<p>Dylan Keating in action during the second round of the AIG Irish Men's Amateur Close Championship in Portumna. Photo: Bryan Keane / Inpho.</p>
Seapoint’s Dylan Keating has a chance to make history when he takes a one-stroke lead into the final 36 holes of the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship at Portumna.
The 24-year-old leads on five-under as he looks to become the first player since Darren Clarke in 1990 to win the Close and North of Ireland titles in the same season.
But after helping Ireland to victory at the Men’s and Women’s Home Internationals in Woodbrook, Keating knows he still has a long way to go.
“Yesterday everything went well. I was on every green and hitting all fairways,” he said. “Today I was scrambling a bit but fought back. I was three-over through 14 holes, and then birdied my 15th, which was the sixth, missed a short one on the seventh for birdie, birdied eight, and then parred nine.
“To get back at one-over, when you shoot it around like 66, it’s hard to follow it up. To just keep myself in it and I’m only 50 per cent of the way through, there’s so much golf left.
“It’s windier today, and there are some trickier pins that are tucked, so if anyone shoots anything four or five-under today, it’s a fantastic score.”
Former West of Ireland champion and recent Mullingar Scratch Trophy winner, Dylan Holmes from Greystones shares second place with Dooks’ Conor Hickey on four-under.
Former winner, Paul O’Hanlon, is a shot further back on three-under after a 68.
“It was in Belvoir Park, and I played Dara Lernihan in the final, and it went to extra holes,” O’Hanlon said. “Really fond memories, great championship and I can’t believe I am in contention again nearly 20 years on.
“It would be amazing if I managed to pull it off tomorrow, but sure we will see. I will think about how I played the golf course today, what I would change and just try and implement that tomorrow.”
The cut fell at three over with 45 golfers making it through to the weekend.
Balmoral’s Conor Clarke shot the low round of the day to get to three-under, although his 67 was later equalled by William O’Riordan (Greystones) as 20 players finished under-par, all well in contention ahead of Saturday’s final 36 holes.
AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close, Portumna GC (Par 72)
139 Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 66 73;
140 Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 69 71, Conor Hickey (Dooks) 68 72;
141 James O’Rourke (Naas) 70 71, Conor McCarthy (Headfort) 70 71, Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) 73 68, Conor Clarke (Balmoral) 74 67, William O’Riordan (Greystones) 74 67;
142 Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) 73 69, Aaron Kearney (Roepark) 71 71, Darragh Flynn (Carton House) 70 72, Barry Howlin (The Heritage) 74 68, Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park) 70 72, Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 68 74, Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) 69 73, Jordan Boles (Carton House) 68 74, William Walshe (Delgany) 72 70;
143 Keith Egan (Carton House) 71 72, David Howard (Fota Island) 69 74, Charlie Mooney (Ballinasloe) 71 72;
144 David Kitt (Athenry) 72 72, David Shiel (Enniscrone) 71 73, Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 70 74, Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) 73 71, David Lally (Blainroe) 75 69, Mark Gazi (Tralee) 71 73, Evan Farrell (Co. Louth) 72 72;
145 Gavin Duffy (Edenderry) 73 72, Ross Latimer (Clandeboye) 74 71, Patrick Tuffy (Strandhill) 76 69, Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 72 73;
146 Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 72 74, Evan Shipp (Headfort) 74 72, Charlie McDonnell (Concra Wood) 71 75, Jamal Sabir (Moate) 71 75, Joe O'Neill (Berehaven) 76 70, Cian O’Connor (Roscommon) 73 73, Paraic McGrath (Galway Bay) 73 73;
147 Jonathan Yates (Kilkenny) 72 75, James Fox (Portmarnock) 72 75, Brendan Mulgrew (Galgorm Castle) 72 75, Luke Cunningham (Galway Bay) 73 74, Cormac Ó Muirithe (Belmullet) 75 72, Morgan Cain (Fota) 72 75, Rory Gallagher (Galway Bay) 75 72;
Missed the cut
148 Cillian Murray (Stackstown) 74 74, Tadhg Murphy (Millicent) 72 76, Rafael Poli (Holywood) 76 72, Caelan Coleman (Galway Bay) 74 74, Tom Glennon (Kilkenny) 72 76, Cian Harkin (The Island) 75 73, Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 77 71, Conor Stapleton (Westport) 74 74, Matthew Hanlon (Carton House) 73 75, Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) 72 76, Conor Murtagh (The Island) 74 74, Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock) 75 73, Alex Kerins (Carton House) 77 71;
149 Barry McMenamin (Ballybofey and Stranorlar) 73 76, Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 76 73, Jason Rackard (Bunclody) 74 75;
150 Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 75 75, Keith Walsh (Kinsale) 77 73, Ben Cahill (Dundalk) 74 76;
151 Morgan O’Sullivan (Ballyneety) 74 77, Niall Fitzgerald (Shannon) 73 78, Mark Greenwood (Carton House) 78 73, Odhrán McBride (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 76 75, Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) 77 74, Steven Gilmore (Cregmore Park) 75 76, Quentin Carew (The Heritage) 74 77, David Reddan (Castleknock) 76 75, Ryan Lyons (Blarney) 74 77, Ross Healion (Newforest) 74 77, Dylan Beirne (Carrick on Shannon) 78 73, Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 74 77, Ross McCormack (Palmerstown House Estate) 76 75;
152 Eoin Magill (East Clare) 77 75, Dave Lowry (Corrstown) 77 75, Fergal Coyle (Athenry) 75 77, Jonathan Quinn (The Island) 75 77, Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park) 76 76, Jake Foley (Elm Park) 75 77, Neil Patterson (Baltinglass) 77 75;
153 Shane McGlynn (Portmarnock) 79 74, Samuel Gammell (Naas) 74 79, Seán McLoughlin (County Sligo) 74 79, Adam Challoner (Galway Bay) 74 79, Sean Murphy (Grange) 78 75, Neil Conway (Cill Dara) 80 73, Nigel Colfer (Al Zorah) 77 76, Jamie Butler (Naas) 78 75, Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt) 79 74, Conor Crudden (Newbridge) 76 77;
154 James Park (County Sligo) 75 79, Valter Andersson (Woodbrook) 79 75, Fionn McCormick (Moyola Park) 75 79, Jonathan Hayden (Royal Dublin) 78 76;
155 Odhran Macshane (Dundalk) 76 79, Ciarán Johnston (Concra Wood) 74 81, Ben O'Mahony (Stackstown) 78 77, Daniel Keogh (Powerscourt) 77 78, Ryan Corrigan (Westport) 80 75, Brendan Farrell (Standard Club, Georgia USA) 78 77, Harley Phipps (Co. Louth) 78 77;
156 Ruairi O'Connor (Co. Sligo) 78 78;
157 James Mitten (Castleknock) 78 79, Scott O'Brien (Nenagh) 78 79, Sean Duffy (Royal Tara) 81 76, Dylan Harbourne (Grange) 80 77;
158 Adrian Lynch (Bray) 80 78, David Cunningham (Galway) 77 81, Eoin O'Carroll (St. Annes) 80 78, Jack McIlhatton (Massereene) 79 79, Matthew Grehan (Tullamore) 73 85;
159 Donnacha Halpin (Shannon) 82 77, Niall Conneely (Ballinasloe) 79 80, Mikey Duignan (The Royal Dublin) 80 79, Sam Kelly (The Island) 81 78;
160 Dylan Smyth (Galway Bay) 80 80, Aaron McNulty (Lahinch) 85 75, Christopher Caulfield (Carton House) 82 78;
161 Luke Woods (Banbridge) 84 77;
162 Oisin Reilly (Straffen) 78 84, Evan Maher (Mountrath) 82 80;
164 Darragh Grehan (Carton House) 78 86;
166 David O'Malley (Black Bush) 83 83;
170 James Fenlon (Bunclody) 85 85;
173 Paraic Connolly (Portumna) 85 88.
Article Link: AIG Irish Close: Keating one clear of compact chasing pack at Portumna - News - Irish Golf Desk