A week that could herald the beginning of the demise of Portmarnock Golf Club as the natural home for some of the game’s most prestigious events got under way yesterday with the first of two qualifying rounds for the 124th Amateur Championship.

Defending champion Mark Skaife was the fastest qualifier for Sunday’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama, but his efforts have been overshadowed by a serious accident in an earlier support race.