THE OPENING day of matchplay in the Magners North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship is always littered with pitfalls, but sidestepping the lot yesterday at Royal Portrush was Gary McDermott from Co Sligo.
The Connacht interprovincial stormed through with wins of 7 and 5 and 6 and 5 over Paul Reavey (Warrenpoint) and Donal Mulholland (Castlerock) to reach this morning's third round on a day when many mighty names fell by the wayside.
Out of the competition went Walker Cup player Johnny Caldwell, leading qualifier Dara Lernihan, Irish champion Paul O'Hanlon and international Connor Doran, while a number of young pretenders to the vacant throne marched on.
In the morning, AIB official McDermott never lost a hole in his clash with Reavey as he turned five up after carding four birdies on his way to ending the match at the 13th. He also buzzed off in a hurry in the afternoon to be two holes ahead after three, winning the short third with a nine-iron to one foot.
He pitched and putted for a winning birdie three at the fifth, and after, losing the seventh, won the ninth, 10th and 11th all in birdies.
The 27-year-old one-handicapper added another win with a par at the 12th and halved the 13th to end the argument.
"This is my second time in the tournament and I holed out very well today. I'm certainly pleased with the way I'm playing," said McDermott, who will meet local lad Chris Browne this morning. Browne defeated Irish champion O'Hanlon by 3 and 2.
Last year's leading qualifier, Fergal Rafferty of Dungannon knocked out this year's silver medal winner Lernihan, and then edged past Scottish player David Sutton in the afternoon: he beat Lernihan one up and Sutton 2 and 1.
"Those were two very tough matches to start with but surviving them has given me great confidence," said Carrickmore 20-year-old Rafferty, who plays off plus-two out of Dungannon.
Dunmurry brothers Stephen and Darren Crowe survived the day, as did Shane Lowry from Esker Hills. Lowry first defeated Clonmel's Niall O'Reilly by 7 and 5, and then galloped past Belfast publican Joe Crangle 5 and 4. He was one down to Crangle when he three-putted the fifth green, but then went on the rampage, winning six holes from the seventh in three under par.
Co Louth's Simon Ward also made it double success with a 6 and 5 win over Brian Galway (Cairndhu) and a 4 and 3 result against Ryan Boal (Castle).
Ward now meets giant-killer James Stevenson from the host club after Stevenson ended the hopes of Caldwell 2 and 1 before sending Pio O'Leary of Lucan home after a 5 and 4 defeat.
