The McDermotts of Stackstown both carded 74s yesterday during the opening day's qualifying rounds for the North of Ireland Championship at Royal Portrush, but it was teenager John who stole the limelight from older brother Michael.
The 19-year-old John, just finished his studies at Benildus College in Dublin, was on the bigger and more difficult Dunluce links and playing in his first senior championship. His two-over-par was the best score of the day from there as players struggled with the windy and wet conditions.
"It's my first time here and my first big tournament. I couldn't get into the West because my handicap wasn't low enough then, but I'm now down to three," he explained.
John used his driver only once as he mostly used a one-iron off the tee in the difficult conditions. He had five birdies with twos at the third and 11th holes - getting down from 40 feet at the 11th.
Michael's four-over-74 on the Valley course trailed Garth McGimpsey and Trevor Spence by six shots.
The 46-year-old McGimpsey is seeking his sixth North of Ireland Amateur Open title .
"The squally showers and the wind made life difficult and if you missed the fairway you were in danger of losing the ball," said the Walker Cup captain. "This is my first competitive golf this year and it is a great start to the championship."
He missed the first fairway and pencilled in a bogey to begin with, but he then reached the fourth green in two shots to set up a birdie four. The dog-leg eighth cost McGimpsey a stroke to turn one-over-par.
NORTH OF IRELAND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP (at Royal Portrush) - First Round Qualifying Scores: Valley Course (Par 70): 68 - G McGimpsey (Bangor); T Spence (Clandeboye). 69 - A McCormick (Scrabo); B McCarroll (Ballyliffin). 70 - M McGeady (C of Derry); S Paul (Tandragee); R Kilpatrick (Banbridge); M McMurray (Bangor); L Moore (C of Derry); L Ryan (Stackstown); S Franklin (Athenry); 71 - N Crawford (Mourne); A Adair (Fortwilliam); A Wilson (Cairndhu); F Rodgers (Ardglass); 72 - S Adamson (R Belfast); G Maybin (Ballyclare); C Montgomery (Malone); R McDowell (R Belfast); 73 - C Moriarity (Clandeboye); R Leonard (Banbridge), M Campbell (UCD/Stackstown); C Doran (Banbridge); M O'Sullivan (Galway); D Baker (Downpatrick); S McGarry (Ballymena); E McAnoy (Knock); S McVey (Banbridge); A Porter (Cliftonville); 74 - R Boal (Scrabo); R Forsythe (Hilton); C Murphy (Clandeboye); R Cannon (Balbriggan); G Wardlow (Shandon Pk); P McDonald (UCD/Woodbrook); M McDermott (Stackstown); M Windebank (R Portrush); K Fahey (Connemara); P Nelson (Carnalea); J Foster (Ballyclare); N Boyd (Donaghadee); F O'Donoghue (Belvoir Pk); J Sutton (Castletown); S Crowe (Dunmurry); J Drummond (Ballyclare); S Miskelly (Knock); G Hamill (Ardglass); G Davison (Colvend); S Penney (Ballymena); 75 - M King (Belvoir Pk); J McWilliams (Belvoir Pk); R Evans (Moyola Pk); P Purdy (Shandon Pk); J McKinstry (Cairndhu); I Cooke (Clandeboye); ID Moore (Dunmurry); B Stokes (Spa); C Elliott (W Middlesex); B Cashman (Belvoir Pk); M Flannigan (Longford); T
Cummins (Lurgan); S McKeegan (City of Derry); N Cunningham (Belvoir Pk).
Dunluce Course (Par 72): 74 - J McDermott (Stackstown); 75 - G McDowell (Rathmore); 76 - S Reid (Knock); 77 - K Lapsley (Dunfanaghy); 78 - M Wilson (C of Derry); G Jones (Belvoir Pk); R Martin (Ardglass); 79 - R Kane (Bangor); C Darrah (Ballyclare); R Hamilton (Dungannon); P McLaughlin (Ballyliffin); P Rhodich (R Portrush); J Crangle (Fortwilliam); 80 - C McCormick (Holywood); P Davidson (Dungannon); R Houston (Rathmore); C Miller (Clandeboye); P Dean (Malone); J Stewart (St Andrew's); D Britton (Ballyclare); T Irvine (Scrabo); L Toland (Ballyliffin); E O'Connor (Elm Pk).
