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Moynihan and Dunbar head Irish challenge at Royal Troon

Dublin teenager Gavin Moynihan bids to continue his amazing run of form at the British Amateur Championship at Royal Troon this morning.

The 17-year-old from The Island won the McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath in April and the Irish Amateur Open title at Royal Dublin last month.

This week he pits himself against 287 of the world’s best amateur golfers, representing 32 countries.

“This is the one I really want and intend to fight hard for it,” said the fifth-year student at Malahide Community College.

Alan Dunbar, the 22-year-old Walker Cup star from Rathmore launches his challenge for the title on the back of an excellent performance in the St Andrews Links Trophy where he finished second.

Dunbar, who won the Links Trophy in 2009 and is a past Irish champion, appears to be at the peak of his powers and wants to be in just the right frame of mind for his appearance in the Irish Open at Royal Portrush next week.

“The Amateur Championship is the target for every top amateur and I desperately want to put in a good show,” said Dunbar who would relish the opportunity to play in the Open and Masters as Amateur Champion.

Dunbar tees off in the first qualifying round at Troon at 10.34am with Spaniard Alberto Fernandez and American Carl Johnson. But the Irish challenge will have been launched by Mournes’s Reeve Whitson who is in the first trio on to the famous Open Championship course at 7am.

Both he and Dunbar will move to Glasgow Gailes tomorrow to complete their qualifying phase.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley, who claimed the Trubshaw Cup in Wales, also plays at Troon today looking for a fast start to the championship.

There is a very strong Irish entry in the field, including Lucan’s Richard O’Donovan, Kevin Phelan (Waterford Castle), Dermot McElroy (Ballymena), Michael Durcan (County Sligo), Paul Dunne (Greystones), Brian Casey (Headfort), Andrew Hogan (Headfort) and Nicholas Grant (Knock). After 36 holes of strokeplay the top 64 and ties qualify for the knockout phase ending in the 36-hole final on Saturday. Home

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