Omelia makes progress

The back to his roots philosophy worked for Bryan Omelia yesterday as he secured one of five places on offer in the British Open regional qualifying at Co Louth Golf Club. After two years spent traipsing around much of Asia, the US and Europe in a fledgling professional career, a return to one of his old amateur haunts provided him with a much needed boost.

On a windswept links, with course management and club selection vital ingredients for anyone with realistic ambitions of winning one of the places in this weekend's 36-holes final qualifying, Omelia and Heath club professional Eddie Doyle, who finished with four birdies in the final five holes, shot commendable level par 73s to lead the way.

Indeed, there was an interesting diversity in the quintet who survived the regional test: apart from Omelia, who played on the Asian Tour last year but who is now dividing his time between the TearDrop Tour in the US and the new golfmarket.com Tour in Europe, and Doyle, the other successful qualifiers included an assistant club professional, a South African touted as a potential global star and a former Walker Cup player.

Cathal Barry, an assistant at Donabate, and South African Jaco Olver, who recently turned professional with a handicap of plus 7.3, played in the same three-ball and both shot 74s while Jody Fanagan, whose golfing CV includes a foursomes win over Tiger Woods, took the fifth and last qualifying place on offer.

"I can't believe some of the shots I had to play out there," remarked Olver, who opted to play Baltray - rather than one of the other 16 regional venues - because he had played it last year in an amateur international match prior to the British amateurs at Royal Co Down. On the 12th, for example, with an approach of 151 yards to the flag, he was forced to hit a two-iron while, conversely, playing partner Barry drove the downwind 344 yards fourth and sank a 20 footer for an eagle.

Omelia, meanwhile, was delighted with his effort. "I've come through a rough patch, but I have worked really hard on my game and kept myself in good shape . . . and it is nice to see such work paying off," he said. The former Irish amateur international will now compete in final qualifying at Scotscraig next Sunday and Monday where among his playing partners will be Italian Emanuele Canonica, while Fanagan will also attempt to come through at the same venue.

Doyle's reward for his superb finish is a final qualifying place at Ladybank where he will be paired with US Tour player Billy Mayfair and European Tour player Andrew Oldcorn. Olver, who actually won the South African Tour School by 10 shots, will play at Leven Links while Barry's next step is at Lundin.

Among the notable casualties at Baltray yesterday were former US Tour player Richard Coughlan and one-time European Tour player Raymond Burns, on a course where he won two East of Irelands as an amateur.