Cutler loses out to Korean Jeong

IRELAND’S hopes of having their first Amateur Champion since Brian McElhinney five years ago were dashed at Muirfield yesterday when Paul Cutler fell by the wayside in the quarter-finals.

But the 21-year-old Walker Cup hopeful from Portstewart was not too down-heartened by his defeat at the hands of South Korean Jin Jeong – and he looked forward with relish to next week’s Irish close championship at Royal Dublin.

By reaching the last eight at Muirfield, Cutler is exempt from qualifying for the Irish and moves straight into the match-play phase.