Paul McBride leads Open Championship regional qualifying at The Island
The Malahide man – a former college team-mate of Will Zalatoris and Cameron Young at Wake Forest – reaffirmed his pedigree in delivering the low round of the qualifier, one of just six players to post under-par rounds. McBride is currently plying his trade on the development Clutch Pro Tour but moved a step closer to a place in the 153rd Open.
One of 15 courses in Britain and Ireland to host regional qualifying, The Island proved a tough examination, with McBride's 69 seeing him finish a shot clear of Cloverhill's Keith Shannon (70). A quartet of players – Rowan Lester, Ronan Mullarney, Brendan McCarroll and English amateur Finlay Eager – posted 71s to also earn their spots for final qualifying, which take place at four venues (Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire) on July 1st.
Ruaidhrí McGee and Finland's Alex Hietala signed for 73s which were also good enough to progress.
READ MORE
Among those who failed to progress out of regional qualifying were former English Premier League footballers Jimmy Bullard and Peter Odemwingie. Bullard shot a three-over 74 at Rochester & Cobham Park while Odemwingie signed for an 82 at Enville in England.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Misfiring Ireland punished by France
Ireland paid for their profligacy in front of goal at the EuroHockey Championships in Germany, as France recorded a 1-0 victory over Gareth Grundie's charges, and their hopes of progressing to a first continental semi-final hang by the most frayed of threads. Ireland opened Pool A in Monchengladbach with a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands on Saturday. However, the Dutch top the global standings, and a win in that encounter was always a remote prospect. An Ireland side ranked 11th in the world faced 19th-ranked France in North Rhine-Westphalia on Monday afternoon as favourites in a de facto must-win game before playing the hosts in their pool finale. Ireland had their chances, more than enough to win the game, but no goals from 13 penalty corners is a damning statistic that will weigh heavily on the squad for the remainder of the tournament. Luck also deserted Gareth Grundie's side, and they hit the post twice in an opening quarter that saw them earn seven penalty corners. Katie Mullan was the first Ireland player to find the woodwork after an excellent pass from Emily Kealy, with her follow up shot just over the bar, and Christina Hamill was denied by the post from a penalty corner. France then won a penalty corner of their own – their only chance of the first quarter– but Ireland did well to deny them and camped themselves on the edge of the French circle for the final minutes of the first quarter without finding a way to break the deadlock. Ireland's dominance continued into the second quarter, but a penalty corner for France gave them the first chance of the period. Despite finding the net, Ireland referred, and the goal was overturned as the first shot was above the backboard. Ireland made an excellent start to the second half, winning a penalty corner inside the first minute. Hannah McLoughlin's shot forced a good save from France goalkeeper Lucie Ehrmann. France have upset Ireland 1-0 in Pool A at the EuroHockey Championship, with Mathilde Duffrene scoring the only goal of the game — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2025 More wasted penalty corners followed for Ireland, and they were punished in the final quarter when Mathilde Duffrene showed her opponents just how to convert the set-piece, with an adroitly struck dragflick. Chasing the game, Ireland substituted goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy with five minutes remaining in an effort to pull a goal back, but the advantage of an extra outfield player was negated when Katie Mullan was shown a yellow card as she attempted to win the ball on the edge of the France circle. A penalty corner in the final minute for France gave them a chance to double their lead, but Sarah McAuley denied them on the goal line. Ireland will face hosts Germany in their final pool game on Wednesday at 7pm Irish time. A win in that game and a heavy defeat for Germany against the Netherlands later today could still see Grundie's side reach the knockouts. 'We have to take a hard look at ourselves in attack' - Katie Mullan cites Ireland's lack of clinical finishing as key in their 1-0 loss to France at the EuroHockey Championship — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2025
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Humbling experience for Galway camogie squad at Temple Street Children's Hospital
It's a Monday tradition for the All-Ireland winners and a "special morning" for the Galway camogie squad as they visited the Children's University Hospital in Temple Street. The O'Duffy Cup was there too, all after the Connacht side edged out holders Cork in Sunday's senior decider at Croke Park. There was great excitement among patients and staff as the players were guided through the corridors to meet the children. "It's very special, watching the All-Irelands down through the years, you get to see other teams do it," said Galway defender Dervla Higgins to RTÉ News. "Yesterday we thought the game was the most important thing ever but it humbles you coming here today, you see that there are bigger things in life." For Aoife Donohue, player of the match in this year's final, keeping up the well-established tradition was foremost for the squad. "All the girls wanted to come here," she said. "We are so lucky to go out and do what we are able to but coming here is so special; it really puts things into perspective. It's just a special morning." Ahead of taking the O'Duffy Cup across the Shannon, the victorious Galway senior camogie squad visited the Children's Hospital in Temple Street @GalwayCamogie96 @OfficialCamogie @MartyMofficial #rtenews #rtesport — RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) August 11, 2025 Another one of the Galway stalwarts, Róisín Black, also emphasised the importance of meeting the patients and their families in Temple Street. "There's a good gang of us here this morning and we all wanted to come. We met children from all over Ireland and seeing the smiles on their faces has added a bit more happiness to their day. "We met children from Galway as well, in their Galway jerseys, so to brighten up their day is lovely. When we go out on the pitch, if we win or lose that determines our happiness for that day. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children when we bring in the cup, well that puts everything in perspective." After leaving Dublin, the new All-Ireland champions will first stop off in Athlone stop in Athlone, where the players and the O'Duffy Cup will make that symbolic walk across the Shannon. The team will then head to Ballinasloe and the celebrations will continue at the home club of captain Carrie Dolan in Clarinbridge.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's EuroHockey hopes rocked by shock defeat to France
Ireland women's EuroHockey campaign was left hanging by a thread after a lacklustre 1-0 defeat against France where 13 penalty corners went begging and they twice hit the post. A feast of Irish goals over a 13-year unbeaten record against the French completely deserted them in Monchengladbach, as Mathilde Duffrene's second-half penalty corner proved the difference while goalkeeper Lucie Ehrmann produced an outstanding display to thwart Ireland's forward lines. Victory for lower-ranked France was their first at a EuroHockey since 2003. As it stands, this defeat leaves Ireland's hopes of reaching the semi-finals resting on their final pool game against hosts Germany and a handsome goal difference win. 'We are gutted,' said Katie Mullan. 'We had a lot of opportunities, the French goalkeeper was phenomenal, but we should take a hard look at ourselves in attack as we expect more from ourselves and we are able to produce more quality in the final third.' The outcome may have been vastly different had an unmarked Mullan not hit the post and then blazed over in the first quarter. This before Ireland had five penalty corner chances in a row. They couldn't convert, with the post being rattled either side of post runner Emma Van Der Zanden charging down the castle hits. The Green Army had seven corners in all during the first 15 minutes, each one lacking injection speed and control from the top. With a high press, Ireland continued to move the ball with purpose as they dominated the last third in the second quarter. Yet it was France who found the net first from a corner midway through the quarter, although the sweep shot was ruled out for illegal height. Ireland had scored no less than four goals in each of their seven previous wins over the French. However, Les Bleues have come a long way since their 7-1 hammering to the Irish at the 2015 EuroHockey. At the start of the second half, goalkeeper Ehrmann's body protection came to the fore while at the other end an advancing Lizzy Murphy made a sprawling body save from Van Der Zanden. It paved the way for more Irish circle penetration and increasing desperation to find the net as more corner set pieces went begging. Eleven minutes from time, and with Ireland down to 10 after a green card to Michelle Carey, France scored against the run of play thanks to Duffrene's incisive penalty corner flick. Ireland then went to 11 outfielders when Murphy was taken off with five minutes left. To sum up Ireland's afternoon, Mullan was handed a yellow card for physical play two minutes later. Coach Gareth Grundie said: 'We were impatient with the ball but we had enough opportunities to win it comfortably. We will have to take that one on the chin. 'We kept trying to be too direct and we could have done better with our 13 corners.' Ireland's hopes rest on Olympic, world and defending European champions Netherlands beating Germany later on Monday, setting up a final pool game showdown on Wednesday.
