MULLINGAR SCRATCH CUP: A day of intrigue and mystery ended in relief and delight for Niall Kearney last night when he learned that he will become the 34th Irishman to represent Britain and Ireland in next month's Walker Cup matches against the United States, reports Brian Keogh.
The 21-year old Royal Dublin international received the good news in a phone call from the chairman of the RA selection committee, Tony Disley, as he relaxed in a Mullingar hotel room last night.
But it appears certain Kearney will be the sole Irish representative in the 10-man team hoping to wrest back the trophy from the Americans when the side is officially announced today.
Both Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar and Portstewart’s Paul Cutler received calls telling them they would not be in the side to take on George “Buddy” Marucci’s American team at Merion in Pennsylvania from September 12th-13th.
“I’m absolutely delighted but I am also relieved,” said Kearney, who was putting the celebrations on hold after rounds of 74 and 68 left him five strokes adrift of Moyola Park’s Luke Lennox entering today’s final 36 holes of the Grant Thornton-sponsored Mullingar Scratch Trophy.
Having left his phone on silent throughout the day, Kearney confessed: “It’s fantastic. I have had a great year but you are never sure until the call comes through. I’m over the moon.
“I had just got back to the hotel when I got a call. It’s going to be a special occasion but I will have to put the celebrations on hold until after the final round here tomorrow.”
Winner of the Brabazon Trophy by five strokes last May, it would have been a major surprise had Kearney failed to make the team. But there was disappointment for St Andrews Trophy winner Dunbar and the reigning East of Ireland champion Cutler, who had high hopes of making the side.
“It’s disappointing, but I will keep plugging away,” said Cutler, who is tied for second in Mullingar alongside home hope Dessie Morgan, three strokes behind Youths international Lennox on four under par.
Runner up to Cutler in the East of Ireland at Baltray in June, 19-year-old Lennox had a magnificent day at rain-softened Mullingar, where he eagled the par-five 16th and birdied the 17th to card a three under par 69 and share the lunchtime lead with Athlone’s Kelan McDonagh on three-under par.
But by day’s end he was three strokes clear on seven under par 137 after carding five birdies and just one bogey in a four-under-par, second round 68.
Cutler followed an opening 73 with a six birdies and just one bogey in an afternoon 67 to share second place with 28-year-old home hero Morgan, who is hoping to end a 47-year wait for a home winner of a title that has been won by all the greats in Irish golf from Joe Carr and Des Smyth to Darren Clarke, Pádraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Rory McIlroy.
“I had a few euro on myself with Paddy Power at 16-1 and let’s just say that it will be enough for a nice holiday,” said Morgan after rounds of 71 and 69. “The best I’ve done was second to Shane Lowry last year but he was on a different planet and while I was seven behind him, I felt like I’d won my tournament.
“There are six big amateur championships in Ireland but for a Mullingar man, the scratch cup is our seventh major.”
CHALLENGE TOUR:An uneventful final round of two over par 73 saw Ireland's Simon Thornton take 16th place at the Scottish Hydro Challenge yesterday.
Northern Irishman Jonathan Caldwell finished the week in a tie for 35th spot as Jamie McLeary finished off a superb week for the Challenge Tour’s Scottish contingent by becoming the first home winner of the event since its inception in 2006.
The 28-year-old stormed to a two-stroke victory from Italy’s Edoardo Molinari at the Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club to pick up the €£31,600 first prize and set up a golden opportunity to win a place on the European Tour next season via the top 20 on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
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