock (or a tree root, there are two versions) at Crans in Switzerland that autumn.

That 2006 year brought changes and manager Chubby Chandler was one of them. What McDowell will change now remains to be seen but admitting that his head is full of technical thoughts that need to be expunged is not good news for the coaching department. 

Nobody knows more about these situation than Pete Cowen, the classy, blackclad English masters professional who has helped McDowell with his swing and his short game for the golden years.

The Ulsterman turns 36 later this month and with younger, longer, stronger players emerging all the time, it’s only natural for him to doubt himself a times.

Earlier this he spoke about a few of those moments when you wonder if you should be thinking about a career change, which bring back memories of 2006, when missing the Ryder Cup at The K Club really hit him hard as sat in BBC Radio Five and RTE commentary booths.

“I don’t remember being fearful of losing my job, but I was certainly fearful of mediocrity,” McDowell said of the time. “I never had any notions that maybe I was through with golf, that maybe I could take up commentary. 

"But as it was, I enjoyed it. It was part of the driving force to get myself on to the team in 2008. I thought, ‘There is no way I want to miss this next team.’ It spurred me on.”

McDowell won twice in 2008 to make that year’s Ryder Cup team and four times in 2010, including the US Open. He won the Ryder Cup for Europe and was arguably the best player in the world that year, taking down Tiger Woods in a playoff in his own event to cap off a dream season. He ended it as world No 6 behind Lee Westwood, Woods, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk. Good times.

There were no wins in 2011 but he was back in 2012, winning again and while the 2012 Ryder Cup was not what he wanted personally, he was still in that elite top 15 in the world.

The 2013 season was a fraught one for everyone at Horizon Sports Management with all we now know about the Rory McIlroy case and the way McDowell became a pawn in that high stakes game.

He left the company to manage his own affairs at the end of the year and become, in this reporter's eyes, a less accessible or interested character. 

Finding motivation has been a problem for him, as he went out of his way to tell Paul Kimmage in an in depth Sunday Independent profile earlier this year.

Kimmage’s excellent interviews impress players and McDowell was keen to make a few points in a piece that’s well worth your time.

He remains an engaging part of the whole tour menagerie, especially when he's feeling generous and offers honest answers.

Around seven weeks after his lone major win to date, he was asked about what it’s like to come through a slump. The circumstances are dfferent now and while he’s a very differnt person from 2010 vintage McDowell, part of that man still remains.

"You know, I’ve had my ups and downs in an eight-year career, eight-year-plus year, whatever I’ve had. In '06 I was a bit injured.  You know, when you're in a slump, you start questioning absolutely every aspect of what you're doing, from family level right up through your coach, your manager, your caddie. You question absolutely everything you're doing, your equipment. When you have five hours out there on a golf course, struggling, you’ve just so much time to think about what it is that's gone wrong and what it is you're doing wrong and what it is you need to do to fix it. "Sometimes, like I say, questioning the deep, dark, depths of your soul as to what you've done wrong and where you need to go from there, I think you make some big decisions and if there's changes that need to be made; I obviously made some massive decisions in '06, '07, some big changes. Went to Callaway Golf, switched my management company to Horizon Sports, new caddie, new coach. I made some changes to get people on board to help me get back in the right direction again."Like I say, slumps come with a lot of soul searching, and I think that's probably the only way to describe it. And this sport, probably more so than any sport, when it feels easy, it feels unbelievably easy; and when it feels hard, there’s no sport harder in the world, I don’t think. It’s definitely a very unique sport from that point of view.”

He said that in Whistling Straits, venue for this year’s US PGA and it will be interesting to hear him speak there again this year.

Judging by his comments in Paris on Friday, where he missed the cut comfortably in his bid for a third successive win in the Omnium, emerging from these tough periods is far from easy.

He blamed his driving accuracy, but as with all slumps, one malise leads to others.

Then there are the questions…

Q. It’s been a disappointing season for  you so far; is it just a matter of being patient  and keep grinding, or are you thinking of  changing things up?GRAEME McDOWELL: How do I keep grinding? I've got a lot of technique in my head, I've got to be honest, and I have to strip that out. I'm having problems stripping it out. I've got to get  back to basics a little bit and try and clear the mind  a little bit. Just been working too hard on trying to  get the technique fixed and making it worse… I've got a lot of golf to play. Just need courage in my pocket, get out there and work it out. I know it’s in there.

What a great phrase, “courage in my pocket”

“There's a little bit of clutter in there right now, but that's golf. You take the  rough with the smooth. It's been a great three or four years. I’ll dig this out and I’ll be back.”

Having seen the way he recovered from the difficulties of 2006, solving the puzzle this time around may give us an even better McDowell, which would be something well worth the wait.

That he can rely on himself to find the answers within himself is probably a blessing.

Leona Maguire splashes out of a bunker in the second round of the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire. Picture: Ladies European Tour

Ladies European Tour — World amateur No 1 Leona Maguire bogeyed two of her last four holes but still ended the day inisde the Top 10 in the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire.

The 20-year old Slieve Russell and Duke Univeristy star was four under for the day and seven under for the tournament with four holes to go.

But while she bogeyed the 15th and the par-three 18th, she still added a 70 to her opeing 69 to end the day six shots behind 21-year old English rookie Alex Peters on five under par. Scores

Peters fired a course record-equalling second round of nine under par 63 to lead by two shots in 11 under par from compatriot Charley Hull (67).

Leona shares ninth spot with Scot Pamela Pretswell (70), Thailand’s Titiya Plucksataporn (70), England’s Trish Johnson (71), South Africa’s Ashleigh Simon (72) and Sweden’s Minea Blomqvist (69)

Carlow’s Rebecca Codd recovered from her opening 83 with a 72 but missed the two over par cut.

Dean Burmester of Republic of South Africa in action during the third round of the 2015 SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge at the MacDonald Spey Valley Championship Golf Course on June 27, 2015 in Aviemore, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Challenge Tour — Chris Selfridge was the only Irish player to make the cut in the AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort in Germany.The Moyola Park rookie. 56th in the Challenge Tour rankings, made his fifth cut from as many starts thanks to rounds of 71 and 70 at the Bavarian resort. ScoresAt one under, he’s tied for 40th, 10 shots behind South African Dean Burmester, whose course record-equalling eight under 63 moved him three clear at the top.The cut fell at level par 142 which meant Niall Kearney (75-71) and Reeve Whitson (73 73) missed out by four with Gareth Shaw (74 73) a shot further back.

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power rallied on his back nine to make the cut on the mark in the Nova Scotia Open in Canada.

The West Waterford star was in trouble when he turned in two over but despite a bogey at his final hole, birdies at the first, second and fifth gave him a level par 71 and a share of 62nd on one under. Scores

American Andrew Landry added a 67 to his opening 64 to lead by one stroke on 11 under par from Korea’s DH Lee, who shot a second consecutive 66.

Alps Tour Golf — Derry's Brendan McCarroll (72-69-71)  finished tied 24th on seven under par in the Flory van Donck Trophy Back at Golf du Mont Garni in Belgium and earn €528.Italy's Federico Maccario shot a 67 to win by two from compatriot Valerio Pelluccua on 17 under.

The Island's Gertie McMullen receives a kiss from husband and caddy Frazer after her victory in the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship at Castletroy. Picture by Pat Cashman

The Island’s Gertie McMullen completed a national double when she defeated leading qualifier Mary MacLaren from Royal Portrush to win her first Irish Senior Women's Close Championship at Castletroy on Friday.

McMullen raced ahead early to lead by three holes at the turn, a deficit that MacLaren could not close and while holes were exchanged over the back nine, McMullen closed out the match on the 16th green adding the 2015 Seniors Close title to her 2013 Open title won at Castlerock.

In the Plate, Nenagh's Catherine Bird defeated Slieve Russell's Ann Monteith on the home green to win her first Plate championship.

Gertie Mc Mullen (The Island) driving at the 9th hole in the final. Picture by Pat Cashman

Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) bunkered at the 18th green in the semi final of the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship at Castletroy. Picture by Pat Cashman

Valerie Hassett (President, Irish Ladies Golf Union) pictured with (left) Gertie McMullen (The Island) winner of the Irish Senior Women's Close Championship and Catherine Bird (Nenagh) winner of the Plate Final at the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship at Castletroy Golf Club (03/07/2015) Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish Senior Women's Close ChampionshipSemi-finals

Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) beat Laura Webb (East Berkshire) 1up

Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) lost to Gertie McMullen (The Island) 5/3

Final

Gertie McMullen (The Island) bt Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) 3/2.

Winner Catherine Bird (Nenagh) driving at the 15th hole in the final of the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship (Plate). Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish Senior Women's Close PlateSemi-finals

Catherine Bird (Nenagh) beat Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 2/1

Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) lost to Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) 5/4

Final

Catherine Bird (Nenagh) beat Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) 1up

Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) reacts to a missed putt on the 14th green in the semi final of the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship (Plate) at Castletroy Golf Club today (03/07/2015) Picture by Pat Cashman

Laura Webb (East Berkshire) reacts to a missed putt on the 14th green in the semi final of the 2015 Irish Senior Women's Close Championship at Castletroy. Picture by Pat Cashman

Victor Dubuisson. Picture © Getty Images

Graeme McDowell needed two late birdies to get back inside the projected cut mark after an unsteady start to his bid for a third successive Alstom Open de France title at Le Golf National.

The world No 48, who has slipped 33 places in the world rankings this year, was three over par  after making four bogeys and a birdie in the first 10 holes of the weather delayed opening round.,

but  birdies at the 15th and 17th left him tied for 45th on one over with one hole to complete when play was suspended for the day.

McDowell was one of 42 players unable to complete their first rounds after two and a half hours were lost due to morning thunderstorms.

The 35-year old lies four shots behind three clubhouse leaders— European Ryder Cup partner Victor Dubuisson, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and South African Jaco van Zyl. who shot three under 68s.

German Maximilian Kieffer was four under after 14 holes when play was suspended, with Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Andrew Dodt both three under with just one hole to play.

McDowell is aiming to become the first player since Marcel Dallemagne in 1938 to win the French Open three times in succession and the former US Open champion would also become just the sixth player to claim a hat-trick of European Tour titles in the same event.

Michael Hoey was close to the lead for mice of the day after birdies at the third and ninth, bit a  double bogey at the 15th and a bogey at 16th for a 72 left him alongside McDowell and Damien McGrane, who had played just 14 holes.

Darren Clarke (75) and Paul McGinley (76) failed to muster a single birdie between them while Peter Lawrie was seven over with three holes to play.

Dubuisson,  25, reached the turn in level par then producing three birdies on the way home for his 68 as Ryder Cup team-mate and playing partner Martin Kaymer, who wo in 2009, opened with a 69.

What they said

• Victor Dubuisson: “I had a really unlucky bogey on 14 with three good shots, and then the most difficult holes were coming – 15, 16 and 18.  I managed to stay calm and make a really good birdie on 18.  It could have turned really ‑‑ on this course, it can turn really bad, and what I did today was very good especially with all this pressure. I’m very pleased. I feel the expectation and a little bit of pressure from the crowd, because I especially want to do well for them, more than in other tournaments. This one is like a Major for me.”
• Bernd Wiesberger: “I played okay.  I was not driving it great early on, and I scrambled around and had a couple of four‑ and five‑footers for par. But the chances I had, I took nicely. I was just those two hiccups on the last, the three‑putt and not getting up and down from beside the green on the ninth. In general, given the windy conditions early on, I’m quite happy with that. I think it's just a great test overall.  From the first hole to the last, you're under pressure and you need to hit really good shots to make birdies.”
• Jaco Van Zyl: “It’s one of those golf courses where there are a couple of holes you can score on, but you can never really let your guard down. But everything is kind of there. It’s just that one day I’ll be hitting it nicely and the putter is not behaving, and the next day the putter is behaving but I’m not hitting it as well.  I’m just waiting for it all to come back in one piece and then hopefully it will be a good week.”
• Martin Kaymer: “You can take advantage of the front nine a little bit – you will have some chances because they don't play that long. The 15th to 18th are very challenging holes and I did very well there today.  So that was a huge motivation for the front nine, so my back nine. I’m very pleased with two under. The last few tournaments, I’ve played with Rory (McIlroy) in Wentworth and Ireland, and then the US Open, that was a huge one. Last week I played in my own country and this week played with Victor (Dubuisson), so I feel like there's a lot going on around my groups, but it's nice. You don’t want to play in front of ten people, you want to play in front of hundreds.”

Ricardo Gouveia. Picture © Getty Images 

Challenge Tour — Chris Selfridge continued his run of good play with a level par 71 in the AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort in Germany.

As Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia hit a course-record 63 on the Beckenbauer Course at the expansive Bavarian golfing mecca to lead by two shots from Germany's Marcel Schneider and Englishman Paul Howard, Selfridge ended the day tied for 41st and the best of the Irish.

Reeve Whitson (73), Gareth Shaw (74) and Niall Kearney (75) are all outside the projected cut mark while Birr's Stephen Grant retired after nine holes suffering from the effects of a long-lasting stomach bug he picked up nearly two months ago.

The former professional footballer was ill in the range and found it painful to turn due to inflammation and plans to take two or three weeks off to recuperate. 

 

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power had three birdies and two bogeys as he opened with a 70 in the Nova Scotia Open at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, Canada.The West Waterford man, 69th in the money list in the race for 25 cards, is tied for 39th and six adrift of Andrew Landry, who leads by one from Josh Broadaway and Peter Malnati after a 64.

Europro Tour — Rathmore's Alan Dunbar picked up £650 to help his bid for a Challenge Tour card as he finished tied 14th in the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters at Montrose Golf Links.

The former British Amateur champion shot rounds of 70, 67 and 70 to finish on six under par, six strokes behind James Wilkinson. who shot an eight under 63 to win by three shots from  Robert Sutton, Darren Wright, Paul Reed and Neil Fenwick. Scores

Dunbar moved up one spot to fourth in the Race to Desert Springs money list with the Top five at the end of the season earning Challenge Tour cards for 2016 

Monaghan's Simon Ward was 32nd on two under after his 70 and earned £380 but dropped three spots in 23rd in the money list with Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick 37th and Headfort's Brian Casey 39th.

Alps Tour — Brendan McCarroll added a 69 to his opening 70 to lie 14th with a round to play in the Flory van Donck Trophy at Golf du Mont Garni in Belgium.At five under par, he's six shots behind Italy's Federico Maccario and Spain's Gerard Piris. ScoresMeanwhile, teenager David Carey picked up an injury warming up for the first round and headed home via Paris.Last week. Carey shot level par for two roundsat Granges aux Ormes near Metz, missing the cut by two shots while the previous week, he was at La Pinetina Golf Club, north of Milan, where he added a 71 to his opening 69 but missed the cut by one shot.He had a putt for birdie on the 18th but thinking level would make the cut, lagged his putt to ensure a par.He planned to see his physio and GP in Dublin this week and hoped to be ready for the Servizitalia Open at  Golf Club Lignano in a fortnight.

Jack Nicklaus. 

Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus has had to cancel his European trip and pull out of Monday’s Christy O'Connor Junior Celeb-Am in aid of Galway Hospice at Galway Bay Golf Resort.

But according to O’Connor Jnr—who will still raise $200,000 for the hospice with sports stars such as jockeys AP McCoy and Mick Kinane and rugby legend Keith Wood set to tee it up—the good news is that the Golden Bear has promised to keep his promise and play in the autumn instead.

The planned $300,000 that three businessman had promised O’Connor Jnr for the privilege of teeing it up with the 18-time major winner will go to charity eventually.

“Jack has said he will honour his commitment to play with the three boys in September,” O’Connor Jnr said. “He called me personally and wrote a lovely letter which I will be putting up on the board here in Galway Bay. 

“We will go ahead on Monday— it’s a sell out — and the main thing is that we will raise money for Galway Hospice and everyone is happy we will get a second bite of the cherry in September. 

“It was a huge thing to get him because the Ryder Cup team, the captain Paul McGinley and the assistants like Des Smyth are all invited to the Royal Box in Wimbledon on Monday and weren’t available.

“I was initially disappointed but now that we know we will have a second go now and we are all happy. The main thing is Galway Hospice and raising money for them."

Scott Tolley, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Nicklaus organisation confirmed that Nicklaus’ commitments changed and he no longer had business to get him to the UK and Europe, “which would allow him to weave in a stop in Ireland and the event for Mr. O’Connor."

O'Connor Jnr explained: “Jack called me personally to apologise. He was lovely on the phone said he had to cancel his European trip and couldn't come across the Atlantic for just one day. So we are looking forward to seeing him on whatever date suits him in September.

“The three boys who had promised the money to play with Jack are still coming to play and they are coming back, of course, in September and we will be able to increase the money we raise for Galway Hospice.”

O’Connor Jnr’s relationship with Nicklaus goes back to 1970, when they played the first two rounds together at St Andrews in the Open Championship.

“Jack won that week, and I also played with him when he won the Open in 1978, so he reckons I'm a lucky talisman for him,” O’Connor Jnr said.

The American legend is still determined to give old pal Junior his time and help the Galway  Hospice.

His spokesman explained that while there is no precise timeline for a rescheduled visit "to help Mr. O’Connor and this tremendous event”, the Golden Bear, who was unavailable for comment, had mentioned a “September-ish” date.

Leona Maguire

World amateur No 1 Leona Maguire fired four birdies in a super 69 to lie just three shots off the lead after the opening round of the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters.

The 20-year old Slieve Russell and Duke Univeristy talent opted to skip last week’s Irish Women’s Close to be fresh for the Vagliano Trophy, this week’s professional event and next week’s European Ladies Team Championships.

And her decision to test herself against the best seems to be paying off after she followed a level par front nine featuring a birdie at the sixth and a bogey at the eighth with three back nine birdies to end the day tied for 12th spot.

Sophie Giquel-Bettan of France shot a six under par 66 to take a one shot lead over South African Ashleigh Simon, Italian Sophie Sandolo, Josephine Janson of Sweden and Nontaya Srisawang from Thailand.

English pair Charley Hull and Trish Johnson are part of a large group two strokes off the pace, on four under par.

Carlow’s Rebecca Codd had a tough day and ended it near the back of the field after a forgettable 83.

Meanwhile, in the US, Royal Portrush's Stephanie Meadow has been drawn with Korea's Mi Jung Hur and Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn for next week's US Women’s Open Championship at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.

The Jordanstown starlet was third in last year's US Women's Open at Pinehurst No 2.

ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters, the Buckinghamshire (Par 72)

66 Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA)

67 Ashleigh Simon (RSA), Nontaya Srisawang (THA), Josephine Janson (SWE)

68 Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP), Charley Hull (ENG), Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK), Trish Johnson (ENG), Diana Luna (ITA), Sophie Sandolo (ITA), Ssu-Chia Cheng (TPE)

69 Leona Maguire (IRL), Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN), Isabella Ramsay (SWE), Pamela Pretswell (SCO), Marianne Skarpnord (NOR), Felicity Johnson (ENG), Titiya Plucksataporn (THA), Gwladys Nocera (FRA), Becky Morgan (WAL), Charlotte Ellis (ENG),

70 Rebecca Artis (AUS), Klara Spilkova (CZE), Florentyna Parker (ENG), Minea Blomqvist (FIN), Charlotte Thompson (ENG), Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER), Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA), Sarah Attwood (ENG), Caroline Masson (GER), Alex Peters (ENG), Heather Macrae (SCO), Rebecca Hudson (ENG), Holly Clyburn (ENG), Sophie Walker (ENG), Lauren Taylor (ENG)

71 Valentine Derrey (FRA), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DNK), Laura Davies (ENG), Malene Jorgensen (DEN), Melissa Reid (ENG), Leigh Whittaker (GER), Isabelle Boineau (FRA), Maria Palacios Siegenthaler (ESP), Camilla Lennarth (SWE), Louise Friberg (SWE), Beth Allen (USA), Bree Arthur (AUS), Carly Booth (SCO)

72 Liv Cheng (NZL), Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Alexandra Vilatte (FRA), Caroline Martens (NOR), Viva Schlasberg (SWE), Lina Boqvist (SWE), Caroline Afonso (FRA), Stephanie Na (AUS), Marion Ricordeau (FRA), Sarah Kemp (AUS), Danielle Montgomery (ENG), Hannah Ralph (ENG), Amy Boulden (WAL), Csilla Lajtai-rozsa (HUN), India Clyburn (ENG), Ursula Wikstrom (FIN), Caroline Rominger (SWI)

73 Paula Hurtado (COL), Maria Balikoeva (RUS), Sophia Popov (GER), Noora Tamminen (FIN), Louise Stahle (SWE), Anna Christina Kindgren (COL), Nina Muehl (AUT), Lien Willems (BEL), Steffi Kirchmayr (GER), Maha Haddioui (MAR), Rachel Goodall (ENG), Nina Holleder (GER), Johanna Bjork (SWE)

74 Georgia Hall (ENG), Jade Schaeffer (FRA), Elisa Serramia (ESP), Hannah Burke (ENG), Patricia Sanz Barrio (ESP), Marika Voss (FIN), Melanie Maetzler (SWI), Eleanor Givens (ENG), Emma Goddard (ENG), Miriam Nagl (BRA), Linda Henriksson (FIN), Fabienne In-albon (SWI), Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Giulia Sergas (ITA), Cathryn Bristow (NZL), Stefania Croce (ITA), Margherita Rigon (ITA), Melissa Eaton (RSA)

75 Kelsey Macdonald (SCO), Whitney Hillier (AUS), Anjelika Hammar (SWE), Georgina Simpson (ENG), Sarah-Jane Boyd (ENG), Lucie Andre (FRA), Liz Young (ENG), Holly Aitchison (ENG), Julia Davidsson (SWE), Laurette Maritz (RSA), Linda Wessberg (SWE), Laura Jansone (LVA), Maria Beautell (ESP)

76 Karolin Lampert (GER), Lynn Carlsson (SWE), Laura Sanchez (COL), Krista Bakker (FIN), Connie Chen (RSA), Elina Nummenpaa (FIN), Christine Wolf (AUT), Laura Cabanillas (ESP), Sally Watson (SCO)

77 Neha Tripathi (IND), Laura Murray (SCO), Marie Fourquier (FRA), Anais Maggetti (SWI), Rebecca Sorensen (SWE)

78 Nicole Garcia (RSA), Anne Van Dam (NLD), Sahra Hassan (WAL), Chloe Leurquin (BEL), Monique Smit (RSA), Stacey Keating (AUS), Vikki Laing (SCO), Carmen Alonso (ESP), Daisy Nielsen (DEN), Emma Westin (SWE)

79 Kiran Matharu (ENG), Annabel Dimmock (ENG), Amanda Strang (SWE), Portland Rosen (USA)

80 Becky Brewerton (WAL)

81 Mireia Prat (ESP), Carin Koch (SWE)

83 Rebecca Codd (IRL), Amber Ratcliffe (ENG)

84 Virginia Espejo (ESP)

Royal Portrush's Peter Kerr. Picture: Pat Casman

Royal Portrush Peter Kerr birdied two of his last three holes for fabulous four under par 69 and a two-shot win in the Ulster Boys Championship at Castlerock.

Two shots behind halfway leader Conor Purcell, who would finish five shots behind in fifth place. Kerr posted a three over 76 in the third round before producing the joint low round of the tournament and the only sub par score in the final round.

His bogey free 69 left him two shots clear of Kinsale's John Murphy, who led on one over par with a round to go thanks to a morning 71, but had to settle for the runner-up spot after a closing 75.

Kerry produced all the fireworks, picking up a shot on the par-five fifth before birdies at the 13th, 16th and 17th sent him clear of the rest.

He joins two-time winner Rory McIlroy on the list of champions in a prestigious championship, first won by the great Norman Drew in 1949. 

Bushfoot's Owen Crooks (75) shared third on five over with Tandragee's William Small while Cairndhu's Marc McKinstry finished eighth after a 73 that featured a hole-in-one at the 214-yard ninth.

Ulster Boys Championship, Castlerock (Par 73)

Detailed scores

293 Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 78 70 76 69

295 John Murphy (Kinsale) 79 70 71 75

297 Owen Crooks (Bushfoot Golf Club) 79 72 71 75, William Small (Tandragee Golf Club) 77 71 74 75

298 Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) 75 71 79 73

300 Marc Boucher (Carton House Golf Club) 79 69 79 73

303 Bill Hannan (Carton House Golf Club) 79 81 70 73

304 Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu Golf Club) 77 78 76 73, Karl Eccles (Clandeboye) 79 75 73 77, David Brady (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 76 72 78 78

305 Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 83 71 76 75, Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 80 75 75 75

306 Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 79 77 76 74, Rory Williamson (Holywood Golf Club) 84 74 72 76

307 Gareth Hogan (Island) 75 80 77 75

309 Declan Kelly (Hermitage Golf Club) 82 77 73 77, Adam McCormick (Scrabo Golf Club) 79 77 75 78, Ryan Corry (Clandeboye) 76 74 78 81

310 Alan Fahy (Bray) 87 73 77 73, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 82 78 76 74, Devin Morley (Oughterard Golf Club) 84 72 79 75, Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick Golf Club) 81 73 80 76, Tommy Doran (Balbriggan Golf Club) 76 77 76 81

312 Jack Doherty (Carton House Golf Club) 79 79 79 75, Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 80 81 74 77, Ronan McCambridge (Cushendall Golf Club) 84 72 78 78

313 Henry Clark (Shandon Park Golf Club) 85 75 78 75, Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 83 78 77 75, James Cronin (Woodbrook Golf Club) 80 77 79 77, David McAleenon (Edenmore Golf Club) 82 78 76 77, Campbell Rodgers (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 82 78 76 77, Brian Jnr Fehily (Newlands) 79 81 74 79, Marc Norton (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 76 79 75 83, David Clince (Craddockstown Golf Club) 82 74 73 84

314 Connor Mulholland (Mount Juliet Golf Club) 82 77 79 76, Ross Mohan (Balcarrick Golf Club) 82 78 78 76, Luke Cummins (West Waterford Golf Club) 80 79 77 78, Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan Golf Club) 86 74 75 79, Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 81 75 78 80

315 Ward Farrell (Dunmurry) 87 71 78 79

316 Michael Kennelly (Athenry Golf Club) 80 75 82 79

317 Andrew Mays (Portmarnock) 79 81 80 77, Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 78 81 81 77, Fergus McCambridge (Cushendall Golf Club) 82 79 78 78, Marc McCormack (Ashbourne) 80 79 80 78, David Hill (Roscommon Golf Club) 81 77 77 82

318 Dean Cafferty (Carton House Golf Club) 80 79 82 77, Nathan McCann (Lurgan Golf Club) 81 77 82 78

320 Stewart McCaw (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 86 75 82 77

321 T J Ford (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 87 74 78 82

322 David Cunningham (Tandragee Golf Club) 87 74 81 80

323 Daniel Reilly (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) 80 81 81 81

327 Matthew Fitzsimons (Ardglass Golf Club) 84 76 89 78, Eamonn O’Driscoll (Killarney Golf Club) 82 78 86 81

Missed the cut

161 Louis O'Hara (Athenry Golf Club) 77 84 

162 Peter Cummins (Lurgan Golf Club) 85 77, Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny Golf Club) 85 77, William Eickholt (Portmarnock) 84 78, Odhran Mullan (Castlerock Golf Club) 83 79, Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin) 83 79, Conor Smart (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 82 80 

163 Michael Young (FRANCE) 87 76, Sean Doyle (Athlone Golf Club) 84 79, Jake Vickers (Balbriggan Golf Club) 82 81, Gary Trotter (Aughnacloy) 81 82, Jake Rowe (Tandragee Golf Club) 81 82, Sean Kestell (Charlesland Golf Club) 79 84 

164 Dara Phelan (Faithlegg Golf Club) 87 77, Conor Byrne (Woodbrook Golf Club) 84 80, Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 84 80, Anton Brennan (Athenry Golf Club) 83 81 

165 Mark Healy (Kinsale) 84 81, Jamie Tharma (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 83 82, Chris Black (Dunmurry) 81 84, Jack Patton (Letterkenny Golf Club) 81 84, Caolan Murphy (Greenore Golf Club) 80 85 , Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 80 85,  

166 Gary Ward (Kinsale) 85 81, Anthony Mc Ateer (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 81 85 

167 Ben Graham (Scrabo Golf Club) 94 73, Conor McDonald (Lurgan Golf Club) 86 81, Peter Clark (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 85 82, Ben Surgeoner (Rathmore) 83 84 

168 Cian Hutchinson (Carton House Golf Club) 87 81, Keaton Morrison (Holywood Golf Club) 86 82, Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 83 85 

169 Niall Doran (Mourne) 88 81, Sean Breheny (St. Anne's) 87 82, Oisin Devereux (Carton House Golf Club) 87 82, Jack Madden (Dungannon Golf Club) 86 83, Cathal Hastings (Castlebar Golf Club) 86 83, Enda Kennedy (Black Bush) 83 86, Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh Golf Club) 82 87, Tom O'hara (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 80 89 

170 Jack Johnston (Clandeboye) 95 75, Conor Mckay (Roe Park Golf Club) 92 78, Ryan Thompson (Greenacres Golf Club) 87 83, Ross Moore (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 86 84, Christopher Duffy (Letterkenny Golf Club) 86 84, Conor Mooney (Black Bush) 85 85, Sean Murphy (Charlesland Golf Club) 83 87 

171 Adam Crum (Cairndhu Golf Club) 87 84, Peter Rolston (Shandon Park Golf Club) 87 84, Ryan Sheerin (Tullamore Golf Club) 85 86 

172 Harry Mcgeary (Dungannon Golf Club) 94 78, Timothy Howes (Mount Juliet Golf Club) 87 85, Darragh Burke (Tullamore Golf Club) 85 87 

173 Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 93 80, Patrick Jordan (Silverwood Golf Club) 90 83, Ryan McNamara (Carrickfergus Golf Club) 90 83, Aaron O'donnell (Athenry Golf Club) 88 85, Brian Houston (Edenmore Golf Club) 88 85 

174 Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 92 82, Jude Maskey (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 91 83, Nathan Kernaghan (Massereene Golf Club) 89 85, Daragh Coleman (Skerries Golf Club) 88 86 

175 Eanna Melville (Gort Golf Club) 94 81, David Burns (Cushendall Golf Club) 85 90 

176 Paul Kelly (Glasson Golf Club) 97 79, Jack Liston (Black Bush) 94 82, Darragh Smith (Castle) 94 82, Alex Murray (Island) 91 85, Andrew Glass (Castlerock Golf Club) 90 86 

177 Aaron Howard (Palmerstown Stud) 93 84, Jack Shellard (Lisburn Golf Club) 91 86, Glenn Fry (Carrickmines Golf Club) 90 87, Jordan McDonald (St. Anne's) 89 88 

178 Jack Montgomery (Fintona Golf Club) 94 84, Colm Beakey (Galway Bay Golf Club) 90 88 

179 James Bohan (Kinsale) 97 82 

181 Danny Mcgarvey (Cruit Island Golf Club) 94 87, Christopher Charlton (Dungannon Golf Club) 90 91 

187 Thomas Gracey (Dunmurry) 101 86, John Moore (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 89 98 

192 Seamus Og O'Neill (Co. Cavan Golf Club) 98 94 

198 Eoin Aherne (Mallow Golf Club) 103 95 

NR Daniel Devlin (Fota Island Golf Club) 98 NR, Liam Jennings (Balmoral Golf Club) 87 NR, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore Golf Club) 87 NR, Dale Baker (Downpatrick Golf Club) NR, David Knox (Foyle) NR, Danny Madden (Dungannon Golf Club) NR, Kevin Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 85 DQ, Luke Flynn (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 84 DQ, Graham Curry (Faughan Valley Golf Club) 83 DQ 

92 Ciaran McCabe (Dungannon Golf Club) 92 

93 Conor Rice (Athlone Golf Club) 93 

94 Joseph Rafferty (Castle Hume Golf Club) 94 

96 Marco Deane (Malone) 96

Ciara Casey, 2015 Leinster Girls champion

Hermitage's Ciara Casey has been threatening to make her breakthrough for a while now and she finally pulled off her maiden championship victory in style on Wednesday with a two up win over Grange's Elisa Corcoran in the Leinster Girls Championship at Corrstown.

Beaten by Irish No 2 Olivia Mehaffey in the quarter-finals of the Irish Women's Close at Rosapenna just last week, Ciara finished sixth in strokeplay qualifying and continued her strong play in head to head combat.

She never went further than the 16th in beating Ulster Girls champion Clodagh Jones (Roscrea), former international Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) or Leinster Girls Interprovincial Alice Hutchinson from St. Anne's in the first three rounds.

She was then impressive in the final, avoiding the mistakes that cost her against Mehaffey to beat Elisa, who had eliminated leading qualifier and European Girls team member Julie McCarthy 2 and 1.

Coached by former European Tour and Challenge Tour player Stephen Browne, she now heads to the Czech Republic for the European Girls Championship with an extra spring in her step.

In the East Leinster Girls Plate, Laytown and Bettystown's Eleanor Metcalfe beat Milltown's Ellen O'Gorman 7 and 5, while in the Trophy, Forrest Little's Shannon Mohan beat Holywood's Heidi McMillen 3 and 2.

Conor Purcell

Portmarnock's Conor Purcell added a two under 71 to his opening 75 to lead the Ulster Boys Championship by two strokes at halfway at Castlerock.

The Leinster interprovincial tops the leaderboard on level par 146 from Carton House's Marc Boucher, who shot a best of the day 69, Royal Portrush's Peter Kerr (70), Tandragee's William Small (71) and Co Sligo's David Brady (72).

Compared to Tuesday's first round, when three over par was the best score, easier pins and a less demanding wind made a massive difference to scoring with 14 players matching or bettering par.

The top 54 qualified for Thursday's final 36 holes.

Ulster Boys Championship, Castlerock (Par 73)

Detailed scores

146 Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) 75 71 

148 Marc Boucher (Carton House Golf Club) 79 69, Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 78 70, William Small (Tandragee Golf Club) 77 71, David Brady (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 76 72 

149 John Murphy (Kinsale) 79 70 

150 Ryan Corry (Clandeboye) 76 74 

151 Owen Crooks (Bushfoot Golf Club) 79 72 

153 Tommy Doran (Balbriggan Golf Club) 76 77 

154 Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 83 71, Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick Golf Club) 81 73, Karl Eccles (Clandeboye) 79 75 

155 Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 80 75, Michael Kennelly (Athenry Golf Club) 80 75, Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu Golf Club) 77 78, Marc Norton (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 76 79, Gareth Hogan (Island) 75 80 

156 Devin Morley (Oughterard Golf Club) 84 72, Ronan McCambridge (Cushendall Golf Club) 84 72, David Clince (Craddockstown Golf Club) 82 74, Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 81 75, Adam McCormick (Scrabo Golf Club) 79 77, Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 79 77 

157 James Cronin (Woodbrook Golf Club) 80 77 

158 Ward Farrell (Dunmurry) 87 71, Rory Williamson (Holywood Golf Club) 84 74, Nathan McCann (Lurgan Golf Club) 81 77, David Hill (Roscommon Golf Club) 81 77, Jack Doherty (Carton House Golf Club) 79 79 

159 Declan Kelly (Hermitage Golf Club) 82 77, Connor Mulholland (Mount Juliet Golf Club) 82 77, Dean Cafferty (Carton House Golf Club) 80 79, Luke Cummins (West Waterford Golf Club) 80 79, Marc Mccormack (Ashbourne) 80 79, Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 78 81 

160 Alan Fahy (Bray) 87 73, Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan Golf Club) 86 74, Henry Clark (Shandon Park Golf Club) 85 75, Matthew Fitzsimons (Ardglass Golf Club) 84 76, Eamonn O'driscoll (Killarney Golf Club) 82 78, Campbell Rodgers (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 82 78, Ross Mohan (Balcarrick Golf Club) 82 78, David McAleenon (Edenmore Golf Club) 82 78, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 82 78, Brian Jnr Fehily (Newlands) 79 81, Bill Hannan (Carton House Golf Club) 79 81, Andrew Mays (Portmarnock) 79 81,, , 

161 David Cunningham (Tandragee Golf Club) 87 74, T J Ford (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 87 74, Stewart McCaw (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 86 75, Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 83 78, Fergus McCambridge (Cushendall Golf Club) 82 79, Daniel Reilly (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) 80 81, Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 80 81

Non-qualifiers

161 Louis O'Hara (Athenry Golf Club) 77 84 

162 Peter Cummins (Lurgan Golf Club) 85 77, Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny Golf Club) 85 77, William Eickholt (Portmarnock) 84 78, Odhran Mullan (Castlerock Golf Club) 83 79, Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin) 83 79, Conor Smart (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 82 80 

163 Michael Young (FRANCE) 87 76, Sean Doyle (Athlone Golf Club) 84 79, Jake Vickers (Balbriggan Golf Club) 82 81, Gary Trotter (Aughnacloy) 81 82, Jake Rowe (Tandragee Golf Club) 81 82, Sean Kestell (Charlesland Golf Club) 79 84 

164 Dara Phelan (Faithlegg Golf Club) 87 77, Conor Byrne (Woodbrook Golf Club) 84 80, Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 84 80, Anton Brennan (Athenry Golf Club) 83 81 

165 Mark Healy (Kinsale) 84 81, Jamie Tharma (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 83 82, Chris Black (Dunmurry) 81 84, Jack Patton (Letterkenny Golf Club) 81 84, Caolan Murphy (Greenore Golf Club) 80 85, Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 80 85 

166 Gary Ward (Kinsale) 85 81, Anthony Mc Ateer (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 81 85 

167 Ben Graham (Scrabo Golf Club) 94 73, Conor McDonald (Lurgan Golf Club) 86 81, Peter Clark (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 85 82, Ben Surgeoner (Rathmore) 83 84 

168 Cian Hutchinson (Carton House Golf Club) 87 81, Keaton Morrison (Holywood Golf Club) 86 82, Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 83 85 

169 Niall Doran (Mourne) 88 81, Sean Breheny (St. Anne's) 87 82, Oisin Devereux (Carton House Golf Club) 87 82, Jack Madden (Dungannon Golf Club) 86 83, Cathal Hastings (Castlebar Golf Club) 86 83, Enda Kennedy (Black Bush) 83 86, Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh Golf Club) 82 87, Tom O'hara (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 80 89 

170 Jack Johnston (Clandeboye) 95 75, Conor Mckay (Roe Park Golf Club) 92 78, Ryan Thompson (Greenacres Golf Club) 87 83, Ross Moore (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 86 84, Christopher Duffy (Letterkenny Golf Club) 86 84, Conor Mooney (Black Bush) 85 85, Sean Murphy (Charlesland Golf Club) 83 87,, 

171 Adam Crum (Cairndhu Golf Club) 87 84, Peter Rolston (Shandon Park Golf Club) 87 84, Ryan Sheerin (Tullamore Golf Club) 85 86 

172 Harry Mcgeary (Dungannon Golf Club) 94 78, Timothy Howes (Mount Juliet Golf Club) 87 85, Darragh Burke (Tullamore Golf Club) 85 87 

173 Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 93 80, Patrick Jordan (Silverwood Golf Club) 90 83, Ryan McNamara (Carrickfergus Golf Club) 90 83, Aaron O'donnell (Athenry Golf Club) 88 85, Brian Houston (Edenmore Golf Club) 88 85 

174 Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 92 82, Jude Maskey (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 91 83, Nathan Kernaghan (Massereene Golf Club) 89 85, Daragh Coleman (Skerries Golf Club) 88 86 

175 Eanna Melville (Gort Golf Club) 94 81, David Burns (Cushendall Golf Club) 85 90 
176 Paul Kelly (Glasson Golf Club) 97 79, Jack Liston (Black Bush) 94 82, Darragh Smith (Castle) 94 82, Alex Murray (Island) 91 85, Andrew Glass (Castlerock Golf Club) 90 86 

177 Aaron Howard (Palmerstown Stud) 93 84, Jack Shellard (Lisburn Golf Club) 91 86, Glenn Fry (Carrickmines Golf Club) 90 87, Jordan McDonald (St. Anne's) 89 88 

178 Jack Montgomery (Fintona Golf Club) 94 84, Colm Beakey (Galway Bay Golf Club) 90 88 

179 James Bohan (Kinsale) 97 82 

181 Danny Mcgarvey (Cruit Island Golf Club) 94 87, Christopher Charlton (Dungannon Golf Club) 90 91 

187 Thomas Gracey (Dunmurry) 101 86, John Moore (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 89 98 

192 Seamus Og O'Neill (Co. Cavan Golf Club) 98 94 

198 Eoin Aherne (Mallow Golf Club) 103 95 

NR  Daniel Devlin (Fota Island Golf Club) 98 NR, Liam Jennings (Balmoral Golf Club) 87 NR, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore Golf Club) 87 NR, Dale Baker (Downpatrick Golf Club) NR, David Knox (Foyle) NR, Danny Madden (Dungannon Golf Club) NR, Kevin Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 85 DQ, Luke Flynn (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 84 DQ, Graham Curry (Faughan Valley Golf Club) 83 DQ 

92 Ciaran McCabe (Dungannon Golf Club) 92,  

93 Conor Rice (Athlone Golf Club) 93 

94 Joseph Rafferty (Castle Hume Golf Club) 94 

96 Marco Deane (Malone) 96 

 

Graeme McDowell practices for the Alstom Open de France. Picture: Getty Images

Graeme McDowell might be going through a mini slump but it would be wise to wait until after this week’s Alstom Open de France before hitting the panic button.

The 2010 US Open winner is in danger of falling out of the world’s Top 50 after a snail-like start to 2015 as seen him slip from 15th last December 31st to 48th today.

A fourth missed cut of the year in the US Open at Chambers Bay saw him slip another four places to 48th in the world. But as happened last year — and to some extent in 2013 — he's refused to panic and hoping to kickstart his season with a win at Le Golf National near Versailles despite seeing the progress he felt he made in the BMW PGA and the Irish Open halted by harsh US Open conditions at Chambers Bay..

"I felt like I've had  the train back on the tracks a little bit through Wentworth, Irish Open," McDowell said in Paris, where he  is hoping to become the first player for 77 years to win the Alstom Open de France three years running at 2018 Ryder Cup venue Le Golf National.

"I was really starting to kind  of like the momentum I was starting to gather. Got to Memphis, physically didn't feel well that week, sort of carried that hangover into Chambers, which  was a highly difficult test. I certainly look back and had no regrets about the golf course. I just didn't  play the golf. I just didn't control my irons.    

“But yeah, you know, stopped my  momentum a little bit. Felt like I was starting to get  somewhere and those two weeks knocked me  become a little bit but coming into the summer here  now, got an incredible run of golf coming up. I'm  going to play six of the next seven and go into the  FedEx Playoffs. So no shortage of golf coming up.    

“Really I have to start the ball rolling again and start that momentum gathering. I feel a lot  happier where I am mentally now than where I was  four or five months ago. You know, look at the  World Rankings and I'm very conscious of not  panicking. I know I'm good enough and I know  that if I keep doing what I'm doing, that things will  come back.    

“So it's been a lot of fun the last year just  personally. I wouldn't change that for anything. So  just got to get back at it, and I have been getting  back at it. Like I say, momentum was killed a little  bit last couple weeks, but there's no better time to  start playing well than right now with all the golf ahead of me."

In short, the message is clear - Don't Panic. But the truth is that not only is his place in all next year’s Majors under threat — his five-year US Open exemption runs out after this year’s US PGA at Whistling Straits — he’s also been passed by Shane Lowry in the race to make Ireland’s 2016 Olympic Games team.

He can, after all. look to the great Jack Nicklaus for inspiration as tries to combine tour life with his role as a husband and father.

“The most important thing in my life has always been my family,” father of five Nicklaus wrote in his autobiography: “Jack Nicklaus: My Story.”

“I tried in earnest, given the nature of professional tournament golf. to put the well-being and happiness of my wife, Barbara, and my children—Jack, Steve, Nan, Gary and Michael—ahead of all other priorities and concerns, including tournament golf and business endeavours.”

McDowell has admitted several times this year that he subconsciously let himself ease off mentally following his marriage to Kristin Stape and the birth of the couple’s first child, a girl, in August last year.

“My general desire to go and hit golf balls has not really been perhaps where it has been in the past,” he said. “I feel like I have other things in my mind. 

“It took me four, five, six months to recognise that, I suppose.  As my game has not been where I've wanted it to be the last three or four months, you start to ask the question why.  

“And I felt like the answer is:  Just a little bit of lack of desire and motivation, and spending more time with my family and not really wanting to grind as hard as I have been.”

He says one of his biggest motivations now is the thought of seeing his daughter, Vale, “running on to the 18th green on a Sunday afternoon.”

“What does that mean?  I have to start working hard again.  And I've been working hard the last few months and I really feel like my game is turning around.  

“It's been a problem but it's been a great problem.  It's been a mental kind of shift, which has been affecting the technicalities of my game.  I just haven't played well because I haven't really been applying myself, and recognising that's tough.  

“And I have now and I feel like I've been trying to solve the problem and get myself back.”

And with a huge run of events to come — the, Scottish Open and The Open followed by the RBC Canadian Open, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the US PGA in the space of seven weeks, he hopes to see his game click soon.

Since splitting with Horizon Sports Management last year McDowell has concentrated hard on his business interests — the Nona Blue restaurant in Orlando, his clothing line with Kartel and his own beer, G-Mac's Celtic Style Pale Ale, to name but three.

But with top business partners and employees looking after those brands, blaming that for his loss of form would clearly be wrong.

Hard work and a glance at the world rankings and the stretch of great events ahead, it would be foolish to bet against him.

What better place to start than the French Open, where he will be bidding to become only the second man in the tournament’s illustrious history to win the title three years in succession. 

Not since Marcel Dallemagne in 1938 has someone lifted Continental Europe’s oldest Open three times in succession, though five players have  landed a hat-trick of European Tour titles in the same event — Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods and Ian Woosnam. 

The 35-year old is part of a strong field gathered for the €3million tournament on the Albatros course, with six of his team-mates from the 2014 Ryder Cup also in attendance - Thomas Bjørn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Stephen Gallacher, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood.

Dubuisson and Alexander Levy are leading the 29-strong French charge, aiming to become the first home player since Thomas Levet in 2011 to win the title.

McDowell said: “Coming back to this tournament and having a  chance to win a tournament three times in a row is  very special. I've always enjoyed this golf course,  right back in the early days when I would come  here.

"The golf course has developed so much  over the years. I think back in those first few  years, the fescue was incredibly high and this golf  course could play really, really difficult. I really  think the guys involved at Paris National have  done a great job shaping the golf course and really helping it develop to the golf course we've been  playing for the last few years now which has really  become a great course.

"It's changed a lot over the years and  become a lot more fair but still, big emphasis on  hitting fairways here and hitting greens. The  par 3s are some of the toughest par 3s we play all  year. It's a great golf course. Always enjoyed  coming here but extra special this year, chasing  three in a row, it will be very special."

McDowell is joined in Paris by five irish players with differing agendas.

While McDowell and Darren Clarke are exempt for The Open in a fortnight, Peter Lawrie, Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane and Michael Hoey will be chasing a Top-10 finish and a spot at St Andrews from 16-19 July not to mention a top prize of €500,000.

Lawrie is also trying to win back his card while McGrane is struggling to keep his.

As for the 2018 Ryder Cup, which will be held at the French venue, McDowell is hopeful that he will be playing, even if he needs a wildcard.

"I'll be pushing 40, so at least I'll perhaps be a good call for an invite for a wildcard pick for 2018 if I don't make the team off my own merit," he said playfully. "Being a little bit of a course specialist around here, certainly "I'll be expecting to be part of things."

Laytown and Bettystown's Carol Wickham. Picture: Pat Cashman

Royal Portrush’s Mary MacLaren fired a second round 81 to jointly lead the qualifiers with Laytown and Bettystown’s Carol Wickham in the Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship at Castletroy.

Playing in dry but blustery conditions, defending champion Laura Webb from East Berkshire tied third spot with The Island’s Gertie McMullen followed closely by past champions Sheena McElroy of Grange, Portumna’s Suzanne Corcoran and Carol’s sister, Phil O’Gorman. 

The top 16 qualifiers will now battle it out in matchplay for the Irish Senior Women’s Close title over the next two days with players in positions seventeen through thirty-two qualifying for a four-round Plate.

Irish Senior Women’s Close, CastletroyChampionship Matchplay

09:12 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) v Fiona Corbett (Castletroy)
09:21 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) v Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
09:30 Laura Webb (East Berkshire) v Mary Duane (Hermitage)
09:39 Sheena McElroy (Grange) v Mary Dowling (Mallow)
09:48 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) v Valerie Shannon (Lahinch)
09:57 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) v Violet McBride (Belvoir Park)
10:06 Gertie McMullen (The Island) v Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
10:15 Phil O'Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown) v Pat Doran (Donabate)

Qualifying scores (Par 74 SSS 75 CSS 76 76)

159 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 78 81, Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) 76 83

161 Gertie McMullen (Island) 79 82, Laura Webb (East Berkshire Golf Club) 75 86

163 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 84 79, Phil O'Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown) 82 81, Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna Golf Club) 82 81

164 Catherine Reilly (The Heath Golf Club) 81 83

165 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry Golf Club) 84 81, Violet McBride (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 82 83

167 Pat Doran (Donabate) 84 83, Mary Dowling (Mallow Golf Club) 81 86

169 Mary Duane (Hermitage Golf Club) 84 85

170 Pauline Walsh (Headfort Golf Club) 88 82, Valerie Shannon (Lahinch Golf Club) 85 85

172 Fiona Corbett (Castletroy Golf Club) 89 83

Plate Matchplay

1. 08:00 Catherine Bird (Nenagh) v Fiona McComb (Ballycastle)
2. 08:09 Eilish Ahern (Callan) v Julie Barkman (Nenagh)
3. 08:18 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) v Yvonne Cassidy (Castletroy)
4. 08:27 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) v Glory Ryan (Castletroy)
5. 08:36 Majorie Ahern (Lahinch) v Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam)
6. 08:45 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) v Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown)
7. 08:54 Anita McCaw RCD Ladies) v Fiona Glass (Ballycastle)
8. 09:03 Kate Evans (RCD Ladies) v Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell)

Qualifying Scores Plate (PAR 74 SSS 75 CSS 76 76)

173 Catherine Bird (Nenagh Golf Club) 87 86, Marjorie Ahern (Lahinch Golf Club) 86 87

175 Anita McCaw (Royal Co. Down Ladies) 86 89

176 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 87 89, Valerie Hassett (Ennis Golf Club) 87 89

177 Kate Evans (Royal Co. Down Ladies) 90 87

178 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) 88 90, Eilish Ahern (Callan) 84 94, Julie Barkman (Nenagh Golf Club) 84 94

179 Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown Golf Club) 90 89, Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell Golf Club) 89 90, Glory Ryan (Castletroy Golf Club) 88 91

181 Yvonne Cassidy (Castletroy Golf Club) 96 85, Fiona Glass (Ballycastle Golf Club) 91 90, Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 90 91, Fiona McComb (Ballycastle Golf Club) 89 92

Not available for matchplay

174 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush Golf Club) 90 84

174 Evelyn Donnelly (Lisheen Springs) 88 87

177 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 89 88

179 Ethna Leonard (Castletroy Golf Club) 92 87

Non Qualifiers

183 Josette O'Donnell (Ballybunion Golf Club) 93 90

184 Rita O'Neill (Callan) 91 93

185 Trudy Brosnan (Kanturk Golf Club) 95 90

186 Marion Cummins (Castletroy Golf Club) 99 87, Mary Geaney (Killarney Golf Club) 91 95

189 Mary O'Donoghue (Ballybunion Golf Club) 99 90

190 Anne Marie Carroll (Ballybunion Golf Club) 95 95, Eithne Hehir (Ballyneety Golf Club) 95 95

191 Hilary Harte (Monkstown Golf Club) 100 91, Mary Byrne (Castletroy Golf Club) 94 97

192 Sighle Henigan (Ballybunion Golf Club) 99 93

193 Maria O'Connor (Castleisland Golf Club) 94 99

194 Anne Wemyss (Callan) 99 95

195 Mary Mather (Cill Dara Golf Club) 94 101

198 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown Golf Club) 103 95

WD Eileen Kenny-Ryan (Ballybunion Golf Club) 91 WD Ailish Diliger (Limerick Golf Club) 98.

The O'Meara Course at Carton House

An improved mental approach helped Team Ireland's Simon Thornton to victory in the two-day Johnston Mooney & O'Brien PGA Challenge at Carton House.

The 38-year-old followed up Tuesday's opening round 68 with a three under par 70  to win by two shots on eight under par 138.

“I played pretty well both days, but didn't score just as well today,” said Newcastle based Thornton, who lost his European Tour card at the end of 2014 and has been flitting between the Challenge Tour and European Tour this season.

“The big difference for me was that mentally I was in the right place, I was in tune with what I needed to do.

“For the last nine months my head has not been in it. I have been down on myself and not playing well. I was talking to a couple of the guys after the pro-am and it kind of gave me a kick up the backside – they would love to be doing what I'm doing.”

Simon started the second round with a one shot lead over Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) and Daniel Beattie (Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa). He made a positive start, collecting birdies at three of his opening five holes to extend that advantage. 

A dropped shot at the par four eighth saw him to the turn in two under 35 but he cemented his grip on the tournament by collecting further birdies at the 10th and 11th.

With a healthy advantage he could afford not to take any chances over his closing holes and even a dropped shot at the par three 14th failed to derail his victory march.

Nearest challenger, Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) came home in two under 34 on his way to a second round 71 that saw him finish alone in second on six under par.

Thornton's next task is to take his his young family off to Portugal for a week's holiday, the first time in five years he will be away without his clubs. When he returns, he is planning to play more PGA in Ireland events.

Moriarty will join a strong field assembled for the next event on the PGA in Ireland schedule, the popular Slieve Russell Masters Pro-Am on July 6-7. 

Johnston Mooney & O'Brien PGA Challenge, Carton House (The O'Meara) Par 73 

Detailed scores

138 Simon Thornton (Team Ireland) 68 70

140 Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) 69 71

143 Cian McNamara (Monkstown GC) 72 71

144 Daniel Beattie (Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa) 69 75

145 Noel Fox (GUI National Academy) 76 69; David Higgins (Waterville GC) 72 73

146 Neil Manchip (GUI National Academy) 75 71; Hazel Kavanagh (Carr Golf Services) 71 75

T9 Noel Murray (Massereene GC) 78 69; Damien Mooney (Ballyliffin) 76 71; G Robinson 76 71.

Leona Maguire. Picture: Ladies European Tour

World No.1 amateur Leona Maguire is at Buckinghamshire Golf Club near London this week to try and win the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters.

Along with India Clyburn, the 20-year-old from Cavan in Ireland will be one of only two amateur competitors vying for the title at the Ladies European Tour’s headquarters.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to it because it’s always nice to play in a professional event.

"I’ve played in a few Irish Opens and made the cut twice and I also played in a Ricoh Women’s Open. 

“I’m having a good year and just finished my first year in college at Duke University in North Carolina. I’ve got three more years to go and it’s a great experience.

"I’m just going to see what happens. I’ve nothing to lose this week so I’ll see how I play and how the best players match up against me.”

Maguire started to play golf aged nine along with her twin sister Lisa and they first played on the Ladies European Tour at the Northern Ireland Open as 12 year olds. 

Both players have played on Junior Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Curtis Cup teams. 

This year, Leona’s most recent achievements include being named ACC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the USA and winning the 2015 Annika Award for the best golfer of the year in American college women's golf.

Portmarnock's Conor Purcell. Picture by Pat Cashman

Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell had two eagles yet still only managed a 75 for a share of the first round lead with The Island’s Gareth Hogan in the Ulster Boys Championship at Castlerock.

The pair lead by a shot on two over from Col Sligo’s David Brady, Balbriggan’s Tommy Doran, Clandeboye’s Ryan Corry and Belvoir Park’s Marc Norton on a day when just 22 players in the 149-strong field broke 80.

Purcell had a triple bogey seven at the second, an eagle three at the third, a bogey at the short fourth and another eagle three at the fifth for an eventful level par stretch.

Royal Portrush's Tyron Clarke, son of Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, was five over after five but the five-handicapper dug deep and played the remainder in level par for a five over 78 worth a share of 10th place.  

The top 54 after Wednesday’s second round will qualify for the final 36 holes on Thursday.

Ulster Boys Championship, Castlerock (Par 73)

Detailed scores

75 Gareth Hogan (Island), Conor Purcell (Portmarnock)

76 David Brady (Co. Sligo), Tommy Doran (Balbriggan), Ryan Corry (Clandeboye), Marc Norton (Belvoir Park)

77 William Small (Tandragee), Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu), Louis O'Hara (Athenry)

78 Tyrone Clarke (Royal Portrush), Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush)

79 Adam McCormick (Scrabo), Sean Kestell (Charlesland), John Murphy (Kinsale), Andrew Mays (Portmarnock), Bill Hannan (Carton House), Marc Boucher (Carton House), Brian Jnr Fehily (Newlands), Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick), Karl Eccles (Clandeboye), Owen Crooks (Bushfoot), Jack Doherty (Carton House)

80 Daniel Reilly (Galgorm Castle), Michael Joseph Kennelly (Athenry), Luke Cummins (West Waterford), Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush), Marc McCormack (Ashbourne), James Cronin (Woodbrook), Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam), Tom O'Hara (Co. Sligo), Caolan Murphy (Greenore), Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park), Dean Cafferty (Carton House)

81 Nathan McCann (Lurgan), Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint), Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick), Chris Black (Dunmurry), Gary Trotter (Aughnacloy), Anthony McAteer (Warrenpoint), David Hill (Roscommon), Jake Rowe (Tandragee), Jack Patton (Letterkenny)

82 Ross Mohan (Balcarrick), Fergus McCambridge (Cushendall), Eamonn O'Driscoll (Killarney), Declan Kelly (Hermitage), Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh), Campbell Rodgers (Royal Portrush), David Clince (Craddockstown), Conor Smart (Belvoir Park), Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam), Connor Mulholland (Mount Juliet), Jake Vickers (Balbriggan), David McAleenon (Edenmore)

83 Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin), Ben Surgeoner (Rathmore), Cathal Butler (Kinsale), Odhran Mullan (Castlerock), Enda Kennedy (Black Bush), Sean Murphy (Charlesland), Anton Brennan (Athenry), Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire), Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick), Jamie Tharma (Royal Belfast), Graham Curry (Faughan Valley)

84 Sean Doyle (Athlone), Luke Flynn (Dun Laoghaire), Matthew Fitzsimons (Ardglass), Mark Healy (Kinsale), Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park), Ronan McCambridge (Cushendall), Rory Williamson (Holywood), Devin Morley (Oughterard), William Eickholt (Portmarnock), Conor Byrne (Woodbrook)

85 Ryan Sheerin (Tullamore), Kevin Power (Kilkenny), David Burns (Cushendall), Gary Ward (Kinsale), Conor Mooney (Black Bush), Peter Cummins (Lurgan), Henry Clark (Shandon Park), Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny), Darragh Burke (Tullamore), Peter Clark (Royal Portrush)

86 Jack Madden (Dungannon), Stewart McCaw (Royal Belfast), Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan), Ross Moore (Royal Portrush), Conor McDonald (Lurgan), Christopher Duffy (Letterkenny), Keaton Morrison (Holywood), Cathal Hastings (Castlebar)

87 Sean Breheny (St. Anne's), Liam Jennings (Balmoral), Cian Hutchinson (Carton House), T J Ford (Co. Sligo), Ryan Thompson (Greenacres), Oisin Devereux (Carton House), Adam Crum (Cairndhu), Peter Rolston (Shandon Park), David Cunningham (Tandragee), Alan Fahy (Bray), Ciaran Smyth (Greenore), Dara Phelan (Faithlegg), Michael Young (France), Timothy Howes (Mount Juliet), Ward Farrell (Dunmurry)

88 Niall Doran (Mourne), Daragh Coleman (Skerries), Brian Houston (Edenmore), Aaron O'Donnell (Athenry)

89 John Moore (Royal Portrush), Jordan McDonald (St. Anne's), Nathan Kernaghan (Massereene)

90 Andrew Glass (Castlerock), Christopher Charlton (Dungannon), Patrick Jordan (Silverwood), Glenn Fry (Carrickmines), Ryan McNamara (Carrickfergus), Colm Beakey (Galway Bay)

91 Alex Murray (Island), Jude Maskey (Fortwilliam), Jack Shellard (Lisburn)

92 Ciaran McCabe (Dungannon), Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint), Conor Mckay (Roe Park)

93 Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo), Conor Rice (Athlone), Aaron Howard (Palmerstown Stud)

94 Ben Graham (Scrabo), Harry Mcgeary (Dungannon), Jack Montgomery (Fintona), Eanna Melville (Gort), Darragh Smith (Castle), Danny McGarvey (Cruit Island), Jack Liston (Black Bush), Joseph Rafferty (Castle Hume)

95 Jack Johnston (Clandeboye)

96 Marco Deane (Malone)

97 Paul Kelly (Glasson), James Bohan (Kinsale)

98 Daniel Devlin (Fota Island), Seamus Og O'Neill (Co. Cavan)

101 Thomas Gracey (Dunmurry)

103 Eoin Aherne (Mallow)

NR Dale Baker (Downpatrick), David Knox (Foyle), Danny Madden (Dungannon)

The O'Meara at Carton House. 

Team Ireland's Simon Thornton has a one shot lead heading into tomorrow's second and final round of the Johnston Mooney & O'Brien PGA Challenge at Carton House.

Thornton's five under par 68 on The O'Meara, edged him clear of Deer Park's Daniel Beattie and Drive Golf Performance's Colm Moriarty.

The 38-year-old Bradford born golfer coped admirably in today's hot and blustery conditions, going to the turn in two under 35 and coming home in three under 33.

Ballyliffin's Damian Mooney, who carded a fine six under 67 to win the Pro-Am on Monday, carded an opening round three over par 76 and is tied for 20th.

Defending champion Dara Lernihan from Elm Park is tied for 30th on five over par.

Johnston, Mooney & O'Brien PGA Challenge, Carton House (The O'Meara) Par 73

Round One (Detailed leaderboard)

68 Simon Thornton (Team Ireland)

69 Daniel Beattie (Deer Park); Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance)

71 Hazel Kavanagh (Carr Golf)

72 Cian McNamara (Monkstown GC); David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links)

73 Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny GC)

74 Michael  O'Shea (Rathsallagh GC); David Foley (Dromoland Castle GC); Peter Jones (Coollattin GC) 74