The new British Amateur champion, Brian McElhinney of North West Golf Club in Buncrana, Co Donegal, who will defend his Irish Close title at Westport starting on Saturday, heads Ireland's team for the European Championship to be played at Hillside in Southport from June 28th to July 2nd.
Jim Carvill of Warrenpoint, recently reinstated to the amateur ranks after a spell as a professional, and who won last weekend's East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth, is also included in the six-man team. Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), Michael McGeady (North West), Rory McIlroy (Holywood) and Sean McTernan (Co Sligo) complete the line-up.
Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) is the non-travelling reserve, and the team captain is Mark Gannon.
McIlroy is also in the Youths team for the annual match against Scotland at Portumna on Wednesday week. He is joined by Keith Crowley (Lee Valley), Nicholas Grant (Clandeboye), Cian McNamara (Limerick), Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas) and Gareth Shaw (Lurgan). Michael Burns is the non-playing captain.
Olin Browne fired a spectacular 59 to grab one of the final spots in next week's US Open, after almost withdrawing from the qualifying tournament in Maryland.
After an opening 73, the US Tour player asked about the protocol for scratching, then reconsidered, started his second round and, after an overnight rain delay, returned to finish birdie-eagle-eagle.
Yet it was not even the course record, because five years ago Shigeki Maruyama had a 58.
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