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Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
David Howard puts blazer chase aside to focus on South of Ireland title bid at Lahinch
But while making the cut and winning his first two matches makes him odds-on to hold on to his top-two status in the Bridgestone Order of Merit and earn automatic selection on Sunday night for next month's Home Internationals, he's looking to add the South to his maiden major win in the East of Ireland last month. He beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last 16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom from Edmonstown. And after being forced to dig deep just to make the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay stages, playing his last six holes in four under to make it with a shot to spare, he's not going down without a fight now. "It's a long day, long week, and I have a few things hanging over me," said Howard, who has decided not to worry about the mathematics of who might overtake him in the Order of Merit. "I need to stay second to be guaranteed a pick for the Homes but while I try to not think about and play my golf, obviously it's in the back of my mind." He continued his excellent play in a light westerly breeze, making five birdies in the morning and another four in the afternoon. West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes, who ended Keith Egan's top-two Order of Merit hopes and then beat Mountrath's Niall Hearns in the afternoon to make the last 16, could overtake Howard if he wins the title. But Howard is focusing on his battle on the opposite side of the draw, where Galway veteran Joe Lyons faces Lahinch's Jonathan Keane and Conor Stapleton from Westport takes on Carton House's Paul O'Hanlon, who was a 19th hole winner over 2023 champion Colm Campbell. "If I win this week, no one else can get in the way," said Howard, who feels his putting is coming together after some recent work with Kevin Morris at Fota Island. He faces a tough match against Thomas Abom, who chipped in for birdie at the 18th before beating Tralee's Mark Gazi with another birdie at the 20th and going on to beat Galgorm's Jamie Sutherland 2&1. The winner will face Roganstown's Mark Cadden or Abom's brother Liam, who beat Galgorm Castle's Josh Hill one up in the afternoon. Cadden, controversially left out of the Irish team for the Boys Home Internationals, held off a back nine comeback from 2012 winner and 'South' specialist Pat Murray to win his morning match one up before ousting former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew 2&1 in the afternoon. At the top of the draw, Seapioint's Dylan Keating became the fourth leading qualifier in a row to exit on day one, losing one up to Monkstown's Sean Desmond, who went on to beat East Clare's Eoin Magill. Desmond now takes on 2019 winner and former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty, who came back from three down with five to play to edge out Berehaven's Joe O'Neill on the 18th. The Dundalk man won the 14th, 15th and 17th to level the match before O'Neill hit his approach too close to the wall at the 18th and, unable to make a full backswing, conceded after twice failing to get on the green. "It was just a rough spin in for Joe," Rafferty said after his closing birdie. "I just kept hitting fairways and greens, and what happened on 18, it's not nice when something like that happens to a nice guy like Joe." The winner of the Desmond-Rafferty clash will take on Galgorm's Jordan Hood, who beat the combative Douglas man Barry O'Connell one up, or the steady Athenry grinder David Kitt. West of Ireland winner Holmes from Greystones looks like a serious challenge for last year's leading qualifier Ryan Griffin from Ballybofey and Stranorlar after he followed his win over Egan with five birdies in a 6&5 victory over Hearns. The winner of Holmes-Griffin clash will face Connemara's Luke O'Neill or Grange's Jake Whelan. O'Neill beat Royal Dublin's Sean Downes with a birdie at the fifth extra hole, the Dell, in round one before defeating Fionn Dobbin 5&3 while Whelan didn't have to go past the 16th in beating Bunclody's Jason Rackard and Mullingar's Adam Smith. Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch First round: S Desmond (Monkstown) bt D Keating (Seapoint) 1 up; E Magill (East Clare) bt B Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 2/1; C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt P Curran (Edmondstown) 5/4; J O'Neill (Berehaven) bt J Butler (Naas) 3/1; B O'Connell (Douglas) bt A Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 1 up; J Hood (Galgorm Castle) bt C Clarke (Balmoral) 2/1; D Kitt (Athenry) bt R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 5/3; C Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt D Reddan (Castleknock) 1 up; R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt R Latimer (Knock) 3/2 A McCormack (Castletroy) bt E O'Carroll (St Annes) 6/5; D Holmes (Greystones) bt K Egan (Carton House) 3/2; N Hearns (Mountrath) bt J Foley (Elm Park) 2/1; L O'Neill (Connemara) bt S Downes (Royal Dublin) 23rd; F Dobbin (Malone) bt E Sullivan (Portmarnock) 3/2; J Whelan (Grange) bt J Rackard (Bunclody) 3/2; A Smith (Mullingar) bt D Lally (Blainroe) ) 5/4; J Lyons (Galway) bt C Hickey (Dooks) 5/3; B Cahill (Dundalk) bt S Barry (Fota Island) 1 up; S Loftus (Lahinch) bt J Maginn (Mourne) 19th; J Keane (Lahinch) bt G O'Neill (Malahide) 4/3; C Stapleton (Westport) bt T Scroope (Nenagh) 3/2; G Donohoe (Enniscorthy) bt R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up; P O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt J Walsh (Douglas) 6/5; C Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt K Bornemann (Douglas) 3/2; T Abom (Edmondstown) bt M Gazi (Tralee) 20th; J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 4/2; J Boles (Charleville) bt D Hogg (Belvoir Park) 6/5; D Howard (Fota Island) bt R McCormack (Palmerstown House) 2/1; L Abom (Edmondstown) bt D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 3/1; J Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 21st; Q Carew (Castleknock) bt B Howlin (The Heritage) 19th; M Cadden (Roganstown) bt P Murray (Adare Manor) 1 up. Second round: Desmond bt Magill 1 up; Rafferty bt O'Neill 1 up; Hood bt O'Connell 1 up; Kitt bt Cooley 3/2; Griffin bt McCormack 1 up; Holmes bt Hearns 5/3; O'Neill bt F Dobbin 5/3; Whelan bt Smith 5/4; Lyons bt Cahill 6/5; Keane bt Loftus 3/2; Stapleton bt Donohoe 1 up O'Hanlon bt Campbell 19th; T Abom bt Sutherland 2/1; Howard bt Boles 6/5; L Abom bt Hill 1 up; Cadden bt Carew 2/1. Saturday - Third rd.: 8:00 Desmond v Rafferty; 8:12 Hood v Kitt; 8:24 Griffin v Holmes; 8:36 O'Neill v Whelan; 8:48 Lyons v Keane; 9:00 Stapleton v O'Hanlon; 9:12 T Abom v Howard; 9:24 L Abom v Cadden.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Howard focusing on the title not the blazer after making last 16 at Lahinch
Fota Island's David Howard slipped one arm into an Irish blazer when he eased his way into the last 16 of the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch. Ranked second in the Order of Merit with the top two automatically selected tomorrow night for next month's matches at Woodhall Spa, he beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last 16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom from Edmonstown. It was an intense 24 hours for the reigning East of Ireland champion, who had to dig deep just to make the cut and keep his hopes of an international cap alive. But having played his last six holes on Thursday in five-under to qualify, he continued his excellent play in a light westerly breeze yesterday, making five birdies in the morning and another four in the afternoon. 'It's a long day, long week, and I have a few things hanging over me.' said Howard, who has decided not to worry about the mathematics of who might overtake him in the Order of Merit and focus instead on winning the championship. 'I need to say second to the guaranteed a pick for the Homes but while I try to not think about and play my golf, obviously it's in the back of my mind.' West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes, who beat Keith Egan and Niall Hearns to make the last 16 and set up a meeting with Donegal man Ryan Griffin, could overtake Howard if he wins the title. But Howard is focusing on his battle on the opposite side of the draw, where Galway veteran Joe Lyons faces Lahinch's Jonathan Keane and Conor Stapleton from Westport faces Paul O'Hanlon, a 19th hole winner over 2023 champion Colm Campbell. 'If I win this week, no one else can get in the way,' said Howard, who feels his putting is coming together after some recent work with Kevin Morris at Fota Island. He faces a tough task against Thomas Abom, who chipped in for birdie at the 18th to take Tralee's Mark Gazi into extra holes before two-putting for a winning birdie from long range at the 20th. The winner will face Roganstown's Mark Cadden or Abom's brother Liam, who beat Galgorm Castle's Josh Hill one up. Cadden held off a back nine comeback from veteran Pat Murray to win his morning match one up before ousting former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew 2&1 in the afternoon. At the top of the draw, leading qualifier Dylan Keating fell in round one to Monkstown's Sean Desmond, who was the last man to qualify, and went on to beat East Clare's Eoin Magill. He now takes on 2019 winner and former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty, who came back from three down with five to play to edge out Berehaven's Joe O'Neill on the 18th. The Dundalk man won the 14th, 15th and 17th to level the match before O'Neill hit his approach too close to the wall at the 18th to make a full backswing and conceded after twice failing to get on the green. 'It was just a rough spin in for Joe,' Rafferty said. 'I just kept hitting fairways and greens and what happened on 18, it's not nice when something like that happens to a nice guy like Joe.' The winner of Desmond-Rafferty will take on Galgorm's Jordan Hood, who beat the combative Douglas man Barry O'Connell one up, or the steady Athenry grinder David Kitt. Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch First rd: S Desmond (Monkstown) bt D Keating (Seapoint) 1 up E Magill (East Clare) bt B Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 2/1 C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt P Curran (Edmondstown) 5/4 J O'Neill (Berehaven) bt J Butler (Naas) 3/1 B O'Connell (Douglas) bt A Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 1 up J Hood (Galgorm Castle) bt C Clarke (Balmoral) 2/1 D Kitt (Athenry) bt R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 5/3 C Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt D Reddan (Castleknock) 1 up R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt R Latimer (Knock) 3/2 A McCormack (Castletroy) bt E O'Carroll (St Annes) 6/5 D Holmes (Greystones) bt K Egan (Carton House) 3/2 N Hearns (Mountrath) bt J Foley (Elm Park) 2/1 L O'Neill (Connemara) bt S Downes (Royal Dublin) 23rd F Dobbin (Malone) bt E Sullivan (Portmarnock) 3/2 J Whelan (Grange) bt J Rackard (Bunclody) 3/2 A Smith (Mullingar) bt D Lally (Blainroe) ) 5/4 J Lyons (Galway) bt C Hickey (Dooks) 5/3 B Cahill (Dundalk) bt S Barry (Fota Island) 1 up S Loftus (Lahinch) bt J Maginn (Mourne) 19th J Keane (Lahinch) bt G O'Neill (Malahide) 4/3 C Stapleton (Westport) bt T Scroope (Nenagh) 3/2 G Donohoe (Enniscorthy) bt R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up P O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt J Walsh (Douglas) 6/5 C Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt K Bornemann (Douglas) 3/2 T Abom (Edmondstown) bt M Gazi (Tralee) 20th J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 4/2 J Boles (Charleville) bt D Hogg (Belvoir Park) 6/5 D Howard (Fota Island) bt R McCormack (Palmerstown House) 2/1 L Abom (Edmondstown) bt D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 3/1 J Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 21st Q Carew (Castleknock) bt B Howlin (The Heritage) 19th M Cadden (Roganstown) bt P Murray (Adare Manor) 1 up. Second rd: Desmond bt Magill 1 up Rafferty bt O'Neill 1 up Hood bt O'Connell 1 up Kitt bt Cooley 3/2 Griffin bt McCormack 1 up Holmes bt Hearns 5/3 O'Neill bt F Dobbin 5/3 Whelan bt Smith 5/4 Lyons bt Cahill 6/5 Keane bt Loftus 3/2 Stapleton bt Donohoe 1 up O'Hanlon bt Campbell 19th T Abom bt Sutherland 2/1 Howard bt Boles 6/5 L Abom bt Hill 1 up Cadden bt Carew 2/1. Today - Third rd.: 8:00 Desmond v Rafferty 8:12 Hood v Kitt 8:24 Griffin v Holmes 8:36 O'Neill v Whelan 8:48 Lyons v Keane 9:00 Stapleton v O'Hanlon 9:12 T Abom v Howard 9:24 L Abom v Cadden.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Pádraig Harrington overcomes ‘crazy' distractions with bogey-free 65 to lead Senior Open
In an exercise of mind over matter, the recently crowned two-time US Senior Open champion managed to chisel out a score without having his best stuff and lead by a shot from Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and defending champion KJ Choi on eight-under at halfway. It was an impressive display of scoring by the Dubliner (53), who admitted he had the rub of the green on the famous Old Course. 'I rode my luck a lot today,' Harrington said after a round that included brilliant recoveries from the heather at the 16th and the trees at the 17th. 'Got my head in the game. Did a lot of good stuff mentally. Short game was sharp.' Despite a three-putt par at the long 14th, he used his length to two-putt for birdies at the first and the driveable ninth and 11th before following a birdie two at the long 15th with another from eight feet the last. More impressively, he survived what he described as three 'crazy' distractions. 'As I was teeing off on seven, I was nearly hit by an acorn coming out of the tree,' Harrington said. 'On that par-five [14th], a bug landed right down by my shoe as I took my backstroke, and I got completely distracted. 'Then on 17, it was actually a leaf. I didn't know what it was. Came in in front of my ball and nearly topped it. I had a weird day in many ways. They didn't cost me.' Despite scoring well, Harrington wants to play better over the weekend and add the Senior Open to his two wins in The Open Championship, having finished second twice and fifth last year. 'Look, I wouldn't want to play like that,' he said on a day when Darren Clarke shot 69 to share 36th on one under but Paul McGinley missed the one-over cut by a shot after a 70. 'Well, I would like to score like that the next two days, but I wouldn't think I'm going to get away with it. Hopefully, it will improve a little bit over the next few days.' In the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links, Leona Maguire has her work cut out to catch rookie Lottie Woad. The English starlet shot a bogey-free, seven-under 65 to lead on her professional debut by two strokes from Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and world No 1 Nelly Korda, who both shot 66, on 12-under par. After winning the KPMG Women's Irish Open as an amateur – confirmed for the Palmer South Course at The K Club next August – by six shots, Woad finished third in the Amundi Evian Championship and turned professional. She had eight single putts yesterday compared to just three for Maguire, who had 33 putts in a one-under 71 that left her tied for eighth, six shots off the pace. Meanwhile, Fota Island's David Howard edged closer to winning his first Irish cap when he battled his way into the last 16 of the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch. Ranked second in the Order of Merit with the top two automatically selected tomorrow night for next month's matches at Woodhall Spa, he beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last-16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom. Abom's brother Liam beat Josh Hill one up and now faces Mark Cadden, but leading qualifier Dylan Keating fell in round one to Seán Desmond, Caolan Rafferty's rival on Saturday, as Colm Campbell lost on the 19th to Paul O'Hanlon.
