GOLF NORTH OF IRELAND AMATEUR OPEN: BELVOIR PARK'S Barry Cashman fired a sizzling 65 to set the target on the Valley course at Royal Portrush yesterday during the opening day's play in the Magners North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.
His five-under-par card was composed of half-a-dozen birdies with just one blot, a bogey five at the eighth hole.
He was on in two blows at the long fourth, hacked out of rough at the seventh to eight feet and holed, got up and down for a four at the 10th and made three birdie twos on the way home, rolling in putts of 10, 12 and 10 feet at holes 11, 15 and 18.
“That round cuts my handicap to plus-one,” mused Cashman. “Its my ninth time in the championship and I have qualified for matchplay four times.
“Hopefully, it will be five times after this week. I once reached the quarter-finals.
Among a group two shots back on 67 is East of Ireland champion Paul Cutler, a short-priced candidate for the vacant title won last year by Shane Lowry.
