Old swinger Gorey is still going strong

He might have been watched by 60 years-old Des Smyth, but Niall Gorey is determined to become the oldest swinger in town by breaking his championship duck in the West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

The 32-year old Muskerry player, now back in his native Co Kildare, impressed 1973 champion Smyth with his guts and determination as he crushed Gary McDermott’s dream of becoming the first Co Sligo winner of ‘the West’ for 63 years with a 19th hole quarter-final win.

Beaten in the semi-finals by Alan Dunbar two years ago, formerinternational Gorey lost a three up lead by the 11th but brilliantly halved the 12th, birdied the 15th with a sensational four iron to six feet and then recovered from losing the 17th with a winning par at the first extra hole.

He faces 21-year old Mourne international Reeve Whitson, the recently crowned Spanish Amateur Open champion, in the last four but will not be using age as an excuse after being persuaded by his wife to continue chasing his dream of an amateur “major” win.

“I was close to packing it in this year but my wife Valerie talked me out of it,” said Gorey, who became a father for the first time just a few weeks ago.

“She said: ‘When you think you can’t win a championship, then stop.’

McDermott was disappointed to let the match slip away, having fought back to all square. But he was left to rue a three putt at the 14th that allowed his former Ireland foursomes partner to escape with a half in double bogey sixes.

“It’s disappointing,” said 31-year old McDermott, who got a bad lie in the left semi-rough at the 19th and failed to get up and down from short of the green.

Gorey beat Irish Boys champion Gareth Lappin of Belvoir Park by 2 and 1 in the morning on another bitterly cold day of 30mph east-southeast winds.

Whitson, on the other hand, crushed England’s Henry Featherstone 5 and 4 and Carton House’s Shane McGlynn 5 and 3 to cruise into the last four.

Bidding to match pal Rory McIlroy by becoming the first man to successfully defend the title since the Holywood star in 2006, Belvoir Park’s Harry Diamond beat Newlands’ Andrew Hogan 3 and 2 before holding off 17-year old Boys international Robin Dawson of Faithlegg by 3 and 2 in the afternoon.

The 28-year old Ulsterman will face leading qualifier Rory McNamara of Headfort, who edged out former winner Rory Leonard of Banbridge by one hole before claiming a 3 and 2 win over Rathsallagh’s Jack Hume, in the other semi-final.

Hume had to go to the 22nd to beat West Waterford’s Gary Hurley in the third round but had no answer to McNamara’s brilliance on the greens in the afternoon.