Three share lead in Boys Amateur Close Championship
Three players sharing the lead after the opening round of the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship at Bangor Golf Club today.
Ian O’Rourke (Cork), Conor O’Rourke (Naas) and Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) all shot a three-under-par 68.
Ian O’Rourke, who finished runner-up and winner of the U-17 trophy last year, and last week was winner of three of his four matches in the Men’s Interprovincial Championship at Douglas, had four birdies in his round – at the fourth, nineth, 13th , 16th and one dropped at the fifth.
McElroy, who was a member of Ireland’s teams in the European Championship and Home Internationals this year, was the U-15 champion in 2008. He also had four birdies – at the fourth, seventh, 16th and 18th holes, with one dropped shot at the 10th.
Conor O’Rourke’s round included five birdies – at the second, third, nineth, 15th and 16th holes whereas he dropped shots at the fifth and eigth holes.
Eoin Dolan (Woodbrook) and Stephen Barry (Laytown & Bettystown) are one shot off the lead on two-under-par 69, with the defending champion Paul Dunne (Greystones) - pictured - among a group of six players tied on one-under-par 70.
Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship after 18 Holes:
68: I O'Rourke (Cork), C O'Rourke (Naas), D McElroy (Ballymena)
69: E Dolan (Woodbrook), S Barry (L'town & B'town)
70: P Dunne (Greystones), C Glynn (Carton House), A Kelly (Charleville)
71: D Mallon (Dungannon), C Selfridge (Moyola Park), D Murphy (Portarlington), C Fairweather (Knock), B Casey (Headfort)
72: I Keane (Malahide), M McKnight (Lisburn), R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire), J Hume (Rathsallagh), J Hopkins (Skerries), C Boggan (Co. Meath)
73: G McGee (Malone), A Gleeson (Co. Sligo), G Mungovan (Headfort), C Curran (Dundalk), J Webster (Castle), J Beirne (Castle), W Bamber (Royal Portrush), L Hutchinson (St. Anne's)
74: J Robinson (Ballymena), M Durcan (Co. Sligo), A Millar (Ardglass), D Close (Caddington), S Devey (Skerries), L Connolly (Malahide), J Hickey (Cork), A Kiernan (Forrest Little), S Carter (Stackstown), G Donohoe (Enniscorthy), T Finnegan (Co. Sligo)
75: A Brown (Tandragee), M Gielty (Grange), K Lynch (Skibbereen), S Bryan (Delgany), C Sharvin (Ardglass), G Collins (Rosslare), S McCance (Omagh), G Barry (Muskerry), S O'Connor (Skerries), S Cannon (Athenry), J Galbraith (Whitehead), R McKinstry (Cairndhu)
76: A Darragh (Belvoir Park), S Kinch (Hermitage), E Harris (Douglas), J Breen (Knock), C O'Sullivan (Fota Island), C Geraghty (Carton House), J Taylor (Shandon Park), A Duff (The Island)
77: S Winsby (Whitehead), D McCrea (Malone), D O'Hara (Belvoir Park), A Stewart (Bangor), S O'Connor (Carton House), G MacNamara (Woodbrook), K Egan (Curragh), E Smith (Ardee), M McCean (Balmoral), P Higgins (Sutton), K Cummings (Elm Park), T McLarnon (Antrim), A Doran (Ardee)
78: C Rafferty (Greenore), L O'Brien (New Ross), P McGlone (Dunmurry), W Russell (Clandeboye), C Shiels (Malahide), G Dunne (Greystones), D Byrne (Athenry), R Whitson (Mourne)
79: R O'Dwyer (Callan), N O'Flynn (Clontarf), L Harnett (Milltown), B Banerji (Spa), S O'Hara (Co. Sligo), J Pierse (Grange), D Higgins (Strandhill), R Pierse (Grange), E Cradock (Gort)
80: D Graham (Knock), D O'Sullivan (Strandhill), B Ferguson (Malone), S Malcolm (Woodbrook), S Williams (Castle), M Weatherall (Donaghadee), J Dillon (Headfort), P Butler (Newlands), E Lisibach (Castlebar)
81: D Manifold (Rathsallagh), J Richardson (Royal Portrush), C Conlon (Cill Dara), M Quinn (Bray), S Clark (Massereene)
82: B McCormack (Castle Barna), J Connolly (Massereene), R Kennelly (Carton House), A Faulkner (Donegal)
83: M Elborn (Bangor)
84: A Connolly (Massereene), N Larkin (Westmanstown), N Conway (South County)
85: A Welsh (Knock)
86: C Kelly (Rosslare), J Stothers (Tandragee)
87: F O'Doherty (Narin & Portnoo)
NR: S Coulter (Warrenpoint)
DQ: J Thompson (Roe Park)
RTD: C Finnerty (Corrstown)
