O’Callaghan among strong Irish entry for British Amateur

AARON O’CALLAGHAN, winner of this year’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award for golf, is one of a number of entries for the British Amateur Championship beginning at St Andrews on Monday.

Eight of the Irish team that captured the Home International Championship at Ballybunion last September have also entered. They include European champion Brian McElhinney and his North West clubmate Michael McGeady, Irish Close champion Mark O’Sullivan, (Galway), South of Ireland champion Mervyn Owens (Mallow), Darren Crowe of Dunmurry, Mark Campbell (Stackstown), Noel Fox, (Portmarnock) and Johnny Foster (Ballyclare).

Also seeking a title that last came to Ireland in 1985 when Garth McGimpsey triumphed at Royal Dornoch is Gareth Maybin (Ballyclare), one of the top golfers on the US collegiate scene, Sean McTernan, the 2002 South of Ireland finalist from Co Sligo, Des Morgan of Mullingar and Kevin Moore (Douglas).