O’Keeffe hits top gear but faces another big test in South quest

The reigning Irish Close champion had to beat two current international team mates to make the third round in Lahinch

Fri, 22 Jul, 2022 - 21:57

Brian Keogh

Douglas star Peter O’Keeffe is hoping it will be a case of fifth time lucky after he played superbly on the first day of matchplay combat to ease his way into the last 16 in the Pierse Motors sponsored South of Ireland Championship for the fifth year running.

The reigning Irish Close champion had to beat two current international team mates to make the third round, edging out Carton House’s Marc Boucher by two holes before playing superbly to defeat current East of Ireland champion Alex Maguire from Laytown and Bettystown 3&2.

“We were both three-under after nine and hadn’t missed a shot to be all square,” said O’Keeffe, who hit a six iron to 15 feet at the 11th and made the putt to go one-up, then doubled his advantage when he two-putted for birdie on the par-five 12th.

He then went three-under with a safe par at the 15th, where he hit a three-iron off the tee followed by a seven-iron to the middle of the green as Maguire buried his driver in the deep rough fringing the left fairway bunker and couldn’t salvage a par.

“I was steady all the way through and I made sure I found the 15th fairway because I was bunkered there this morning against Marc Boucher,” added O’Keeffe, who now faces Tramore’s Jack Hearn. “Let’s see if we can go all the way this year.”

O’Keeffe fell to eventual champion James Sugrue in the semi-finals in 2017 but he has lost on Saturday morning in his last three visits to Lahinch and will be keen to make amends.

He will again be tested again by Hearn, a winner on the US collegiate circuit this year, who beat Castletroy’s Andrew McCormack by two holes before defeating debutant Harry Fanagan, a son of 1995 winner Jody, 4&3.

Hearn or O’Keeffe would face Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan, who was three down after 15 and admitted he “stole” his one-up win over Richard Knightly, or beaten 2019 finalist Keith Egan from Carton House.

There were several shocks, starting with leading qualifier Joshua Hill, who crashed back to earth following his 10-under 62 on Thursday and lost 3&2 to Westport’s Harry Gillivan in the first round.

Gillivan now faces former winner Robbie Cannon of Balbriggan in the last 16 with the victor to face Galway international Liam Nolan or Carton House’s Jack Doherty, who beat Elm Park’s Charlie Denvir at the 20th.

Nolan had to eagle the 18th on Thursday to qualify but with the field back off the blue tees yesterday, he got revenge for his West of Ireland final defeat with a 3&1 win over Bray’s Alan Fahy before defeating The Heritage’s Shane Hogan 4&2.

Reigning champion TJ Ford from Co Sligo also fell at the first hurdle, losing at the 20th to Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.

While the day started in scorching sunshine, it finished in misty rain as Portmarnock’s Sean Flanagan, the 2016 North of Ireland champion, beat Fermoy’s Dean O’Riordan with a birdie on the 22nd in gathering gloom.

The Rosses Point man got up and down from around 90 yards at the 18th for birdie to take the match to extra holes before beating the combative O’Riordan with a conceded birdie at the Klondyke.

Flanagan now faces reigning Irish Amateur Open champion Colm Campbell for a place in the quarter-finals after the Warrenpoint man edged out Ardee’s Evan Farrell by one hole, then cruised to a 7&6 win over young Alex King from Faithlegg.

The winner will face a tough quarter-final against Dundalk’s Eoin Murphy or North of Ireland champion Hugh Foley from Royal Dublin, who came back from two-down to beat Roganstown’s Joshua McCabe 2&1.

The bottom half of the draw looks strong with Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy set to face Nenagh’s David Reddan Jnr, who ended O’Neill’s run with a 2-up win.

The winner of that one will take on Connacht Stroke Play champion Robert Brazill, a 2&1 winner over David Kitt, or Lahinch’s Aaron McNulty.

A three-handicapper just two years ago and a Junior Cup player just last year, McNulty was four-under as he caused a shock by beating 2018 champion Caolan Rafferty by two holes before easing to a 4&3 win over Senior Cup team mate Stephen Loftus.