Tramore’s Robin Dawson kept his cool on a day of tough scoring to open with a two under 70 in the AIG Irish Amateur Close at windy Ballyliffin.

It takes blood, sweat and tears to win a championship, and holder Dermot McElroy saw all three, both literally and metaphorically, as he battled his way into the semi-finals of the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at County Sligo.