Runaway leading qualifier Ronan Mullarney from Galway is a stronger favourite than ever to capture the AIG Irish Close Championship at Ballybunion this week having needed only 28 holes to come through yesterday’s opening two match-play rounds.

Jason Sugrue (Mallow), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), Mark Power (Kilkenny), and Conor Purcell (Portmarnock), all of whom began the week at Hoylake, Royal Liverpool, preparing for the Walker Cup match against the United States in September, were all eliminated from the Pierse Motors sponsored South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch yesterday.

The AIG Senior Cup returned to Rosses Point on Saturday night as Co Sligo reclaimed Irish club golf’s blue riband title with a dramatic final victory over Leinster’s Castle at Carton House.

Unheralded Frenchman Alexander Levy thrust himself into the spotlight with a 10-under-par 62 — the lowest score of his career — in the second round of the Volvo China Open.

PETER LAWRIE credited a new putting technique with helping to give him the outright lead after the first round of the Czech Open yesterday.