Turner leads Irish challenge in British Championship

Muskerry's Niall Turner closed with an eagle three to lead the Irish

challenge in the first qualifying round of the British Amateur

Championship in Lancashire.

The Cork ace fired four birdies in the space of seven holes from the

sixth before finishing out in style for a six under par 66 at St

Anne's Old Links.

A total of 288 players from 29 countries are battling for the top 64

spots in Wednesday's matchplay stages at Royal Lytham & St Annnes.

Walker Cup hopeful David Horsey set the early pace when he equalled

the course record at Royal Lytham & St Annes with a sizzling, seven-

under par 64.

The 22-year-old England cap, from the Styal club in Manchester,

recovered from a bogey on his first hole to match the record set by

Tom Lehman on his way to winning the 1996 Open Championship

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell and Birr's Stephen Grant were well

placed on 67 while Euopean champion Rory McIlroy opened eagle-birdie

at St Annes Old Links as he fired a three under par 69.

British Amateur Championship

Selected scores (RL = Royal Lytham & St Annes Par 71, SA = St Annes

Old Links Par 72)

64 David Horsey (Styal, RL)

65 David Corsby (Fleetwood, SA), Craig Evans (West Monmouthshire,

SA), Kevin McAlpine (Alyth, RL)

66 Niall Turner (Muskerrry, SA)

67 Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye, RL), Stephen Grant (Birr, SA)

68 Richard Kilpatrick (Bambridge, SA), Simon Ward (Co Louth, RL)

69 Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin, RL) Shane Lowry (Esker Hills, SA),

Rory McIlroy (Holywood, SA)

71 Gareth Shaw (Lurgan, RL)

72 Seamus Power (West Waterford, SA), Joe Lyons (Galway, SA)

78 Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas, RL)

79 Jim Carvill (Warrenpoint, RL)