McIlroy gets over putting problems to advance
Rory McIlroy shrugged off some putting problems to cruise into the last 16 of the Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.
The 17-year-old Holywood hotshot was five under par as he beat Portmarnock's David Kelleher by 2 and 1 in the first round.
But he was unhappy with his form on the greens in a 3 and 2 second round victory over Galway's Eddie McCormack and immediately headed for a practice session with Irish coach Neil Manchip.
"I played pretty well this morning, but not this afternoon," McIlroy said. "I didn’t commit to my putts on the greens so I just asked Neil for a quick lesson.
“It is more about attitude than mechanics and I was trying to guide the ball to the hole rather than letting the putter come through naturally.”
McIlroy, who is now just four wins away from a hat-trick of West of Ireland titles, will face Rory Leonard of Banbridge in the third round.
The biggest surprise of the day was a 5 and 3 second defeat for international Shane Lowry at the hands of big hitting Michael Lavelle of the K Club.
However, leading qualifier Simon Ward, came back from three down after four holes to beat Holywood's Harry Diamond by two holes.
Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship
1st rd:
(1st quarter)
W McCulley (Donaghadee) bt G Hall (Edenderry) 3/1;
J Hurst (Shaw Hill, UK) bt G Boyd (Donaghadee) 2/1;
D Coyle (Co Louth) bt D Scully (Galway) 19th;
D Crowe (Dunmurry) bt S Grant (Birr) 2/1;
N Gorey (Lee Valley) bt D Finn (Mallow) 2/1;
G McDermott (Co Sligo) bt M Hammond (Moyola Park) 2/1
E Saxel (Petersfield, UK) bt R McNamara (Headfort) 3/2;
T McGowan (Strandhill) bt N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 20th.
(2nd quarter)
L Lennox (Moyola Park bt D Vaughan (Ardglass) 5/4;
P Cutler (Portstewart) bt J P Hughes (Douglas) 2 holes;
B Walton (UCD/Island) bt E Kennedy (Strabane) 6/5;
C Doran (Banbridge) bt G O’Connor (Malahide) 2/1;
T Walsh (Claremorris) bt K O’Neill (Strandhill) 1 up;
R Leonard (Banbridge) bt M Crowe (Elm Park) 1 up;
E McCormack (Galway) bt G O’Flaherty (Cork) 2 up;
R McIlroy (Holywood) bt D Kelleher (Portmarnock) 2/1.
(3rd quarter)
S Ward (Co Louth) bt A Condren (Greystones) 4/3;
H Diamond (Holywood) bt P Killeen (Claremorris) 19th;
D Lernihan (UCD/Castle) bt D Morgan (Mullingar) 4/3;
B Cashman (Belvoir Park) bt P Sheehy (Limerick) 3/2;
R Kilpatrick (Banbridge) bt D Coyne (Tuam) 1 hole;
C Curley (Newlands) bt A McCloy (Ballymena) 2 holes;
P Connolly (Clontarf) bt D Sutton (Lockerbie, UK) 19th;
D Downie (Sutton) bt J Moore (L’town & B’town) 6/5.
(4th quarter)
S Lowry (UCD/Esker Hills) bt D Kneafsey (Sudbury, UK) 6/5;
M Lavelle (K Club) bt N Grant (Knock) 1 hole;
J Lyons (Galway) bt P McGrath (Dromoland) 4/3;
R McCarthy (The Island) bt E O’Sullivan (The Island) 3/2;
P Murray (Limerick) bt R Boal (Scrabo) 3/2;
C Hughes (Royal Portrush) bt P Errity (Delgany) 2/1;
A Dunbar (Rathmore) bt A Johnston (North Middlesex, UK) 1 hole; A Hogan (UCD/Newlands) bt C O’Connor (UCD/Athlone) 2/1.
2nd rd:
1st quarter
J Hurst bt W McCulley 5/4;
D Crowe bt D Coyle 3/2;
N Gorey bt G McDermott 3/2;
T McGowan bt E Saxel 2/1
2nd quarter
P Cutler bt L Lennox 5/3;
B Walton bt C Doran 3/2;
R Leonard bt T Walsh 2/1;
R McIlroy bt E McCormack 3/2.
3rd quarter
S Ward bt H Diamond 2 holes;
D Lernihan bt B Cashman 1 hole;
R Kilpatrick bt C Curley 3/2;
D Downie bt P Connolly 1 hole.
4th quarter
M Lavelle bt S Lowry 5/3;
J Lyons bt R McCarthy 2/1;
P Murray bt C Hughes 4/3;
A Hogan bt A Dunbar 2/1.
3rd rd draw (8.0 am at 10 minutes intervals)
J Hurst v D Crowe;
N Gorey v T McGowan;
P Cutler v B Walton;
R Leonard v R McIlroy;
S Ward v D Lernihan;
R Kilpatrick v D Downie;
M Lavelle v J Lyons;
P Murray v A Hogan.
Quarter-finals (From 1 pm, 15 minute intervals).
