Cutler advances in Girona

Portstewart's Paul Cutler will face Johann López Lázaro of France in the quarter-finals of the Spanish Amateur Championship in Girona tomorrow.

Cutler defeated England's Billy Henstock at the 19th in the first round, before cruising to a 5 and 4 victory over Austria's Hans Peter Bacher.

It was a disappointing day for the rest of the Irish however as Co Louth's Simon Ward and Esker Hills' Shane Lowry bowed out in the first round.

Ward was beaten 3 and 2 by Spanish hope Pedro Oriol while Lowry lost 2 and 1 to England's Dale Whitnell.

If Cutler goes on to win the title, he will join fellow Ulsterman Clarke (1990) on a list of former champions that also includes José María Olazábal (1983-84), Sergio García (1998) and Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño (2003).

The champion will earn a place in Spanish Open in Seville from May 1-4.

Spanish Amateur Championship (King's Cup) At Pals, Girona

First round:

Johann López Lázaro (FRA) bt Paul Betty (SCO) 3/2

Federico Colombo (ITA) bt Eduard Dubois (FRA) 19th

Paul Cutler (IRE) bt Billy Hemstock (ENG) 19th

Hans Peter Bacher (AUT) bt Sam Hutsby (ENG) 6/5

Pedro Oriol (ESP) bt Simon Ward (IRE) 3/2

Daniel Willett (ENG) bt Gordon Yates (SCO) 8/7

Gavin Dear (SCO) bt Borja Etchart (ESP) 1up

Benjamin Hebert (FRA) bt Sean Einhaus (GER) 1up

Edward Richardson (ENG) bt Pontus Widegren (SWE) 7/6

Tuomas Pollari (FIN) bt Jonathan Hurst (ENG) 3/2

Chris Wood (ENG) bt Michael Bush (ENG) 3/2

Jordi García Pinto (ESP) bt Juan Francisco Sarasti (ESP) 4/3 Dale Whitnell (ENG) bt Shane Lowry (IRE) 2/1 Eddie Pepperell (ENG) bt David Antonelli (FRA) 19th Guillaume Cambis (FRA) bt Glenn Campbell (SCO) 4/3 Neil Chaudhuri (ENG) bt Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 19

Second Round:

J López Lázaro (FRA) bt F Colombo (ITA) 5/4

P Cutler (IRE) bt HP Bacher (AUT) 5/4

D Willett (ENG) bt P Oriol (ESP) 2/1

B Hebert (FRA) bt G Dear (SCO) 2/1

E Richardson (ENG) bt T Pollari (FIN) 5/4

J García Pinto (ESP) bt C Wood (ENG) 3/2

E Pepperell (ENG) bt D Whitnell (ENG) 2/1

G Cambis (FRA) bt N Chaudhuri (ENG) 4/2

Quarter-finals (Saturday):

(7.30) López Lázaro v Cutler; (08.38) Willett v Herbert; (08.46)

Richardson v Garcia Pinto; (08.54) Pepperell v Cambis.

Men's Amateur fixtures 2008:

March

21-25 Radisson SAS West of Ireland Open Championship, Co. Sligo

April

25-27 Munster Youths Open

May

2-4 Lytham Trophy, Royal Lytham

3-4 Munster Strokeplay Championship

5-7 European Mid-Amateur Open, Poland

9-11 Irish Amateur Open Championship, Royal Dublin

16-18 Brabazon Trophy, Trevose Golf Club, Cornwall

28-30 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship, Westport

June

31-2 East of Ireland, Co. Louth

6-8 St. Andrew’s Links Trophy, Scotland

7-11 Irish Amateur Close Championship, Belvoir Park

12-14 European Seniors Individual Open Championship, Portugal

16-21 British Amateur Open Championship, Turnburry

25 Ireland Vs Wales Youths Match, Lisburn

26 Jack O'Sullivan-Round 2 Thursday Home & Away

July

1-3 Leinster U21 Youths Open Championship, Portarlington

1-3 Connacht U18 Boys Open Championship, Claremorris

1-5 European Amateur Team Championship, Italy

7 Leinster U15 Boys Open Championship, Beaverstown

8-12 European Boys Team Championships, Slovenia

14-18 North of Ireland Open Championship, Royal Portrush

14-16 British Junior Open Championship, Hesketh, UK

15-17 Leinster U18 Boys Open Championship, Tullamore

24-26 European Young Masters, France

26-30 South of Ireland Open Championship, Lahinch

August

4 Ulster U15 Boys Open Championship, Donaghadee

5-7 Boys’ Home Internationals, Royal Co. Down

6-8 British Seniors’ Amateur Open Championship, Royal Cinque Ports & Prince

6-8 Inter Provincial Championship, Athlone

11-16 British Boys’ Open Championship, Little Aston, UK

13-15 Ulster Youths Open, Royal Portrush

13-16 European Seniors Team Championships, Shannon

15-16 Leinster Mid-Amateur Open Championship, Grange

20-22 Irish Boys Close Championship, Portumna

20-23 European Individual Amateur Open Championship, Denmark

September

1-2 Leinster Seniors Open, Killerig Castle

3-5 Home Internationals, Muirfield

17-20 National Cups & Shields Finals, Monkstown, Co. Cork

October

2-4 Seniors’ Home Internationals, Wales.