Gavin Moynihan sweeps in to knock-out stages of the British Amateur Championship

Dubliner Gavin Moynihan swept into top gear at Carnoustie yesterday to storm into the knock-out stages of the British Amateur Championship.

The Walker Cup star who plays out of the Island had been a little edgy going into the second round after a one over par score at Panmure on Monday.

But yesterday he put on a champagne performance to fire a three under par 69 at Carnoustie for a 140 total and a spot in the top 20 for the match-play draw.

Moynihan had just one bogey – at the third – and then birdied four and seven on the way out in 36 and the 11th, 15th and 18th coming home to put the icing on the cake,

Jack Hume of Naas, despite slipping a little at Panmure, made progress with plenty to spare just a stroke adrift of Moynihan.

Hume had three bogeys and just one birdie in his 73 yesterday but is now relishing the match-play challenge.

Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy knew he had move up several gears if he wanted to make it through – and that is exactly what he did.

A disappointing 75 at Carnoustie on Monday put him looking down the barrel of elimination but yesterday he delivered the goods quite sensationally going round Panmure in 67 for a 142 aggregate which saw him through quite comfortably. And his 67 came despite a double bogey 7 on the 14th. He had three birdies on each half which sent him sweeping through to the knock-out phase.

Alexander Wilson

Portmarnock’s Alexander Wilson looked set to go through when he was two under par at Carnoustie with three holes to play but then disaster struck – a bogey four at the short 16th and a triple bogey seven on the last – and he crashed out.

A big disappointment was the failure of this season's in-form player Cormac Sharvin to progress and among others to fall by the wayside were Paul Dunne, Geoff Lenehan, Richard Bridges, Colm Campbell, Robin Dawson, Alex Gleeson, Conor O'Rourke, Stuart Grehan, Seán Flanagan, Daniel Holland and Paul McBride.

Scotsman Craig Howie and New Zealander Ryan Chisnall jointly led the qualifiers into the match-play phase with scores of 135-seven under par.