Fanagan plays it down line

Jody Fanagan sought permission yesterday from officials and his playing partners to break one of the unwritten rules of modern golf. And all agreed it was perfectly reasonable for him to leave his mobile phone switched on in his bag while shooting 71 in the first round of the Ulster Bank-sponsored Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship at Royal Dublin.

"My wife Alison is expecting our second child anytime now and I don't want to miss the news," said the former Walker Cup player. "Normally the phone is left in my car when I play golf. But I must say everybody has been very understanding about my present situation."

If word happens to come before the championship is over, will Fanagan depart the scene as Phil Mickelson claimed he would do in the same circumstance during last year's US Open at Pinehurst? "Everything is under control at the moment, but we'll have to see what happens," he replied. Incidentally, the Mickelson baby was born at noon on the day after the championship finished.

Though Fanagan ended the day a stroke behind the joint leaders Andrew Morris and Nico LeGrange, it was a highly commendable performance by last year's runner-up. It was, in fact, his first tournament of the year and he had sufficient in reserve to overcome a double-bogey six at the 17th where he blocked his drive out of bounds. "It was the only bad shot I hit all day," said the Milltown player.

The performance of LeGrange was of particular interest to the more seasoned spectators in the sparse attendance. His father, Cobie, will be remembered as a leading player in the 1960s, before problems in taking the club away from the ball with the driver - not unlike those encountered by Ian Baker-Finch - caused his tournament career to end prematurely.

"As my coach, he has been a tremendous help to me, especially with course strategy," said the 20-year-old, who is currently ranked fourth in his country's amateur ranks. In the event, the youngster made the best of his Irish debut with a splendid back nine of 33. Into a north-westerly wind sweeping out to sea, it contained some admirable striking with the two iron. LeGrange used the club to set up two-putt birdies at the 11th and 14th and for a superb tee-shot to three feet at the short 12th. And he went on to sink a 30-footer for a birdie at the 17th.

Morris just failed on handicap to get into last month's West and he also failed to get into this event last year, but assured himself of a place in this weekend's field by shooting a six-under-par 65 in a recent medal competition at his Belfast club, Belvoir Park.

A 26-year-old area manager for golf equipment company Nevada Bobs, he had the distinction of carding four successive birdies on the more difficult homeward journey. He reached the green at the long 14th with a five wood for a two-putt birdie; hit a six iron to eight feet at the next; was 15 feet from the pin at the 16th from a three-wood tee shot and went on to hole a 25-footer for a birdie at the 17th.

Given the windy conditions, scoring was generally good, which was no more than one would expected on a links presented in superb condition. Fast, true greens were especially impressive and any player with a productive putting stroke was certain to reap a handsome reward. But they didn't help the holder, Gary Cullen, who suffered on the way to a dispiriting 80. It was also an anxious day for the local professional Leonard Owens, but for an entirely different reason: his son, Lee, was making his championship debut.

And the one-handicapper performed creditably with a 74, despite a potentially crippling four-putt on the short 12th, where he raced his second effort six feet past. Owens, who will be 19 next month and is one of five Royal Dublin players in the field, is clearly eyeing a future in the professional game and will be heading for South Africa in October. In the meantime, he is providing strong support for the leading local challenger, Eamonn Brady, who shot a solid 73.