Irish Golf News

Adrien Pendaries (France) reacts to holing his pitch shot at the 13th green on his way to victory in the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Parisian drien Pendaries might have struggled to a 74 but he still cruised to a comfortable eight-shot win in the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam.

The 16-year old became the first French winner of the title, finishing on two under par 286 at the Galway venue

Kinsale's John Murphy was the only player in the field to break par, caring a 69 to grab a six-way share of fourth place on nine over with Holywood's Rory Williamson and Portmarnock's Conor Purcel.

New Ross' Michael Ryan was second, eight behind Pendaries on six over after a 77 with England's Oliver Clarke third on seven over after a 75.

Clarke also took the under-17 prize on a day when Carton House's Marc Boucher had a hole-in-one at the 190-yard fifth in a closing 76 worth a share of 15th on 300.

Michael Connaughton (President, GUI) presenting Adrien Pendaries (France) with the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Tuam Golf Club today (26/06/2015). Also in the picture are Rory O'Connor (Captain, Tuam Golf Club) and Jim McGovern (Chairman, Connacht Branch, GUI). Picture by Pat Cashman

Michael Connaughton (President, GUI) pictured with Adrien Pendaries (France) after his victory in the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship and Oliver Clarke (England) winner of the Under 17 Championship at Tuam Golf Club today (26/06/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman

Marc Boucher (Carton House) after holing in one at the 5th hole in the final round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club today (26/06/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman

Adrien Pendaries (France) with the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Tuam Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish Boys Amateur Open, Tuam Golf Club

CSS: Rd 1= 74, Rd 2 = 72, Rd 3 = 74, Rd 4 = 74 R/O

Detailed scores

286 Adrien Pendaries (France) 75 72 65 74

294 Michael Ryan (New Ross) 73 75 69 77

295 Oliver Clarke (England) 75 71 74 75 (Winner of U17 Trophy)

297 John Murphy (Kinsale) 78 75 75 69, Rhys Nevin-Wharton (England) 77 76 72 72, Rory Williamson (Holywood) 77 66 77 77, Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) 74 72 74 77, Gian-Marco Petrozzi (England) 73 71 75 78, Max Martin (England) 70 75 77 75

298 Mark Power (Kilkenny) 74 76 72 76, Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu) 74 70 76 78, Harry Gillivan (Westport) 71 73 75 79, Cameron Raymond (Newlands) 70 75 78 75

299 Daniel O'Loughlin (England) 74 74 79 72

300 Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 80 72 74 74, Sean Desmond (Monkstown) 74 71 80 75, Marc Boucher (Carton House) 74 71 79 76

302 Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 76 71 77 78, Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 75 75 76 76, Thomas Murray (England) 71 77 77 77

303 Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis) 81 70 73 79

304 John Gough (England) 75 76 76 77, Barry Fitzpatrick (Castle) 71 70 84 79

305 Antoin Auboin (France) 73 71 82 79

306 Devin Morley (Oughterard) 83 73 77 73, Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 80 73 76 77, Alan Fahy (Bray) 73 78 77 78

307 Henry Clark (Shandon Park) 77 74 78 78, Aymeric Laussot (France) 76 77 76 78, Eoin Leonard (Wentworth) 73 78 77 79, Charlie Denvir (Milltown) 73 74 78 82

308 Gareth Hogan (The Island) 77 75 80 76, Eric Rumley (Kinsale) 75 75 76 82

309 Gareth Carr (Mullingar) 82 78 74 75, Mark Healy (Kinsale) 74 74 82 79, Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan) 73 76 80 80

310 Allan Hill (Roscommon) 78 75 76 81, John Brady (Rosslare) 76 77 79 78, Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park) 74 80 80 76, Laird Shepherd (England) 70 78 81 81

311 Giles Evans (England) 83 77 74 77, Yvan Ducler (France) 79 78 76 78, Declan Kelly (Hermitage) 78 76 79 78, Thomas Boulanger (France) 76 78 78 79

312 Joseph O'Neill (Tralee) 78 74 81 79, Matthew Grehan (Tullamore) 73 79 77 83

313 Stephen Kelliher (Killarney) 83 74 76 80

314 John Paul Ralph (England) 75 80 79 80

315 Jake Vickers (Balbriggan) 84 74 75 82, Oisin Devereux (Carton House) 81 78 73 83, Owen Crooks (Bushfoot) 76 76 79 84

316 Rory Hill (Tralee) 80 76 78 82, Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 74 81 82, Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 78 81 75 82, Toby Lane (England) 71 79 84 82

317 Ross Kelly (Tuam) 79 76 79 83

Winner of the Under 17 trophy Oliver Clarke (England) coming from the bunker at the 11th green in the final round of the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman

Michael Ryan (New Ross) watching his drive on the 16th tee during the final round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Missed Cut

235 Micheal Shiel (Athenry) 84 76 75, Bill Hannan (Carton House) 82 83 70, Michael O'Farrell (Galway) 81 74 80, Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo) 79 76 80, Louis O'Hara (Athenry) 78 77 80, Eric Doran (Palmerstown Stud) 77 82 76, Conor Keown (Greystones) 77 81 77

236 AJ McCabe (Malahide) 84 74 78, David Clince (Craddockstown) 81 75 80, Brendan Rossiter (Rosslare) 80 81 75, Adam McCormick (Scrabo) 79 80 77, Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 77 80, Mark Doogue (Baltinglass) 79 76 81, Ian Halpin (Cahir Park) 76 79 81, Conor Mooney (Black Bush) 75 82 79

237 James O'Connor (Muskerry) 85 76 76, Luke Cummins (West Waterford) 81 79 77, Ryan Corry (Clandeboye) 80 77 80, Eamonn O'Driscoll (Killarney) 80 77 80, Darren Hourihan (Douglas) 78 79 80

238 Gary Ward (Kinsale) 81 78 79, Ross Mohan (Balcarrick) 80 81 77, David McAleenon (Edenmore) 80 80 78, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam) 77 76 85, Simon Stefenel (France) 75 81 82, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore) 74 82 82

239 John Molyneaux Jnr (Ballybunion) 80 75 84, Jack Hearn (Tramore) 79 83 77, Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 79 74 86, Cian Henry (Ballyhaunis) 76 85 78

240 Sean Dowling (Beaverstown) 81 76 83, William Small (Tandragee) 79 83 78, Julian Audibert (France) 79 82 79, Eoin Conway (West Waterford) 79 79 82, Anton Brennan (Athenry) 76 79 85, Jack Doherty (Carton House) 75 84 81

241 Edward Walsh (Mallow) 89 73 79, Conor Roche (Mallow) 82 83 76, Cillian Lawless (Athenry) 80 78 83, Paddy Culhane (Galway) 79 83 79, Michael Kennelly (Athenry) 79 81 81, Ben Graham (Scrabo) 79 80 82, John Corbett Jnr (Thurles) 77 82 82

242 David Brady (Co. Sligo) 82 81 79, Jack McGarry (Rosslare) 82 77 83, Tommy Doran (Balbriggan) 81 82 79, Mikey Burke (Galway) 81 80 81, Benedict Cronin (Muskerry) 81 79 82, Nathan McCann (Lurgan) 80 83 79, Seamus Og O Neill (Co. Cavan) 78 86 78, Charlie Dawson (Faithlegg) 78 84 80

243 David Hill (Roscommon) 83 80 80, Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin) 83 76 84, Conor Rice (Athlone) 80 80 83

244 TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) 87 79 78, Sean Burke (Galway) 85 81 78, Darragh Monaghan (England) 81 80 83, Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush) 81 77 86, Daragh Coleman (Skerries) 79 83 82, Darragh Smith (Castle) 77 84 83, Chris Black (Dunmurry) 77 82 85, Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) 77 77 90

245 Louis Bellan (France) 87 76 82, Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny) 85 77 83, Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam) 79 85 81, Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint) 78 80 87

246 Cian Commins (Ardee) 83 81 82, Jack Madden (Dungannon) 83 79 84, Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire) 82 80 84, Oisin Fitzgerald (Tralee) 80 84 82

247 Marc McCormack (Ashbourne) 84 79 84, Dean Cafferty (Carton House) 82 74 91

248 Jack Patton (Letterkenny Golf Club) 92 81 75, Conor Ruane (Galway Bay Golf Club) 81 84 83, Tom Groves (The Royal Dublin) 81 83 84

249 Kevin Power (Kilkenny) 80 81 88

250 Robert Moran (Castle) 86 75 89

251 Shasa Decker (Belgium) 84 82 85

255 Ciaran Henry (Strandhill) 87 84 84

259 Daniel Curry (Coollattin Golf Club) 90 82 87

268 Robert Browne (Castle) 89 87 92

NR/WD Cillian Moloney (Fota Island) 78 79 NR, Paul Twohig (Fota Island) 81 85 NR, Niall Hearns (Mountrath) 85 82 NR, Con O'Callaghan (Kanturk) 81 86 NR, Daniel O'Sullivan (Douglas) 84 84 NR, Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint) 73 NR, Thomas Martin (Waterford Castle) NR DQ, Sean Enright (Doneraile) DQ, Samuel Ledbury (Belgium) 79 78 WD, Ross Nelson () 79 78 WD, Oisin Fleming (Bray) 81 80 WD, Giles Gill (England) 86 81 WD, Rory Dineen (Cork) 87 WD, John Bolger (Courtown) 73 86 WD Christian Kennedy (Lisburn) 82 78 WD Jack Johnston (Clandeboye) 79 82 WD Shane Livesey (Monkstown) 83 84 WD Darragh Herlihy (West Waterford) 82 87 WD Sean Doyle (Athlone) 82 WD

Delgany Golf Club

Old Conna's Neil O'Briain edged out Clontarf's Eamonn Brady and Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort's Graeme Dunlea by a single shot at Friday's Delgany Pro-Am.

With a shotgun start in operation, O'Brian started his round at the seventh with a par, birdied the eighth and dropped a shot at the ninth. He started the back nine with a birdie at the par five 10th, dropped a shot at the 11th but then birdied the 13th, 15th and 18th to go out in three under 32. T

urning for home he parred his opening three holes, picked up another birdie at the par four fourth but then closed out his round with a dropped shot at the sixth.

Brady guided his team of Chris Wojnar, Frank Kane and Eamonn Fox to victory in the team event with 95 points.

Brady's second place edges him further ahead in the Order of Merit race. He now has a 2000 point lead over Waterville's David Higgins.

Delgany Pro-Am at Delgany Pro-Am (Par 69)Proceeds to Down Syndrome Centre

1 N O'Briain (Old Conna GC) 66

T2 E Brady (Clontarf CC); G Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 67

T4 C McNamara (Monkstown GC); D Beattie (Deer Park); A Hogan (Edmondstown GC); N Kearney (Royal Dublin GC); B McGovern (Headfort GC); J Bolger (Kilkenny GC) 68

 

 

Seamus Power made headlines on PGATour.com on Thursday

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power holed out for an eagle two and had just 24 putts in a seven under 63 to lead after the first round lead in the $600,000 Air Capital Classic presented by Aetna in Wichita, Kansas.

The  28-year told from West Waterford, who is 68th in the money list that awards PGA Tour cards to the Top 25, started on the back nine at Crestview County Club and stormed to the turn in five under 30 with an eagle two at the 11th and birdies at the 15th, 17th and 18th.

He got to eight under with further birdies at the second, fourth and fifth but bogeyed the sixth for a 63 that was only his second best score of the season. Scores

A rookie on the second tier circuit after graduating via Q-School last year, Power opened with a 61 in the Rex Hospital Open in May but ended up tied 51st.

Power leads by one stroke on seven under from Sweden's Henrik Norlander, South Korea's D.H. Lee, South Africa's Dawie van der Walt and American Timothy Madigan, who all shot 64s. Scores

While it's still far to early think of victory, Power will be well aware that a win worth $108,000 would put him comfortably inside "The 25."

PGA Tour — Pádraig Harrington was one over par with eight holes to play but rallied spectacularly by carding five birdies in six holes at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.This year's Honda Classic winner carded a four under par 66 near Cromwell in Connecticut to share 15th place, four strokes behind Bubba Watson.Harrington had virtually no chances early on, then bogeyed the seventh off a bunkered second before his round finally took off when he holed a 20 footer for a two at the 11th.After a par at the 12th, he birdied the next four holes, holing putts of six feet, eight feet, five feet and 15 feet for a homeward nine of 30.Watson almost holed his approach to the last, tapping in from a few inches for his ninth birdie of an eight under 62 that gave him a two-stroke lead in the event he won in 2010 for his first PGA Tour title.The left-handed, two-time Masters winner has finished in the top 20 five times in eight previous starts at TPC River Highlands.He just missed an eagle on the par-four 18th hole, hitting a 139-yard second shot that hit the flag..Keegan Bradley is tied for second with Jason Gore, Seung-Yul Noh, Brian Stuard and Harris English after 64s with another eight players tied for seventh after 65s. Harrington is in a 12-man pack on four under after his 66. The Dubliner, now 92nd in the world, needs a decent week having missed seven of 14 cuts this year on both sides of the pond.

David Carey in action in 

Europro Tour — Carrickmacross' Simon Ward is just a shot behind England's Paul Howard entering the final round of the Europro Tour's Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic.

The two time former South of Ireland champion added a 67 to his opening 65 to sit alone in second place on 12 under par.

The Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic carries a £50,000 prize fund with the winner taking home £10,000.

Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic, Newmachar Golf Club (Par 72)

Detailed leaderboard

2 Simon Ward  Unattached  -12 65 67 132

T41 Brian Casey  Headfort Golf Club  -2 71 71 142

MC Tim Rice  Limerick Golf Club  +1 77 68 145

MC Richard Weldon  Killeen Castle Golf Club  +6 80 70 150

MC Brian Sweeney  Castle Fuels  +19 79 84 163

Alps Tour — David Carey is eight shots behind leader Eduardo Larrañaga of Spain after the opening round of the 2015 Open International de la Mirabelle d'Or in Golf de La Grange aux Ormes near Metz in northeast France.Larrañaga shot a seven under 64 to lead by a stroke with Carey tied for 66th after a one over 762 featuring an eagle three, one birdie and two double bogey sixes.Derry's Brendan McCarroll is near the back the field on 11 over after an 82. Scores

Jack Hume. Picture: Pat Cashman

Walker Cup hopefuls Jack Hume, Dermot McElroy and Cormac Sharvin kept the leaders in their sights midway through the Brabazon Trophy on the heathland at Hollinwell.

As Walton Heath’s Ben Taylor shot a 70 to lead by two shots on five under par from Ewen Ferguson, Jack Singh Brar and Paul Kinnear, the Irish trio are just five off the pace on level par.

Eleven of the 14 Irish entrants made the four over par cut with Daniel Holland hitting a 71 to make it with a shot to spare and Irish Close champion John Ross Galbraith also shooting one under to make it on the mark.

Hume and McElroy both shot 71st to share ninth on 144 with Sharvin, who posted a 73. 

The Island’s Paul McBride (72) and Kevin LeBlanc (74) share 18th on one over with Naas’ Conor O’Rourke, who showed that he’s rapidly becoming a more experienced campaigner with a 72

Irish Strokeplay champion Gavin Moynihan (72) and Greystones’ Paul Dunne (73) are not out of it on two over alongside Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell, who could only added a 76 to his opening 70.

Brabazon Trophy supported by Your Golf Travel Notts (Hollinwell Golf Club)

Detailed scores

1 TAYLOR, Ben Walton Heath Golf Club 69 70 139    
T2 FERGUSON, Ewen Bearsden Golf Club 74 67 141    
T2 SINGH BRAR, Jack Remedy Oak Golf Club 73 68 141    
T2 KINNEAR, Paul Formby Golf Club 72 69 141    
5 MAZIER, Pierre RCF Golf de la Boulie 74 68 142    
T6 TURNER, Ashton Kenwick Park Golf Club 72 71 143    
T6 WRIGHT, Arron Enville Golf Club 72 71 143    
T6    ANDERSON, Tomasz Brocket Hall Golf Club 72 71 143    
T9 GIBSON, Scott Southerness Golf Club 75 69 144    
T9 MARSH, Nick Huddersfield Golf Club 75 69 144

Irish

T9 HUME, Jack Naas Golf Club 73 71 144    
T9 MCELROY, Dermot Ballymena Golf Club 73 71 144    
T9 SHARVIN, Cormac Ardglass Golf Club 71 73 144
T18 MCBRIDE, Paul The Island Golf Club 73 72 145    
T18 O’ROURKE, Conor Naas Golf Club 73 72 145
T18 LE BLANC, Kevin The Island Golf Club 71 74    145
T26 MOYNIHAN, Gavin The Island Golf Club 74 72 146    
T26 DUNNE, Paul Greystones Golf Club 73 73 146    
T26 CAMPBELL, Colm Warrenpoint Golf Club 70 76 146
T39 HOLLAND, Daniel Castle Golf Club 76 71 147
T49 GALBRAITH, John-Ross Whitehead Golf Club 77 71 148    

Cut - 148

MC DAWSON, Robin Faithlegg GC 76 77 153    
MC FLANAGAN, Sean Co. Sligo Golf Club 74 79 153    
MC BRIDGES, Richard Stackstown Golf Cub 82 72 154.

Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club

Ballyliffin's Damien Mooney, Clontarf's Eamonn Brady and Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney shared the spoils in the Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club Pro-Am on Thursday.

The trio carded four under par rounds of 68 to finish two shots ahead of Monkstown's Cian McNamara, Deer Park's Daniel Beattie and Massereene's Noel Murray.

Mooney recorded five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in his round at the County Wexford venue. While Brady, who booked his place in Local Final Qualifying for The Open Championship via Regional Qualifying on Monday, continued his rich vein of form with five birdies and one bogey.

Reigning Irish PGA champion Kearney  had the cleanest card, finishing with two birdies, an eagle at the par five 18th and no dropped shots.

Druids Glen professional Patrick Geraghty, guided his team to victory in the team event with 93 points, one point ahead of Cian McNamara and Eddie Doyle (Natural Golf School).

Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club Pro-Am, Bunclody GC (Par 72)

Detailed scores

68 D Mooney (Ballyliffin GC); E Brady (Clontarf GC); N Kearney (Royal Dublin GC)

70 C McNamara (Monkstown GC); D Beattie (Deer Park GC); N Murray (Massereene GC)

71 K Shannon; H Kavanagh (Carr Golf Service); C Carvill (Belvoir Park GC); T Higgins (Mount Wolseley GC).

 

 

Adrien Pendaries

He might only be 16th in the French Boys Order of Merit but Adrien Penadaries showed the field a clean pair of heels in round three of the Irish Boys Amateur Open in Tuam.

The 16-year old Parisian, a member of the elite French “Pôles Espoirs” golf system, fired an eagle at the third and added five birdies in a course record seven under par 65.

The Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche player, a son of former Challenge Tour winner Marc Pendaries, leads by fives strokes on four under 212 from New Ross’ Michael Ryan, who had five birdies and a double bogey in a three under 69 to get to one over.

Penadaries' round, which also featured birdies at the eighth, 10th, 12th, 14th and 17th, was all the more remarkable for the fact that it was one of just three sub-par scores registered on Thursday.

After Ryan’s 69, the only other player to break par was Carton House’s Bill Hannon, who shot a 70 but missed the 18 over par cut of 234 by a single stroke. 

England’s Gian-Marco Petrozzi and Westport’s Harry Gillivan shot 75s to share third place on three over par 219 with overnight leader Barry Fitzpatrick back in 15th on nine over after an 84.

Irish Boys Amateur Open, Tuam (Par 72)

Detailed scores

212 Adrien Pendaries (France) 75 72 65

217 Michael Ryan (New Ross) 73 75 69

219 Gian-Marco Petrozzi (England) 73 71 75, Harry Gillivan (Westport) 71 73 75

220 Rory Williamson (Holywood) 77 66 77, Oliver Clarke (England) 75 71 74, Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) 74 72 74, Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu) 74 70 76

222 Mark Power (Kilkenny) 74 76 72, Max Martin (England) 70 75 77

223 Cameron Raymond (Newlands) 70 75 78

224 Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis) 81 70 73, Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 76 71 77, Marc Boucher (Carton House) 74 71 79

225 Rhys Nevin-Wharton (England) 77 76 72, Sean Desmond (Monkstown) 74 71 80, Charlie Denvir (Milltown) 73 74 78, Thomas Murray (England) 71 77 77, Barry Fitzpatrick (Castle) 71 70 84

226 Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 80 72 74, Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 75 75 76, Eric Rumley (Kinsale) 75 75 76, Antoin Auboin (France) 73 71 82

227 John Gough (England) 75 76 76, Daniel O'Loughlin (England) 74 74 79

228 John Murphy (Kinsale) 78 75 75, Alan Fahy (Bray) 73 78 77, Eoin Leonard (Wentworth) 73 78 77

229 Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 80 73 76, Allan Hill (Roscommon) 78 75 76, Henry Clark (Shandon Park) 77 74 78, Aymeric Laussot (France) 76 77 76, Matthew Grehan (Tullamore) 73 79 77, Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan) 73 76 80, Laird Shepherd (England) 70 78 81

230 Mark Healy (Kinsale) 74 74 82

231 Owen Crooks (Bushfoot) 76 76 79

232 Oisin Devereux (Carton House) 81 78 73, Gareth Hogan (The Island) 77 75 80, Thomas Boulanger (France) 76 78 78, John Brady (Rosslare) 76 77 79

233 Jake Vickers (Balbriggan) 84 74 75, Stephen Kelliher (Killarney) 83 74 76, Devin Morley (Oughterard) 83 73 77, Yvan Ducler (France) 79 78 76, Declan Kelly (Hermitage) 78 76 79, Joseph O'Neill (Tralee) 78 74 81

234 Giles Evans (England) 83 77 74, Gareth Carr (Mullingar) 82 78 74, Rory Hill (Tralee) 80 76 78, Ross Kelly (Tuam) 79 76 79, Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 74 81, Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 78 81 75, Paul Kelly (Glasson) 78 78 78, John Paul Ralph (England) 75 80 79, Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park) 74 80 80, Toby Lane (England) 71 79 84

Missed Cut

235 Micheal Shiel (Athenry) 84 76 75, Bill Hannan (Carton House) 82 83 70, Michael O'Farrell (Galway) 81 74 80, Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo) 79 76 80, Louis O'Hara (Athenry) 78 77 80, Eric Doran (Palmerstown Stud) 77 82 76, Conor Keown (Greystones) 77 81 77

236 AJ McCabe (Malahide) 84 74 78, David Clince (Craddockstown) 81 75 80, Brendan Rossiter (Rosslare) 80 81 75, Adam McCormick (Scrabo) 79 80 77, Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 77 80, Mark Doogue (Baltinglass) 79 76 81, Ian Halpin (Cahir Park) 76 79 81, Conor Mooney (Black Bush) 75 82 79

237 James O'Connor (Muskerry) 85 76 76, Luke Cummins (West Waterford) 81 79 77, Ryan Corry (Clandeboye) 80 77 80, Eamonn O'Driscoll (Killarney) 80 77 80, Darren Hourihan (Douglas) 78 79 80

238 Gary Ward (Kinsale) 81 78 79, Ross Mohan (Balcarrick) 80 81 77, David McAleenon (Edenmore) 80 80 78, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam) 77 76 85, Simon Stefenel (France) 75 81 82, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore) 74 82 82

239 John Molyneaux Jnr (Ballybunion) 80 75 84, Jack Hearn (Tramore) 79 83 77, Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 79 74 86, Cian Henry (Ballyhaunis) 76 85 78

240 Sean Dowling (Beaverstown) 81 76 83, William Small (Tandragee) 79 83 78, Julian Audibert (France) 79 82 79, Eoin Conway (West Waterford) 79 79 82, Anton Brennan (Athenry) 76 79 85, Jack Doherty (Carton House) 75 84 81

241 Edward Walsh (Mallow) 89 73 79, Conor Roche (Mallow) 82 83 76, Cillian Lawless (Athenry) 80 78 83, Paddy Culhane (Galway) 79 83 79, Michael Kennelly (Athenry) 79 81 81, Ben Graham (Scrabo) 79 80 82, John Corbett Jnr (Thurles) 77 82 82

242 David Brady (Co. Sligo) 82 81 79, Jack McGarry (Rosslare) 82 77 83, Tommy Doran (Balbriggan) 81 82 79, Mikey Burke (Galway) 81 80 81, Benedict Cronin (Muskerry) 81 79 82, Nathan McCann (Lurgan) 80 83 79, Seamus Og O Neill (Co. Cavan) 78 86 78, Charlie Dawson (Faithlegg) 78 84 80

243 David Hill (Roscommon) 83 80 80, Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin) 83 76 84, Conor Rice (Athlone) 80 80 83

244 TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) 87 79 78, Sean Burke (Galway) 85 81 78, Darragh Monaghan (England) 81 80 83, Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush) 81 77 86, Daragh Coleman (Skerries) 79 83 82, Darragh Smith (Castle) 77 84 83, Chris Black (Dunmurry) 77 82 85, Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) 77 77 90

245 Louis Bellan (France) 87 76 82, Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny) 85 77 83, Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam) 79 85 81, Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint) 78 80 87

246 Cian Commins (Ardee) 83 81 82, Jack Madden (Dungannon) 83 79 84, Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire) 82 80 84, Oisin Fitzgerald (Tralee) 80 84 82

247 Marc McCormack (Ashbourne) 84 79 84, Dean Cafferty (Carton House) 82 74 91

248 Jack Patton (Letterkenny Golf Club) 92 81 75, Conor Ruane (Galway Bay Golf Club) 81 84 83, Tom Groves (The Royal Dublin) 81 83 84

249 Kevin Power (Kilkenny) 80 81 88

250 Robert Moran (Castle) 86 75 89 251 Shasa Decker (Belgium) 84 82 85

255 Ciaran Henry (Strandhill) 87 84 84

259 Daniel Curry (Coollattin Golf Club) 90 82 87

268 Robert Browne (Castle) 89 87 92

NR/WD Cillian Moloney (Fota Island) 78 79 NR, Paul Twohig (Fota Island) 81 85 NR, Niall Hearns (Mountrath) 85 82 NR, Con O'Callaghan (Kanturk) 81 86 NR, Daniel O'Sullivan (Douglas) 84 84 NR, Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint) 73 NR, Thomas Martin (Waterford Castle) NR DQ, Sean Enright (Doneraile) DQ, Samuel Ledbury (Belgium) 79 78 WD, Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park) 79 78 WD, Oisin Fleming (Bray) 81 80 WD, Giles Gill (England) 86 81 WD, Rory Dineen (Cork) 87 WD, John Bolger (Courtown) 73 86 WD Christian Kennedy (Lisburn) 82 78 WD Jack Johnston (Clandeboye) 79 82 WD Shane Livesey (Monkstown) 83 84 WD Darragh Herlihy (West Waterford) 82 87 WD Sean Doyle (Athlone) 82 WD

Gary Boyd. Credit: Getty Images

Mistakes proved costly for the six-strong Irish contingent in action in the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.

Chris Selfridge stormed to five under through 10 holes but bogeyed his 12th and tripled 15th before a closing birdie two gave him a two under 69 at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club in Aviemore

But that was still only good enough for a share of 35th alongside Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar, who was left to rue two bogeys in his first four holes.

The leading Irish pair are five shots behind Gary Boyd, who fed off inspirational pep talks from Ryder Cup stars Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to continue his golfing rehabilitation to charge to the top of the first round leaderboard.

The Englishman carded an excellent seven under par 64 to lead by one from Dutchman Maarten Lafeber, Portugal’s José Felipe Lima and Prom Meesawat of Thailand.
 
Bradley Neil, meanwhile, made a disappointing start to his professional career with a three over 74, but the year old, who travelled to Aviemore having played in the US Open last week as an amateur, was overwhelmingly positive about his first round in the paid ranks.
 
“Basically I had two-and-a-half years of playing rubbish after losing my card in 2012 and at the lowest point I was asking myself, ‘what am I going to do now?’” Boyd said. “I never actually reached the stage of considering chucking it. But I was wondering, ‘is this really worth it?’ “I wasn’t enjoying playing golf anymore or practicing.
 
“There are more lows than highs in this game, but sometimes you have to look back at the good times because you don’t suddenly stop being a good player overnight.
 
“I got a lot of support from family and friends and Poulter has been good to me, staying in touch and asking what was going on because he had always known me as a good ball striker.
 
“He told me just to keep working hard and I also got good advice from Graeme McDowell and Henrik Stenson when I spent time with them at Lake Nona in the States. Henrik has experienced a couple of form slumps so it was good to speak to someone who had been there.
 
“We had a good chat and he said that he had evaluated everything in his game and his life and changed certain things and I’ve tried to do the same, including getting fitter and going to a new coach in January. We have been working on some good things and I am giving myself better chances.”
 
Mick McGeady was two under with seven to play but shot a 71 to share 78th alongside Ruaidhri McGee, third in the Road to Oman, who three under after five.

Birr’s Stephen Grant also had a tough finish and posted a three over 74 while Richard Kilpatrick had a 76.

Complete Round 1 Scores

64 G Boyd (Eng), 

65 M Lafeber (Ned), J Lima (Por), P Meesawat (Tha), 

66 D Burmester (RSA), J Senior (Eng), E Saltman (Sco), R Coles (Eng), R McGowan (Eng), 

67 E Bertheussen (Nor), H Porteous (RSA), J Stalter (Fra), 

68 M Orrin (Eng), R Fox (Nzl), R Kellett (Sco), N Quintarelli (Ita), J Doherty (Sco), J Hansen (Den), N Henderson (Sco), T Pilkadaris (Aus), N Lemke (Swe), P Widegren (Swe), J McLeary (Sco), R Davies (Wal), A Snobeck (Fra), R Evans (Eng), M Röhrig (Ger), D Dixon (Eng), J Fahrbring (Swe), J Heath (Eng), C Gane (Eng), S Heisele (Ger), W Harrold (Eng), S Jeppesen (Swe), 

69 D Law (Sco), P Whiteford (Sco), A Marshall (Eng), B Etchart (Esp), N Geyger (Chi), J Makitalo (Fin), A Knappe (Ger), C Shinkwin (Eng), Alan Dunbar (Nir), E Dubois (Fra), B Åkesson (Swe), Chris Selfridge (Nir), G Murray (Sco), C Gloet (Den), P Dwyer (Eng), T Remkes (Ned), D Huizing (Ned), 

70 C Kelly (Sco), K Hesbois (Bel), C Arendell (USA), T Linard (Fra), C Ford (Eng), O Bekker (RSA), D Palm (Swe), N Kimsey (Eng), F Andersson Hed (Swe), R Russell (Sco), J Robinson (Eng), J Dantorp (Swe), J Byrne (Sco), R Gouveia (Por), S Manley (Wal), C Berardo (Fra), S Arnold (Aus), A McArthur (Sco), B Hemstock (Eng), J Guerrier (Fra), J Gonnet (Fra), C Farrelly (Eng), A Bernadet (Fra), J McColl (Sco), J McDonald (am) (Sco), C Ross (am) (Sco), 

71 T Elissalde (Fra), A Saddier (Fra), J Sjöholm (Swe), N Elvira (Esp), T Sluiter (Ned), J Ross (Sco), Michael McGeady (Irl), N Ravano (Ita), M Delpodio (Ita), D Im (USA), S Tiley (Eng), S Hodgson (Eng), D Stewart (Sco), P Relecom (Bel), J Billing (Swe), J Sarasti (Esp), S Gros (Fra), A Belt (Eng), R McGee (Irl), B Stone (RSA), S Walker (Eng), J Huldahl (Den), S Borrowman (Sco), 

72 D Coupland (Eng), K Ferrie (Eng), B Barham (Eng), F Bergamaschi (Ita), C Aguilar (Esp), C Hanson (Eng), P Archer (Eng), S Kim (USA), P McKechnie (Sco), F Calmels (Fra), G Woolgar (Eng), S Griffiths (Eng), G Lockerbie (Eng), J Watts (Eng), M Søgaard (Den), 

73 C Suk (Cze), Z Lombard (RSA), S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp), J Glennemo (Swe), S Piaget (Mon), E Goya (Arg), S Soderberg (Swe), C Evans (Eng), S Einhaus (Ger), N Bertasio (Ita), L Gagli (Ita), J Savage (am) (Sco), G Forrest (am) (Sco), 

74 J Timmis (Eng), C Currie (Sco), P Gal (Cze), Stephen Grant (Irl), B Neil (Sco), H Joannes (Bel), S Brown (Eng), G Hay (Sco), D Kay (Sco), F McKenna (Sco), A Forsyth (Sco), 

75 P Doherty (Sco), S Fallon (Eng), A Ahokas (Fin), G Porteous (Eng), H Satama (Fin), W Booth (Sco), D Young (am) (Sco), 

76 A Bruschi (Ita), A Gee (Eng), E Cuartero Blanco (Esp), Richard Kilpatrick (Nir), 

77 A Hartø (Den), 

78 P Tarver-Jones (Eng), 

80 J Gallegos (Esp), J Shim (am) (Tur), 

82 J Rask (Swe), M Guner (am) (Tur)

Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello. Credit: Getty Images

Kevin Phelan’s short game responded magically in Munich as he had just 23 putts as well as two eagles inn opening 68 in the BMW International Open.

Needing a good week as he bids to regain his card, the Mount Juliet touring professional ended the day tied for 10th at Golfclub München Eichenried, three strokes behind Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, Englishman Daniel Gaunt and Denmark’s Lasse Jensen.

Starting on the back nine, Phelan bogeyd the 14th but birdied the 16th and eagled the par-five 18th before a birdie at the first and an eagle two at the 331-yard fifth got him to five under.

He hit 11 fairways but missed nine greens. But while he got up and down seven times for par, the couldn’t avoid a bogey at the ninth.

It was a decent day all round for the Irish though US Open hero Shane Lowry might have hoped for better than a morning 72 that saw him slip to two over through seven holes before righting the ship.

Lowry is bringing up the rear in the Irish stakes with 69s for Damien McGrane and Michael Hoey leaving them tied 21st.

Darren Clarke made an eagle at the 447-yard third and birdied the 11th to get to three under but was forced to sign for a 70 as he three birdies with two double bogeys in his last five holes.

Cabrera Bello, a two-time winner on The European Tour, lost in a play-off to Fabrizio Zanotti in Cologne 12 months ago and also finished third in 2010 at Golfclub München Eichenried, venue for this year’s tournament. 

But he moved into contention once again courtesy of a flawless five under par back nine of 31, extending his recent run of fine form, having recorded two top five finishes in his last three appearances, including second place in the Lyoness Open presented by Greenfinity two weeks ago.

He is joined at the top of the leaderboard by Jensen, who recorded the lowest round of his European Tour career, posting seven birdies in a ten-hole stretch in his bogey-free round, while Gaunt, who is also chasing a maiden European Tour title, sank a 25ft birdie putt on the last to make it a three-way tie.

One shot back is Englishman Andrew Johnston, who closed with three consecutive birdies - almost chipping in for eagle on the last - for a six under par round of 66.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who at World Number Seven is the leading ranked player in the field, is two shots off the pace after an eventful round of 67 which included a triple bogey seven on the 16th hole, followed by four consecutive birdies on his back nine, having starting from the tenth tee.

Stenson’s playing partner Martin Kaymer, who is looking to win on home soil for a second time, opened with a level par round of 72 and is seven shots back.

“I’ve also played good on this course before,” Cabrera Bello said. "In 2010 I finished third and I've had other decent performances here, as well. I also missed the cut a few times, but it's still a course that I like.

“BMW does a fantastic job every year. The set-up and the atmosphere on this tournament is very, very special. It's only Thursday, and it felt like a weekend almost with really big crowds out there. It's nice, and it helps you get in the zone and it worked for me today.”

Stenson was please with his 67 despite firing his approach to the 18th in the grandstand.

“There were a lot of things going on there,” the Swede said. "I got off to a pretty good start, birdied 11 and 12. I didn't do too much wrong on 16 and wounded up with triple, so that was kind of interesting.

“But I guess the patient practice at the U.S. Open was paying off. So I was still hanging in there, mentality. I tried to just keep on going, birdied 18 and 1 at the turn and got it back to red figures and wrapped up with a nice string of birdies on five, six, seven and eight. 

“I was in a good position to finish with five in a row, but I think the wind switched a little bit and I was kind in between clubs and went with the longer club and ended up way in the grandstand. I had a chance to make birdie anyway, and I would take five I guess, after being up in the chalets.”

Complete first round scores from the BMW International Open (par 72)

65 D Gaunt (Eng), L Jensen (Den), R Cabrera-Bello (Esp), 

66 A Johnston (Eng), 

67 J Morrison (Eng), K Aphibarnrat (Tha), T Fleetwood (Eng), H Stenson (Swe), V Riu (Fra), 

68 Kevin Phelan (Irl), J Quesne (Fra), E Molinari (Ita), R Goosen (RSA), F Fritsch (Ger), T Van Der Walt (RSA), T Jaidee (Tha), M Schneider (Ger), A Hortal (Esp), P Lawrie (Sco), J Lagergren (Swe), 

69 J Carlsson (Swe), A Hansen (Den), Michael Hoey (Nir), O Farr (Wal), E Pepperell (Eng), G Mulroy (RSA), E Espana (Fra), D Howell (Eng), C Del Moral (Esp), J Campillo (Esp), P Hanson (Swe), M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), A Pavan (Ita), Damien McGrane (Irl), C Paisley (Eng), B Dredge (Wal), T Fisher Jnr (RSA), 

70 R Santos (Por), G Stal (Fra), Darren Clarke (Nir), M Carlsson (Swe), A Cañizares (Esp), R Karlberg (Swe), C Lloyd (Eng), D Horsey (Eng), P Larrazábal (Esp), J Van Zyl (RSA), M Ford (Eng), A Kirstein (Ger), A Wall (Eng), P Maddy (Eng), P Oriol (Esp), P Lawrie (Irl), N Fasth (Swe), 

71 M Nixon (Eng), M Korhonen (Fin), L Bjerregaard (Den), B Ritthammer (Ger), C Lee (Sco), T Hatton (Eng), G Green (Mas), M Crespi (Ita), H Otto (RSA), J Singh (Ind), M Madsen (Den), R Fisher (Eng), N Colsaerts (Bel), A Velasco (Esp), M Siem (Ger), C Doak (Sco), T Olesen (Den), G Havret (Fra), R Kakko (Fin), F Zanotti (Par), B Wiesberger (Aut), T Bjørn (Den), S Wakefield (Eng), S Benson (Eng), I Garrido (Esp), O Fisher (Eng), D Drysdale (Sco), J Roos (RSA), K Broberg (Swe), 

72 S Kapur (Ind), M Kaymer (Ger), Shane Lowry (Irl), J Luiten (Ned), S Henry (Sco), R Jacquelin (Fra), J Edfors (Swe), M Kieffer (Ger), D Brooks (Eng), V Dubuisson (Fra), B Hebert (Fra), R Dinwiddie (Eng), W Ormsby (Aus), R Bland (Eng), D Woltman (USA), 

73 E De La Riva (Esp), T Levet (Fra), S Jamieson (Sco), J Scrivener (Aus), M Lampert (Ger), S Kjeldsen (Den), R McEvoy (Eng), P Edberg (Swe), B Virto Astudillo (Esp), C Wood (Eng), C Villegas (Col), T Lewis (Eng), A Dodt (Aus), J Hahn (USA), 

74 A Tadini (Ita), N Dougherty (Eng), M Lundberg (Swe), D Fichardt (RSA), J Parry (Eng), F Aguilar (Chi), D Foos (Ger), L Slattery (Eng), M Tullo (Chi), C Bouniol (Fra), A Quiros (Esp), 

75 J Kruger (RSA), G Bourdy (Fra), D Lipsky (USA), J Lando Casanova (Fra), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), R Echenique (Arg), A Otaegui (Esp), S Jäger (Ger), S Hutsby (Eng), M Manassero (Ita), S Hend (Aus), T Murray (Eng), J Kunzenbacher (Ger), R Gonzalez (Arg), M Bremner (RSA), M Rottluff (am) (Ger), 

76 S Hansen (Den), M Foster (Eng), R Green (Aus), O Wilson (Eng), J Barnes (Eng), J Walters (RSA), Y Paul (am) (Ger), 

77 P Mejow (Ger), G Storm (Eng), Y Yang (Kor), 

79 R Finch (Eng), R Karlsson (Swe), J Garcia Pinto (Esp), 

80 T Pieters (Bel), 

81 J Jeong (Kor), B Evans (Eng), J Palmer (Eng)

Paul McGinley during a clinic at Grange Golf Club

Winning European Ryder Cup team captain Paul McGinley is once again inviting ambitious young golfers under the age of 16 years to enter the Grange Dublin Boys’ golf championship in association with his sponsors Allianz.
 
Now in its 22nd year, the popular 36-hole annual event takes place at Grange Golf Club, where star Ryder Cup player and captain learned his golf, on Monday, July 20 for 69 players of 16 handicap and under.
 
The closing date for entries is Friday, July 10 and McGinley, who has proudly maintained his strong ties with the Grange club, says: “I am delighted to continue my association with this event for ambitious young boy golfers.  

"I believe it is crucial for the future of Irish golf that the game is supported at underage level and I commend my sponsors Allianz and my club Grange for their on-going commitment to this championship."

Entry form 

Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell made four birdies in a two under 70 that left him just a shot off the pace after the opening round of the Brabazon Trophy at Hollinwell.

The Ulster interprovincial is in a four way tie for fourth place behind Austria’s Lukas Lipold and England’s Ben Taylor and Jordan Wrisdale, who opened with three under 69s.

Just 25 players shot par or better and they included Ardglass’ Cormac Sharvin and The Island’s Kevin LeBlanc, who shot one under 71s to share eighth spot.

It was a tougher day for the rest of the Irish though Dermot McElroy, Conor O’Rourke, Jack Hume, Paul McBride and Paul Dunne are all well in touch, tied for 26th after one over 73s.

The field will  cut to the leading 60 players and ties after today’s second round, however, which leaves The Island’s Gavin Moynihan (74), Co Sligo’s Sean Flanagan (74) just inside the mark. 

Daniel Hollland (76), Robin Dawson (76) and Richard Bridges (82) have work to do.

Brabazon Trophy supported by Your Golf Travel, Notts (Hollinwell Golf Club) - Par 72

Detailed scores

T1 WRISDALE, Jordan Boston Golf Club -3 69 

T1 TAYLOR, Ben Walton Heath Golf Club -3 69 

T1 LIPOLD, Lukas Golf & Country Club Salzburg-Klessheim -3 69 

T4 CAMPBELL, Colm Warrenpoint Golf Club -2 70 

T8 SHARVIN, Cormac Ardglass Golf Club -1    71        

T8 LE BLANC, Kevin The Island Golf Club -1 71 

T26 MCELROY, Dermot Ballymena Golf Club +1 73 

T26 O’ROURKE, Conor Naas Golf Club +1 73 

T26 HUME, Jack Naas Golf Club +1 73 

T26 MCBRIDE, Paul The Island Golf Club +1 73 

T26 DUNNE, Paul Greystones Golf Club +1 73 

T45 FLANAGAN, Sean Co. Sligo Golf Club +2 74 

T45 MOYNIHAN, Gavin The Island Golf Club +2 74 

T70 HOLLAND, Daniel Castle Golf Club +4 76 

T70 DAWSON, Robin Faithlegg GC +4 76 

T90 GALBRAITH, John-Ross Whitehead Golf Club +5 77

T146 BRIDGES, Richard Stackstown Golf Cub +10 8 

Nigel Duke,(Killiney Golf Club) winner of the Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship with Enniscorthy Golf club captain Tommy Cooper and Leinster Branch Chairman John Ferriter at Enniscorthy Golf Club. Picture: Ronan Lang

Killiney's Nigel Duke closed with a four over par 76 to win the Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship by a stroke from Lucan's Mervyn Eager at Enniscorthy Golf Club

Playing off one, Duke had four bogeys and 14 pars on his card to finish on five over 149 as Eager put him under pressure with a 74, the joint low round of the day.

Athlone's Kevin Sheehy added a 75 to his opening 76 to take third place on seven over par 151.

Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship, Enniscorthy Golf Club, Parr 72 SSS 73 CSS R1 74 CSS R2 74)

Detailed scoring

149 Nigel Duke (Killiney Golf Club) 73 76

150 Mervyn Eager (Lucan) 76 74

151 Kevin Sheehy (Athlone) 76 75

152 James Gilbert (Druid's Heath) 78 74, Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 77 75

153 John Mitchell (Tramore) 78 75, John L Hughes (Woodbrook) 73 80

154 Mick Ahern (Skerries) 78 76, Paddy Lewis (Woodbrook) 78 76, Denis Deasy (Waterford) 78 76, Maurice Kelly (Naas) 76 78, Tony Hayes (Hermitage) 76 78

155 Neville Steedman (Balcarrick) 77 78

156 Ian Smyth (Clandeboye) 81 75, Hugh Smyth (Mourne) 80 76, Garth McGimpsey (Bangor Golf Club) 79 77, Hugh Donnelly (Lisheen Springs) 78 78

157 Dale Baker (Downpatrick Golf Club) 75 82

158 Barry O'Leary (Greystones) 75 83

159 Joseph Dowey (Lurgan Golf Club) 79 80, Michael Coote (Tralee Golf Club) 79 80, Liam MacNamara (Rosslare) 76 83

160 Brendan Thomas (Slieve Russell) 81 79, Bert Burke (Moate) 81 79, Billy Donlon (Birr) 80 80, Morgan Pierse (Grange) 80 80, Jimmy Mc Carthy (Nuremore Golf Club) 79 81

161 Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee Golf Club) 84 77, Gerry Phelan (Macreddin) 81 80, Peter O'Hagan (Wicklow Golf Club) 81 80, Jack Dempsey (Curragh Golf Club) 79 82, Tom Tyrrell (The Heath Golf Club) 79 82

162 Liam Doran (Ardee) 84 78, John Cuffe (Monkstown Golf Club) 79 83

163 Justin Coughlin (Donegal Golf Club) 81 82

164 Jim Mackey (Enniscorthy) 82 82

165 Richard Brooker (Skerries) 82 83, Joe Delaney (Enniscorthy) 82 83

166 Nigel Woods (Bangor Golf Club) 85 81, Larry O'Connor (Stackstown) 84 82, Michael Coffey (Enniscorthy) 83 83, Mick Gaynor (Co. Meath Golf Club) 82 84, Seamus Ward (Laytown & Bettystown) 82 84, Jim McVeigh (Carlow Golf Club) 82 84, Michael Darcy (Oughterard Golf Club) 81 85, Oliver O'Sullivan (Laytown & Bettystown) 76 90

167 Alan Mullen (Laytown & Bettystown) 85 82, Patrick Mulford (Delgany) 82 85

168 Tim Griffin (Corballis Links) 85 83, Rory Timlin (Galway Golf Club) 84 84, Daniel Cash (Rosslare) 83 85, Jan Gilbert (Malone) 79 89

169 Peter Murphy (Carlow Golf Club) 86 83, Gerry O'Keeffe (Waterford) 86 83, John Noonan (Grange) 86 83, Patrick Higgins (Forrest Little.) 85 84, Tom Byrne (Greystones) 83 86, John Mullen (Co. Louth) 83 86

170 Des Egan (Loughrea) 86 84, Michael Foley (Faithlegg Golf Club) 85 85, Joe Crowley (Athy Golf Club) 84 86

171 Fergus Caine (Co. Louth) 88 83, Ray Collins (Malone) 81 90

172 Paul Cooley (Portstewart Golf Club) 88 84

173 Paddy Harrington (Muskerry Golf Club) 92 81, Donal Brazil (Mount Temple) 91 82, Noel Paterson (Milltown) 89 84, Eamon Connolly (Blainroe Golf Club) 87 86, John Bourke (Castle) 86 87, Patrick Comerford (Corrstown) 84 89

174 P.J. Phelan (Cahir Park Golf Club) 89 85, Pat Lynch (Slade Valley Golf Club) 86 88

175 Allan Clarke (Co. Louth) 88 87, Mark Windebank (Royal Portrush) 87 88

176 Liam Dunbar (Enniscorthy) 86 90

177 Noel McMahon (Kinsale) 90 87

178 Barry O Gorman (Rossmore Golf Club) 90 88, Tony McGlynn (Craddockstown) 85 93, Pat Walsh (Killiney Golf Club) 84 94

179 George Leech (Enniscorthy) 87 92

180 Tom Campion (Athlone) 91 89, Michael Behan (Black Bush) 89 91

184 D S Boyd (Royal Belfast Golf Club) 100 84, Tadg Mannion (Athlone) 91 93

185 Patrick O'Brien (Forrest Little) 92 93

Dave Roberts (Rathcore) 80 NR, John Houlihan (Dooks Golf Club) 82 NR, William Leggett (The Island) 91 NR, Arthur Bell (Greencastle Golf Club) NR 102, David Conway (Portmarnock) 81 WD, Jerry Gore (Oughterard Golf Club) 83 WD, Patrick Smyth (Killiney Golf Club) 84 WD, Michael O'Sullivan (Gowran Park) 88 WD, Barry Lavin (Carton House) 90 WD, James Kennedy (Balcarrick) 95 WD, George Mellerick (Fota Island) NR WD, Rory Fitzgerald (Tramore) NR WD

 

Course record 66.....Rory Williamson (Holywood) driving from the 9th tee during the second round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club (24/06/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman

Ninety-three kilogram open-side flankers find it hard to sneak up quietly but the GUI appears to have been taken by surprise by Castle's Barry Fitzpatrick.

The 18-year old three handicapper, who shone briefly in last year's Leinster Boys in Kilkenny only to fade over the final 36 holes, leads a quality international field by two strokes in the Irish Boys Amateur Open at Tuam.

Barry Fitzpatrick in action last year

A member of the Leinster Under 18 rugby panel and a star for St Michael's College in this year's Leinster Schools Senior Cup, Fitzpatrick's raw power was clearly an advantage in Galway as he added a two under 70 to his opening 71 to lead on three under par.

Rory Williamson from Holywood, who followed a 77 with course record 66, is Fitzpatrick's nearest rival on one under par.  

Williamson is on the Irish Boys panel but one wonders how a talent like Fitzpatrick can slip through the net, unless he's simply determined to make a career with the oval rather than the dimpled ball.

Cairndhu's Marc McKinstry (74-70), another Boys panel member, is third on level par 144 with England's Gian-Marco Petrozzi  (73-71), French raider Antoin Auboin (73-71) and Westport's Harry Gillivan, who added a 73 to his 71

Mornington's Thomas Mulligan, the former Laytown and Bettystown man now playing out of Baltray,  made an eagle and three birdies as he scorched to the turn in 31.

But he came home in 40 to trail Fitzpatrick by six on 147 as Irish Under 16 panel member Cameron Raymond added a 75 to his 70 to share seventh on 145 with Marc Boucher (71), Sean Desmond (71) and England's Max Martin (75).

Two-time former British Amateur winner Peter McEvoy, a GB&I and England selector, is in Galway keeping his eye out for talent. No doubt Fitzpatrick will catch his eye at some stage on Thursday.

Thomas Murray (England) driving from the 9th tee during the second round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club. (24/06/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman

Thomas Mulligan (Co Louth) coming from the bunker at the 16th during the second round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman

Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) limbering up on the 9th tee during. Picture by Pat Cashman

Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) about to tee off from the 9th tee during the second round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish Boys Amateur Open, Tuam (Par 72)

Detailed scores - All players play the first 54 holes with the top-50 and ties qualifying for the final round on Friday.

141 Barry Fitzpatrick (Castle) 71 70  

143 Rory Williamson (Holywood) 77 66  

144 Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu) 74 70, Gian-Marco Petrozzi (England) 73 71, Antoin Auboin (France) 73 71, Harry Gillivan (Westport) 71 73  

145 Marc Boucher (Carton House) 74 71, Sean Desmond (Monkstown) 74 71, Max Martin (England) 70 75, Cameron Raymond (Newlands) 70 75  

146 Oliver Clarke (England) 75 71, Conor Purcell (Portmarnock) 74 72  

147 Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 76 71, Adrien Pendaries (France) 75 72, Charlie Denvir (Milltown) 73 74  

148 Daniel O'Loughlin (England) 74 74, Mark Healy (Kinsale) 74 74, Michael Ryan (New Ross) 73 75, Thomas Murray (England) 71 77, Laird Shepherd (England) 70 78  

149 Shane McDermott (Co. Cavan) 73 76  

150 Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 75 75, Eric Rumley (Kinsale) 75 75, Mark Power (Kilkenny) 74 76, Toby Lane (England) 71 79  

151 Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis) 81 70, Henry Clark (Shandon Park) 77 74, John Gough (England) 75 76, Alan Fahy (Bray) 73 78, Eoin Leonard (Wentworth) 73 78  

152 Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 80 72, Joseph O'Neill (Tralee) 78 74, Gareth Hogan (The Island) 77 75, Owen Crooks (Bushfoot) 76 76, Matthew Grehan (Tullamore) 73 79  

153 Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 80 73, Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 74, Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 79 74, John Murphy (Kinsale) 78 75, Allan Hill (Roscommon) 78 75, Rhys Nevin-Wharton (England) 77 76, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam) 77 76, Aymeric Laussot (France) 76 77, John Brady (Rosslare) 76 77  

154 Declan Kelly (Hermitage) 78 76, Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) 77 77, Thomas Boulanger (France) 76 78, Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park) 74 80  

155 Michael O'Farrell (Galway) 81 74, John Molyneaux Jnr (Ballybunion) 80 75, Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo) 79 76, Mark Doogue (Baltinglass) 79 76, Ross Kelly (Tuam) 79 76, Louis O'Hara (Athenry) 78 77, Ian Halpin (Cahir Park) 76 79, Anton Brennan (Athenry) 76 79, John Paul Ralph (England) 75 80  

156 Devin Morley (Oughterard) 83 73, Dean Cafferty (Carton House) 82 74, David Clince (Craddockstown) 81 75, Rory Hill (Tralee) 80 76, Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick) 79 77, Paul Kelly (Glasson) 78 78, Simon Stefenel (France) 75 81, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore) 74 82  

157 Stephen Kelliher (Killarney) 83 74, Sean Dowling (Beaverstown) 81 76, Eamonn O'Driscoll (Killarney) 80 77, Ryan Corry (Clandeboye) 80 77, Samuel Ledbury (Belgium) 79 78, Yvan Ducler (France) 79 78, Ross Nelson () 79 78, Cillian Moloney (Fota Island) 78 79, Darren Hourihan (Douglas) 78 79, Conor Mooney (Black Bush) 75 82  

158 Jake Vickers (Balbriggan) 84 74, AJ McCabe (Malahide) 84 74, Jamie Knipe (Royal Portrush) 81 77, Cillian Lawless (Athenry) 80 78, Eoin Conway (West Waterford) 79 79, Michael McGurk (Warrenpoint) 78 80, Conor Keown (Greystones) 77 81  

159 Jack Brophy (The Royal Dublin) 83 76, Jack McGarry (Rosslare) 82 77, Oisin Devereux (Carton House) 81 78, Gary Ward (Kinsale) 81 78, Adam McCormick (Scrabo) 79 80, Ben Graham (Scrabo) 79 80, Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 78 81, Chris Black (Dunmurry) 77 82, John Corbett Jnr (Thurles) 77 82, Eric Doran (Palmerstown Stud) 77 82, Jack Doherty (Carton House) 75 84, John Bolger (Courtown) 73 86  

160 Micheal Shiel (Athenry) 84 76, Giles Evans (England) 83 77, Christian Kennedy (Lisburn) 82 78, Gareth Carr (Mullingar) 82 78, Benedict Cronin (Muskerry) 81 79, Luke Cummins (West Waterford) 81 79, David McAleenon (Edenmore) 80 80, Conor Rice (Athlone) 80 80, Michael Joseph Kennelly (Athenry) 79 81  

161 Robert Moran (Castle) 86 75, James O'Connor (Muskerry) 85 76, Darragh Monaghan (England) 81 80, Mikey Burke (Galway) 81 80, Oisin Fleming (Bray) 81 80, Ross Mohan (Balcarrick) 80 81, Brendan Rossiter (Rosslare) 80 81, Kevin Power (Kilkenny) 80 81, Jack Johnston (Clandeboye) 79 82, Julian Audibert (France) 79 82, Darragh Smith (Castle) 77 84, Cian Henry (Ballyhaunis) 76 85  

162 Edward Walsh (Mallow) 89 73, Luke Donnelly (Kilkenny) 85 77, Jack Madden (Dungannon) 83 79, Rory Murphy (Dun Laoghaire) 82 80, Daragh Coleman (Skerries) 79 83, Jack Hearn (Tramore) 79 83, Paddy Culhane (Galway) 79 83, William Small (Tandragee) 79 83, Charlie Dawson (Faithlegg) 78 84  

163 Louis Bellan (France) 87 76, Marc McCormack (Ashbourne) 84 79, David Hill (Roscommon) 83 80, David Brady (Co. Sligo) 82 81, Tommy Doran (Balbriggan) 81 82, Nathan McCann (Lurgan) 80 83  

164 Cian Commins (Ardee) 83 81, Tom Groves (The Royal Dublin) 81 83, Oisin Fitzgerald (Tralee) 80 84, Gabriel Gribben (Fortwilliam) 79 85, Seamus Og O Neill (Co. Cavan) 78 86  

165 Conor Roche (Mallow) 82 83, Bill Hannan (Carton House) 82 83, Conor Ruane (Galway Bay Golf Club) 81 84  

166 TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) 87 79, Sean Burke (Galway) 85 81, Shasa Decker (Belgium) 84 82, Paul Twohig (Fota Island) 81 85  

167 Giles Gill (England) 86 81, Niall Hearns (Mountrath) 85 82, Shane Livesey (Monkstown) 83 84, Con O'Callaghan (Kanturk) 81 86  

168 Daniel O'Sullivan (Douglas) 84 84  

169 Darragh Herlihy (West Waterford) 82 87  

171 Ciaran Henry (Strandhill) 87 84  

172 Daniel Curry (Coollattin Golf Club) 90 82  

173 Jack Patton (Letterkenny Golf Club) 92 81  

176 Robert Browne (Castle) 89 87  

NR/WD/DQ  Jason Murphy (Warrenpoint) 73 NR, Thomas Martin (Waterford Castle) NR DQ, Sean Enright (Doneraile) DQ, Rory Dineen (Cork) 87 WD, Sean Doyle (Athlone) WD  
82 Sean Doyle (Athlone) 82

Devin Morley (Oughterard) coming from the bunker at the 8th green during the second round of the 2015 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club (24/06/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman

Elm Park Golf Club in Dublin will host a Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday 12th of July.

Sponsored by WestWood Club, the event will be played for over 36 holes for a €1,800 total prize fund with a €600 voucher for the overall winner.

The entry fee is €40 for 36 holes (shotgun starts at 9am and 2pm) including lunch between rounds and a free BBQ following conclusion of the second round.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday 30th June.

Entry forms on-line at www.elmparkgolfandsportsclub.ie or by phoning the Professional’s Shop on 01-2692650.

Belvoir Park Golf Club

Peter Hanna carded a two under par 68 to win the Belvoir Park Pro-Am sponsored by Deep River Rock on Tuesday.

In sun-drenched conditions, the Lurgan GC professional finished two shots ahead of Gary Wardlow (American Golf) and three shots ahead of St Margaret's John Kelly.

Peter got off to a poor start, dropping shots at the 10th and 12th but bounced back with birdies at 13 and 14 to get back to level. He dropped another shot at the par five 15th and closed his opening nine holes with a birdie at the tough par four 18th to make the turn at level par 34.

A birdie at the first got him under par for the first time before another dropped shot followed at the 427yard par four third. He got under par with a birdie at the fifth, handed that shot back at the seventh before finishing his round in style with birdies at the eighth and ninth for a two under 34.
Also starting on the back nine, Wardlow dropped shots at the 10th and 18th to go to the turn in two over 36. He fought back over the back nine, collecting seven pars and adding two birdies at the fifth and ninth to complete a level par round of 70.

Massereene GC professional, David Hughes and amateurs Niall Brown, Michael Crawford and Martin King edged out home pro Michael McGivern for the team prize with 84pts.

Belvoir Park Pro-am, sponsored by Deep River Rock, Belvoir Park GC (Par  70)

1 P Hanna (Lurgan GC) 68

2 G Wardlow (American Golf) 70

3 J Kelly (St Margaret's Golf & CC) 71

T4 C Molloy (Blackwood GC); D Mooney (Ballyliffin GC); R Giles (Greenore GC); D Beattie (Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa) 72

T8 M Whelan (Castlewarden Golf &CC); P Dooley (Drive Golf Performance Ltd); P Martin (Colin Park Academy); Brendan McGovern (Headfort GC); T Higgins (Mount Wolseley GC) 73

Sarah Helly celebrates her Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship win over the Old Tom Morris Links at Rosapenna. Picture: Pat Cashman

She was in tears that her parents missed her moment of glory but Enniscrone’s Sarah Helly paid them the greatest tribute possible by using her sparking short game to clinch a shock win over Olivia Mehaffey in the Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship over the Old Tom Morris Links at stunning Rosapenna.

Now ranked 59th in the world and set to play alongside world No 1 Leona Maguire in the Vagliano Trophy at Malone this week thanks to wins in the Irish Girls, Scottish Ladies and Welsh Ladies Strokeplay championships already this year, powerful Royal County Down Ladies’ star Mehaffey simply ran out of steam and was crushed 6 and 5 by the slight but clinical Sligo girl in the decider.

Sarah Helly drives during the final at Rosapena.  Picture: Pat Cashman

“Sarah played great,” an exhausted Mehaffey said. “I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole.”

A former girls international brought up on the pitch and putt course run by her parents, a mile from the first tee at Enniscrone, Helly gave herself a 23rd birthday present to remember forever with huge in over one of Europe’s most in-form players.

“I knew I was the underdog but I had nothing to lose and I was playing very well,” said Helly, who know looks certain to win her first senior cap in September’s Home Internationals at Royal Wimbledon. 

“So I just stuck to my game plan told myself to try my best and while final was a little scrappy and nervous to start — it was our seventh round of golf since Saturday — and there were a few mental errors and tiredness crept in, we got there in the end.”

With one semester to complete at Marshall University in West Virginia before graduating with a degree in Sports Management, Helly beat another birthday girl in 17-year old title holder Mary Doyle from The Heath 2 and 1 in her semi-final as Mehaffey saw off Howth’s Laura Doherty by the same score in the other.

Olivia Mehaffey knew the game was up when she failed to get out of greed use trouble at the 12th (above) and conceded to go five down. Picture: Pat Cashman

It promised to be a cracking final in golden sunshine on stunning Sheephaven Bay, but the tension and fatigue took their toll and there were more bogeys than that pars before Helly made a two-putt birdie four at the sixth to go one up.

Mehaffey was clearly out of sorts and Helly pounced, winning the eighth and ninth in pars to turn three up before claiming the 10th against the head with a 30 foot birdie putt.

Four down, Mehaffey tried to regain some ground with her power but after dodging a bullet when Helly missed a short putt to go five up at the 11th, she drove into trouble and then hit her second into deep rough at the 12th and conceded the hole

Sarah Helly holes the winning putt for the 2015 Irish Women's Amateur Close at Rosapenna. Picture: Pat Cashman

Five up with six to go, Helly did not allow herself to think about the score line and fired a superb pitch to three feet at the 322-yard 13th to set up a title winning chances.

Had it no been for local caddie Con Boyce — a huge ally in the final — she might not have realised she had a putt for the title after Mehaffey’s 20 footer had come up short,

“I kept telling myself match is still all square,” she said. “I didn’t know I had that putt to win until my caddie reminded me, but I tried not to think about it and made a good stroke and got it in the hole.

"I can’t get over the fact that I am Irish champion. I have always wanted an Irish Close but I didn’t think I would ever do it and I knew this year I was playing well and if I didn’t do it this year, I might not ever do it.”

Having shed a few tears that her parents couldn’t make it, she said later: “They would have given anything to be here. Mum had a check up in Dublin and dad was in Galway for a minor operation. 

“I just spoken to them on the phone so to win today, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better birthday present to be honest.”

Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship, Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort, Old Tom Morris LinksSemi-finals

Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) beat Laura Doherty (Howth) 2 and 1; 
Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) beat Mary Doyle (The Heath) 2 and 1.

Final

Sarah Helly beat Olivia Mehaffey 6 and 5.

Nigel Duke

Killiney's Nigel Duke and Woodbrook's John L Hughes shot one over 73s to lead by two shots after the opening round of the Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Enniscorthy.

Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship, Enniscorthy (Par 72 CSS 74)Round One 

73 Nigel Duke (Killiney), John L Hughes (Woodbrook)

75 Barry O'Leary (Greystones), Dale Baker (Downpatrick)

76 Kevin Sheehy (Athlone), Maurice Kelly (Naas), Liam MacNamara (Rosslare), Oliver O'Sullivan (Laytown & Bettystown), Mervyn Eager (Lucan), Tony Hayes (Hermitage)

77 Neville Steedman (Balcarrick), Alan Lilley (Ballyclare)

78 Hugh Donnelly (Lisheen Springs), John Mitchell (Tramore), Mick Ahern (Skerries), Paddy Lewis (Woodbrook), James Gilbert (Druid's Heath), Denis Deasy (Waterford)

79 Jan Gilbert (Malone), Jimmy Mc Carthy (Nuremore), Jack Dempsey (Curragh), John Cuffe (Monkstown), Garth McGimpsey (Bangor), Joseph Dowey (Lurgan), Michael Coote (Tralee), Tom Tyrrell (The Heath)

80 Dave Roberts (Rathcore), Billy Donlon (Birr), Morgan Pierse (Grange), Hugh Smyth (Mourne)

81 Michael Darcy (Oughterard), Ray Collins (Malone), Bert Burke (Moate), Brendan Thomas (Slieve Russell), Ian Smyth (Clandeboye), Gerry Phelan (Macreddin), Justin Coughlin (Donegal), David Conway (Portmarnock), Peter O'Hagan (Wicklow)

82 Patrick Mulford (Delgany), Joe Delaney (Enniscorthy), Jim Mackey (Enniscorthy), Jim McVeigh (Carlow), Mick Gaynor (Co. Meath), Richard Brooker (Skerries), John Houlihan (Dooks), Seamus Ward (Laytown & Bettystown)

83 Daniel Cash (Rosslare), Tom Byrne (Greystones), Michael Coffey (Enniscorthy), John Mullen (Co. Louth), Jerry Gore (Oughterard)

84 Larry O'Connor (Stackstown), Liam Doran (Ardee), Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee), Patrick Comerford (Corrstown), Joe Crowley (Athy), Pat Walsh (Killiney), Rory Timlin (Galway), Patrick Smyth (Killiney)

85 Patrick Higgins (Forrest Little.), Tim Griffin (Corballis Links), Alan Mullen (Laytown & Bettystown), Tony McGlynn (Craddockstown), Nigel Woods (Bangor), Michael Foley (Faithlegg)

86 Liam Dunbar (Enniscorthy), Des Egan (Loughrea), John Noonan (Grange), Pat Lynch (Slade Valley), Gerry O'Keeffe (Waterford), Peter Murphy (Carlow), John Bourke (Castle)

87 Eamon Connolly (Blainroe), Mark Windebank (Royal Portrush), George Leech (Enniscorthy)

88 Michael O'Sullivan (Gowran Park), Fergus Caine (Co. Louth), Allan Clarke (Co. Louth), Paul Cooley (Portstewart)

89 P.J. Phelan (Cahir Park), Noel Paterson (Milltown), Michael Behan (Black Bush)

90 Barry Lavin (Carton House), Barry O Gorman (Rossmore), Noel McMahon (Kinsale)

91 Tom Campion (Athlone), Tadg Mannion (Athlone), William Leggett (The Island), Donal Brazil (Mount Temple)

92 Paddy Harrington (Muskerry), Patrick O'Brien (Forrest Little.)

95 James Kennedy (Balcarrick)

100 D S Boyd (Royal Belfast)

NR Rory Fitzgerald (Tramore), George Mellerick (Fota Island), Arthur Bell (Greencastle)

Olivia Mehaffey. Picture: Pat Cashman

She might have some way to go to catch world No 1 Leona Maguire but Olivia Mehaffey can pick up her fourth title of the season in this afternoon's Irish Women's Amateur Close final at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort.

The 17-year old world No 59, winner already this year of the Irish Under 18 as well as the Scottish and Welsh Strokeplay titles, saw off Howth's Laura Doherty 2 and 1 in the first semi-final to set up a clash with Enniscrone's Sarah Helly in this afternoon's final over the Tom Morris links at the stunning Co Donegal resort. 

It was par golf until Olivia birdied the ninth to take a significant three hole advantage and while  Laura never gave up and fired back with birdies on the 12th and 13th and a par at the 14th to square the match, Olivia claimed two of the next three holes to close out a 2 and 1 win.

In the other semi-final, defending champion Mary Doyle from The Heath and Enniscrone's Sarah Helly were celebrating their birthdays today and there was equally great golf played by both.

Sarah secured an early birdie on the 2nd and followed this with one on the 9th to turn one up.

She added another on the par-five 11th to increase her lead to two holes but the title holder made a three at the to cut the deficit to one hole.

The Enniscrone golfer stayed patient, however, and rolled in a birdie on the 17th to progress to the final by 2 and 1.

It should be a thrilling affair with Mehaffey edging out Helly on count back for the leading qualifier honours at the weekend.

As the protagonists prepared for the final, brilliant sunshine was the order of the day as Danielle McVeigh was presented with the Ita Wallace Plate for her victory in yesterday's final.

Irish Women's Amateur Close ChampionshipFinal

• Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) –v- Sarah Helly (Enniscrone)

Semi-Finals

• Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) beat Laura Doherty (Howth) 2&1
• Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) beat Mary Doyle (The Heath) 2&1

The Heath’s Mary Doyle remained on course to retain her Irish Women’s Close title at Rosapenna as Olivia Mehaffey continued her bid for a fourth title this season.

Doyle beat Warrenpoint’s Tara Gribben 2 and 1 in her quarter-final to set up a last four clash with Enniscrone’s Sarah Helly as Mehaffey show her class to beat an impressive Ciara Casey from the Hermitage 5 and 4.

The Royal County Down player, now 59th in the world and the winner of the Irish Under 18 as well as the Welsh and Scottish Strokeplay titles this year, beat Lahinch’s Sinead Sexton 1 up in the morning before taking advantage of Casey’s few errors after lunch.

She now faces Howth’s Laura Doherty, who overcame international Jessica Carty on the 17th while Helly secured a big win on the 21st hole over Lisburn’s Paula Grant to set up a semi-final showdown with left-hander Doyle

In the Ita Wallace Plate, former Curtis Cup and Ladies European Tour player Danielle McVeigh from Royal County Down Ladies showed her class to emerge triumphant.

She beat Portsalin’s Claire McGonagle 6 and 5 in her semi-final having built a four-hole advantage through nine to set up a clash with Castle Dargan’s Maeve Kelly who also had a substantial win in the semi-final on the 12th hole over Lurgan’s Maeve Cummins.

Danielle continued to impress in the final as she replicated her form in the morning round and turned 4 up. 

However, while a late surge by Maeve cut into Danielle’s lead, the Co Down star held her nerve to win two up and be crowned Irish Close Plate champion.

Championship Matchplay – Semi-Final Draw

• 08.30 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) –v- Laura Doherty (Howth)
• 08.39 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) –v- Mary Doyle (The Heath)

Championship Matchplay – Quarter-Finals

1. Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) beat Ciara Casey (Hermitage) 5&4
2. Jessica Carty (Holywood) lost to Laura Doherty (Howth) 2&1
3. Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) beat Paula Grant (Lisburn) on the 21st
4. Mary Doyle (The Heath) beat Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 2&1

Championship Matchplay – Second Round

1. Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies) beat Sinead Sexton 1up
2. Ciara Casey (Hermitage) beat Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 4&2
3. Maria Dunne (Skerries) lost to Jessica Carty (Holywood) on the 19th
4. Laura Doherty (Howth) beat Shannen Brown (The Heath) on the 21st
5. Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) beat Gillian O’Leary (The Island) 4&3
6. Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) lost to Paula Grant (Lisburn) 4&3
7. Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) lost to Mary Doyle (The Heath) 1 down 
8. Louise Coffey (Malone) lost to Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 6&5

Championship Matchplay – First Round

1. Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) beat Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown) 5&4
2. Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) beat Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 7&5
3. Ciara Casey (Hermitage) beat Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) 1up
4. Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) lost to Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 5&4
5. Maria Dunne (Skerries) beat Ailish McCartan (Greenore) 3&2 
6. Jessica Carty (Holywood) beat Karen  Delaney (Carlow)  6&5   
7. Mary Dowling (New Ross) lost to Laura Doherty (Howth)  6&5
8. Niamh Ward (Lurgan) lost to Shannen Brown (The Heath) 5&3
9. Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) beat Fiona Farrell (Skerries) 3&2
10. Gillian O'Leary (The Island) beat Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 3&2    
11. Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) beat Valerie Clancy (Killarney) 3&2   
12. Paula Grant (Lisburn) beat Roisin Brady (Co. Louth)  2&1
13. Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) beat Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) 7&6    
14. Mary Doyle (The Heath) beat Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle) on the 19th 
15. Louise Coffey (Malone) beat Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 2&1   
16. Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) beat Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) 2up

Plate Final

• Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) beat Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) 2up

Plate Semi-Final

• Claire McGonagle (Portsalon) lost to Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) 6&5
• Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) lost to Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) 7&6

Plate Matchplay – Quater-Finals

1. Elisa Corcoran (Grange) lost to Claire McGonagle (Portsalon) on the 19th  
2. Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) lost to Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) 2&1
3. Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) beat Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 3&1 
4. Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) beat Deborah McCooke (Galgorm Castle) 2&1

Plate Matchplay – Round One

1. Elisa Corcoran (Grange) beat Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) 4&3
2. Claire McGonagle (Portsalon) beat Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) 3&2
3. Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) beat Noreen Maloney (Oughterard) 1up
4. Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) beat Catherine McCanny (City of Derry) 19th hole
5. Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) beat Rachel Thompson (Cork) 6&4
6. Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) beat Sara Byrne (Douglas) 3&2
7. Maeve Kelly (Castle Dargan) beat Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) 2&1
8. Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) lost to Deborah McCooke (Galgorm Castle) 20th hole

Lucan's Richie O'Donovan made a four-for-two playoff with seconds to spare to make Local Final Qualifying for The Open at The Island.

The former East of Ireland winner, now playing on the EPD Tour in Germany and Austria, shot a two over 73 at the Donabate venue and popped into Swords for what we're told was a haircut.

With Clontarf's Eamonn Brady posting a two under 69 and Castle amateur Alex Gleeson a 70, O'Donovan ended up tied for third with Limerick's Tim Rice, Derry's Mick McGeady and Portmarnock amateur Geoff "Slim Jack" Lenehan. Scores

Four were to play off for two spots but there was still no sign of O'Donovan until he roared into the car par with seconds to go before the off.

In the end, he took one of the two places alongside Rice as Lenehan and McGeady were forced to settle for reserve spots.

Travel — Clubstohire.com has opened three major new locations in the United States: Orlando in Florida, Las Vegas in Nevada and Scottsdale in Arizona.

All three are major golfing hubs with hundreds of thousands golfers playing at the locations annually.

Customers will be able to rent the latest sets to market from the all the leading manufacturers.

According to Clubstohire.com: 

Once you book your set, our teams will then deliver your booking to your resort. This service will be offered at all three locations.Clubs can be hired from €80 per set per week, including delivery and collection.We look forward to offering our first class service to our many European and U.S customers.