Niall Kearney spearheaded the strong Irish challenge in the first round of the South of England Open Amateur Championship at Walton Heath in Surrey yesterday with a high-quality performance.
The 24-year-old Brabazon Trophy holder from Royal Dublin was one of only five players who broke the par of 72 on the challenging Old course and is now in an excellent position to pile the pressure on his rivals on the concluding 18 holes on the New Course.
Kearney, a plus four-handicapper did not put a foot wrong as he fired a 70, just a stroke behind young Stiggy Hodgson.
A member of the Irish team which won the European Team championships for the second year on the bounce last summer and now a Walker Cup hopeful Kearney took advantage of the par fives on the homeward stretch as he birdies two of the three.
The other four Irishmen in the field also played over the Old Course with Portmarnock's James Fox doing the best of them returning 74.
Simon Ward from County Louth posted a 75 while Rathmore's St Andrews Links Trophy winner Alan Dunbar and Portstewart’s Paul Cutler both went round in 76.
Leading thev way on the easier New course was Jason Palmer from Kirby Muxloe, who set a course record with a nine-under-par 63
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