Fox keeps leaders in his sights

GOLF - IRISH AMATEUR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: While most eyes focused on the winner of two years ago, Britain and Ireland squad member Noel Fox and his plus-four handicap South African partner Albert Kruger, it was Antrim's Robert Forsyth, Slieve Russell's Eddie McCormack and 19-year-old Conor Doran from Banbridge who set the pace in the first round of the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

The three players' five-under-par 67 left them one shot clear of the field, Fox and Alan Dowling of Hermitage next best with rounds of 68s on a bright breezy day.

Fox so easily could have been up with the leaders, carding two double bogeys. But the Portmarnock player is unlikely to feel any greater joy than he did at the 18th when he dropped a 50-feet putt for a six. Thinking the fairway bunker was out of reach Fox hit a four iron from the tee at the Garden hole but found sand 240 yards away.

From there he attempted another four iron to the green but found out-of-bounds before his pitch and long putt kept him strongly in contention.

"I'll probably get a bit of stick for doing that but you have to ask yourself questions sometimes," he said afterwards.

Forsyth (31), who shot a 68 in the Irish Close in Portrush in 2000, was rewarded for consistent performances with a call-up to the Ulster provincial team last year. In 2001, he made the quarter-finals of the West of Ireland and this year went the same distance at Rosses Point, beating Fox before losing to eventual finalist Derek McNamara.

It is the possibility of a place on Ulster's interprovincial team that also inspired McCormack. The Cavan printer drove down to Royal Dublin on Tuesday and played 14 holes before returning home in a bid to improve his chances.

This year's interprovincial tournament is being held in McCormack's home club. "My whole ambition is to play with Ulster this year in Slieve Russell," said the 29-year-old.

McCormack carded six birdies and one bogey, the holes at the turn, nine, 10 and 11 providing a rich return of birdies. It was at the 10th that the joint leader hit his best shot of the round, a three iron from 198 feet to within six feet of the pin. His only bogey was a blocked seven iron at the par four 13th where he then failed to get up and down.

Forsyth carded five birdies as well as an eagle on the par five eighth hole, with bogeys at the fifth and the par three 12th where he failed to get down in two from a greenside bunker. For his eagle on the index 11, par five eighth, the Templepatrick player was required to hole a 20-feet putt having found the green in two.

Doran, who has returned from college in America, missed only two greens and was four under for the front nine before carding three more birdies and a six on the 18th, a hole that claimed many strokes yesterday.