GOLF NEWS ROUND-UP
NORTH OF IRELAND: Nothing changes, it seems, in the North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship with opening matchplay shocks the order of the day yesterday, just as in previous years.
In the first round, out went title favourite and leading qualifier Dermot McElroy, to be followed in the afternoon by defending champion Patrick McCrudden, from the host club.
It was schoolboy Tim Jordan from Dungannon who delivered the knockout punch to McElroy as he carved out a one-hole result.
“The biggest result of my career,” enthused the 17-year-old winner whose joy was short-lived, however, as he was sent packing in the afternoon by Englishman Ryan Fricker on a 4 and 2 ticket.
Galwegian Eddie McCormack was the man who abruptly ended the reign of McCrudden by 6 and 4 in the second round after being four up at the turn.
Harry Diamond and Connor Doran, who both equalled McElroy’s qualifying score of 133, made it through to the third knockout round this morning.
Diamond, aiming to add the North title to the West crown he won at Easter, recorded wins of 4 and 2 and 3 and 1 while Doran enjoyed 5 and 4 and 3 and 2 wins.
Details in SPORTS ROUND-UP
US TOUR: Steve Stricker needs to make a move if he is to guarantee himself a third successive Ryder Cup cap – and there is every chance the John Deere Classic in Illinois will see him do it.
Currently 13th in the American points race with a month to go, the 45-year-old enters a tournament he is trying to win for a fourth time in a row and at which he has an average score of 65.33 in his last 12 rounds.
In 2009 Stricker triumphed on 20-under par, but 12 months later he went six better than that – and that was the year he began with a 60, yet amazingly found himself one off the lead after Paul Goydos matched the PGA Tour record.
Last July he was 22 under, finishing birdie-birdie to pip Kyle Stanley by one after earlier in the day going from five ahead to two behind. That made it 68 under for his hat-trick.
EUROPEAN BOYS: Ireland moved into the quarter-finals of the European Boys’ Team Championship in Sweden yesterday. But they will have their work cut out today to make any further progress as they meet host nation Sweden, who qualified for the top flight at the Lidingo Club with a 36-hole total 13 strokes better than them.
It was Faithlegg’s Robin Dawson who produced an inspirational performance to lift Ireland into the elite grouping.
Dawson fired a one-under-par 69 to lead the way. Three consecutive birdies from the ninth paved the way for his sub-par round. Castle golfer Alex Gleeson returned a 71 while William Russell was on 73.
EUROPEAN GIRLS: Ireland were bitterly disappointed not to make it into the top flight for the matchplay stages of the European Girls’ Team Championship in Germany yesterday – three years after they captured the crown. After the strokeplay phase they finished in 13th position with an aggregate of 33 over par and will now have to play in the second flight.
For the second day in succession Slieve Russell teenager Leona Maguire was the best of the Irish returning a level-par 72 to put her in the hunt for individual honours. Her twin sister Lisa continued to be out of sorts as she posted a 79. Jean O’Driscoll also had a 79 but Chloe Ryan and Jessica Carty failed to break 80.
