Kelly makes most of a late call-up to grab silver medal

NORTH OF IRELAND AMATEUR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP:GERARD KELLY didn't know until last Thursday his entry for the Magners North of Ireland Amateur Open was accepted but he walked away with the silver medal as leading qualifier.

“There was a bit of a mix-up in my handicap and I was on the reserve list. I didn’t think that I was getting a place until I got a call last Thursday,” he said.

“I was delighted to get the news and I’m also delighted that I have been able to grab the chance. Hopefully, I’ll not mess it up in the matchplay.

This is my third year playing here and the best I have done, so far, is getting to the second round.”

The UCD Sports Science undergraduate, who plays off one out of Co Louth, opened with a two-eagle 69 on Dunluce and yesterday fired a sizzling 67 on the Valley course to top the leaderboard.

His 36-hole total of 136 shot Kelly (23) into the silver medal position, one stroke ahead of Aaron Kearney (Castlerock) and two ahead of Michael Sinclair (Knock) and Chris Selbridge (Moyola Park). Defending champion Wayne Telford (Rathmore) and young Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) lie a further stroke back.

The Louth player, despondent after the Wee County’s controversial defeat in Sunday’s Leinster SFC final, reckons playing with the UCD team in the World Universities’ Championship at Malaga was excellent preparation for this.

Yesterday, he pencilled in birdie twos at the third and 11th holes, rolling in putts of seven and six feet, and he made birdie threes at eight and 16 from 15 and five feet.

His sole bogey was at 17 where his approach ran off the green and, after pitching on, he three-putted.

Kearney, who posted a six-birdie, record-equalling 64 from the Valley on Monday, added a one-over 73 from Dunluce in tricky, breezy conditions.

The leading 62 players after qualifying went into the matchplay draw last night, along with exempt players Paul Cutler (Portstewart) and Alan Dunbar (Rathmore), who have been on international duty.