Athenry schoolboy David Kitt could become the youngest winner of the AIG Irish Amateur Close since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after cruising into the semi-finals in impressive style on a day of shocks at Galway Golf Club.

Twenty-six years-old Simon Ward, a native of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan and a member of Co Louth, made his final appearance in an amateur championship a winning one at Lahinch yesterday when he won the South of Ireland for a second time.

Kilkenny’s Paul O’Hara crashed a young man’s party at Lahinch yesterday by winning two fine matches against Ulster duo Stephen Coulter and Nicky Grant to qualify for this morning’s first semi-final of the South of Ireland Championship against 20-year-old Ryan McKinstry (Cairndhu).

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