Owens faces tough opener in title defence

Charlie Mulqueen

Owens will meet the winner of today’s first round clash of former three time Irish Close champion Eddie Power and Tipperary’s Alan Meskell. While Power’s appearances on the championship scene are infrequent these days, he remains a formidable competitor.

Owens is one of nine members of the Irish team that won the Home International Championship at Ballybunion last September. Among them is Brian McElhinney, the European champion who performed with distinction in last week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

His second round opponent will be either Patrick Collier, a former winner, or Chris Kendrick from Cahir Park. The other internationals are Richard Kilpatrick, Darren Crowe, Mark Campbell, Johnny Foster (another former champion) and Michael McGeady.

It’s a tournament in which youth could also make its presence felt. Clancy Bowe of Tramore is, surprisingly enough, obliged to battle his way through today’s preliminary round if he is to join the bigger guns.

Among those exempted are Cian McNamara of Limerick, Niall Turner of Muskerry and Aaron O’Callaghan (Douglas). At the other end of the age bracket is Dermot Morris of Limerick, who was superb in the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Adare in June and also started promisingly in the British Seniors on Thursday.

Today’s preliminary round is followed by the second round tomorrow and after that there will be two sessions each day until the 18-hole final on Wednesday.