<p>James Fox. Picture: Golffile</p>
Portmarnock golfer James Fox won’t let complacency seep in ahead of the final day of the North of Ireland as he takes a narrow lead into his third round at Royal Portrush.
The 41-year-old backed up his brilliant 66 opener with a solid 72 for a -5 total and a one-shot lead over his clubmate Brandon St John and the duo of AIG Irish Men’s Close champion Rob Moran (Castle) and South of Ireland winner Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint).
The action turned to the Dunluce Links on Thursday and with other players failing to make headway in the difficult conditions, Fox held his nerve to take the overnight lead.
There are still two more rounds to play at Royal Portrush tomorrow but Fox is in prime position to end his draught.
“I played okay this season, I played nicely at the Irish Amateur in the Island, I did okay in the East. I played okay without doing anything. Nothing really stands out but I have been playing nicely over the year,” said Fox.
“I haven’t won anything in 12 years now. The last thing I won was the Waterford Scratch Cup. It’s been a while since I last won.
“It’s only halfway but it’s nice to shoot two good scores. In reality, with the forecast for tomorrow, I think anyone who makes the cut has a chance to win.
“It’s going to be pretty rough, I believe, so it’s still wide open.”
Only 11 players finished under par after their second round with six other golfers finishing on level par and the cut falling at +5.
Reigning champion, Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin), missed the cut but there is still plenty of experience at the right end of the leaderboard with Moran shooting 74 and Campbell, 70, on Thursday.
St John shot a stunning 68 while Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) is also well in touch on -3 and they will all hope to challenge as Fox looks for more of the same after an impressive opening two rounds.
He had a double bogey on the third but birdies on 10, 12 and 17 cancelled out his other bogey, on 11, and kept him in the ascendency.
“You have to try and make hay on the Valley. You see the leaders all did that. Having said that, Hugh Foley won last year by shooting great scores on the Dunluce. So it can be done either way. But it was nice to get under par in the Valley. It took a bit of pressure off for today certainly,” said Fox.
“It was quite windy today, Dunluce it’s a really big tough golf course now with the changes. I was very happy to shoot under par. Certainly I would have taken it on the first tee.
“There is a long way to go, 36 holes to go, it’s a lot of golf to play. But I am looking forward to it. It’s the last bit of golf for the year so I am just going to go out and enjoy myself.
“Any day you are playing Portrush is a good day no matter what the weather or circumstance.”
North of Ireland Championship (Rd 1 Valley par 71, Rd 2 Dunluce Par 72), Royal Portrush
| Pos. | Player | To par | R1 | R2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Fox (Portmarnock) | -5 | 66 | 72 | 138 |
| 2 | Brandon St John (Portmarnock) | -4 | 71 | 68 | 139 |
| 3 | Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) | -4 | 69 | 70 | 139 |
| 4 | Robert Moran (Castle) | -4 | 65 | 74 | 139 |
| 5 | Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) | -3 | 71 | 69 | 140 |
| 6 | Evan Farrell (Co. Louth) | -2 | 71 | 70 | 141 |
| 7 | Max Berrisford (Ilkley) | -2 | 70 | 71 | 141 |
| 8 | Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) | -1 | 71 | 71 | 142 |
| 9 | David Shiel (Enniscrone) | -1 | 69 | 73 | 142 |
| 10 | Gavin Tiernan (County Louth) | -1 | 68 | 74 | 142 |
| 11 | Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) | -1 | 66 | 76 | 142 |
| 12 | Adam Smith (Mullingar) | E | 71 | 72 | 143 |
| 13 | Fionn Dobbin (Malone) | E | 70 | 73 | 143 |
| 14 | Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle) | E | 70 | 73 | 143 |
| 15 | Keith Egan (Carton House) | E | 70 | 73 | 143 |
| 16 | Eliot Baker (Tiverton) | E | 70 | 73 | 143 |
| 17 | Andrew Morris (Royal Portrush) | E | 69 | 74 | 143 |
| 18 | Simon Walker (Roscommon) | 1 | 77 | 67 | 144 |
| 19 | Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) | 1 | 74 | 70 | 144 |
| 20 | Ian Lynch (Rosslare) | 1 | 69 | 75 | 144 |
| 21 | David Kitt (Athenry) | 2 | 72 | 73 | 145 |
| 22 | Robert Galligan (Elm Park) | 2 | 71 | 74 | 145 |
| 23 | Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) | 2 | 70 | 75 | 145 |
| 24 | Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) | 2 | 70 | 75 | 145 |
| 25 | Adam Scott (Lochmaben) | 2 | 69 | 76 | 145 |
| 26 | Cian Harkin (Letterkenny) | 3 | 73 | 73 | 146 |
| 27 | Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh) | 3 | 72 | 74 | 146 |
| 28 | Ben Best (Rathmore) | 3 | 71 | 75 | 146 |
| 29 | Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) | 3 | 71 | 75 | 146 |
| 30 | Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore) | 3 | 71 | 75 | 146 |
| 31 | David Howard (Fota Island) | 4 | 75 | 72 | 147 |
| 32 | Adam Fahey (Portmarnock) | 4 | 73 | 74 | 147 |
| 33 | Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park) | 4 | 73 | 74 | 147 |
| 34 | Adam Buchanan (Royal Portrush) | 4 | 72 | 75 | 147 |
| 35 | James Hewitt (Tandragee) | 4 | 72 | 75 | 147 |
| 36 | Samuel Gammell (Naas) | 4 | 72 | 75 | 147 |
| 37 | Matthew Wilson (Forres) | 4 | 71 | 76 | 147 |
| 38 | Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) | 4 | 70 | 77 | 147 |
| 39 | Patrick Greene (Holywood) | 5 | 76 | 72 | 148 |
| 40 | Jack McDonald Schloss (Roxburghe) | 5 | 74 | 74 | 148 |
| 41 | Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin) | 5 | 74 | 74 | 148 |
| 42 | Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) | 5 | 74 | 74 | 148 |
| 43 | Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) | 5 | 73 | 75 | 148 |
| 44 | Ben Brown (Romanby) | 5 | 72 | 76 | 148 |
| 45 | Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) | 5 | 72 | 76 | 148 |
| Missed cut | |||||
| CUT | Harry Watkins (Royal Porthcawl) | 6 | 77 | 72 | 149 |
| CUT | AJ McCabe (Malahide) | 6 | 76 | 73 | 149 |
| CUT | Jordan Boles (Charleville) | 6 | 76 | 73 | 149 |
| CUT | Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) | 6 | 74 | 75 | 149 |
| CUT | David Reddan (Nenagh) | 6 | 74 | 75 | 149 |
| CUT | Tom Matthews (Oswestry) | 6 | 74 | 75 | 149 |
| CUT | Scott Jones (Belvoir Park) | 6 | 72 | 77 | 149 |
| CUT | Luke Bradley (Northwest) | 6 | 72 | 77 | 149 |
| CUT | Mitchell Cowie (Dumfries & County) | 6 | 71 | 78 | 149 |
| CUT | Quentin Carew (Castleknock) | 6 | 71 | 78 | 149 |
| CUT | Michael Auerbach (Bellport) | 7 | 75 | 75 | 150 |
| CUT | Aaron Marshall (Lisburn) | 8 | 75 | 76 | 151 |
| CUT | Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) | 8 | 73 | 78 | 151 |
| CUT | Luke Lynch (Naas) | 8 | 73 | 78 | 151 |
| CUT | Cialan Burke (Straffan) | 8 | 72 | 79 | 151 |
| CUT | Patrick Curran (Edmondson) | 9 | 76 | 76 | 152 |
| CUT | Aidan Quigley (Woodbrook) | 9 | 76 | 76 | 152 |
| CUT | Will Hopkins (Belton Park) | 9 | 75 | 77 | 152 |
| CUT | Luke Harris (Hermitage) | 9 | 72 | 80 | 152 |
| CUT | Rory Williamson (Holywood) | 9 | 70 | 82 | 152 |
| CUT | Jake Foley (Elm Park) | 10 | 77 | 76 | 153 |
| CUT | Chris Moulds (Lisburn) | 10 | 75 | 78 | 153 |
| CUT | Eugene Smith (Co.Louth) | 10 | 75 | 78 | 153 |
| CUT | Donnacha Cleary (Tipperary) | 10 | 74 | 79 | 153 |
| CUT | Jamie Foley (Letterkenny) | 10 | 74 | 79 | 153 |
| CUT | Jason Rackard (Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club) | 10 | 74 | 79 | 153 |
| CUT | Lorcan O'Connor (Edmondstown) | 10 | 72 | 81 | 153 |
| CUT | Jack Mcilhatton (Massereene) | 11 | 80 | 74 | 154 |
| CUT | Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) | 11 | 76 | 78 | 154 |
| CUT | Cathal Gallagher (Gweedore) | 11 | 76 | 78 | 154 |
| CUT | Ryan Symington (Lisburn) | 11 | 76 | 78 | 154 |
| CUT | Matt Murphy (Clandeboye) | 11 | 75 | 79 | 154 |
| CUT | Harry Fanagan (Milltown) | 11 | 74 | 80 | 154 |
| CUT | Gareth Johnson (Kirkistown Castle) | 11 | 73 | 81 | 154 |
| CUT | Liam Abom (Edmondstown) | 11 | 71 | 83 | 154 |
| CUT | Michael Green (Greenore) | 12 | 76 | 79 | 155 |
| CUT | Fraser Green (Balfron Golf Society) | 12 | 76 | 79 | 155 |
| CUT | Sam Allister (Belvoir Park) | 12 | 74 | 81 | 155 |
| CUT | David Jones (Royal Portrush) | 12 | 73 | 82 | 155 |
| CUT | Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park) | 13 | 79 | 77 | 156 |
| CUT | David Muldowney (Naas) | 13 | 78 | 78 | 156 |
| CUT | Luka Rogers (Royal Portrush) | 13 | 78 | 78 | 156 |
| CUT | Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt) | 13 | 77 | 79 | 156 |
| CUT | Charlie Smyth (PGA National Slieve Russell) | 13 | 76 | 80 | 156 |
| CUT | David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) | 13 | 71 | 85 | 156 |
| CUT | Gordon Sillett (Ballykisteen) | 14 | 81 | 76 | 157 |
| CUT | Conor McErlane (Fortwilliam) | 14 | 80 | 77 | 157 |
| CUT | Martin Kemp (Maridoe) | 14 | 79 | 78 | 157 |
| CUT | Michael Meenan (Killymoon) | 14 | 78 | 79 | 157 |
| CUT | Adam Barr (Ballymena) | 14 | 77 | 80 | 157 |
| CUT | Conal Keenan (Belvoir Park) | 14 | 77 | 80 | 157 |
| CUT | Annraoi Collins (Portmarnock) | 14 | 77 | 80 | 157 |
| CUT | Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint) | 14 | 76 | 81 | 157 |
| CUT | Ciaran Murphy (Grange) | 14 | 76 | 81 | 157 |
| CUT | Ross McCormack (Palmerstown House) | 14 | 75 | 82 | 157 |
| CUT | Oisin Reilly (Grange) | 14 | 72 | 85 | 157 |
| CUT | James McMaster (Holywood) | 15 | 80 | 78 | 158 |
| CUT | Robert Emerson (Lurgan) | 15 | 79 | 79 | 158 |
| CUT | Alex King (Faithlegg) | 15 | 76 | 82 | 158 |
| CUT | Jake Rowe (Belvoir Park) | 15 | 74 | 84 | 158 |
| CUT | Morgan O'Sullivan (Ballyneety) | 16 | 73 | 86 | 159 |
| CUT | Seán McLoughlin (County Sligo) | 17 | 78 | 82 | 160 |
| CUT | Christian Charles-Steel (San Roque) | 17 | 76 | 84 | 160 |
| CUT | Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park) | 17 | 76 | 84 | 160 |
| CUT | Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) | 17 | 75 | 85 | 160 |
| CUT | Jack Moffett (Fortwilliam) | 17 | 75 | 85 | 160 |
| CUT | James Mulholland (Lisburn) | 18 | 84 | 77 | 161 |
| CUT | Jack Patton (Portsalon) | 18 | 78 | 83 | 161 |
| CUT | Rory Govan (The Island) | 18 | 78 | 83 | 161 |
| CUT | James Marriott (West Surrey) | 19 | 85 | 77 | 162 |
| CUT | Conor Clarke (Balmoral) | 19 | 84 | 78 | 162 |
| CUT | Kevin Connolly (Donegal) | 19 | 76 | 86 | 162 |
| CUT | Rafael Poli (Helens Bay) | 20 | 83 | 80 | 163 |
| CUT | Benjamin Oberholzer (Holywood) | 20 | 83 | 80 | 163 |
| CUT | Jonny Hall (Whitehead) | 20 | 83 | 80 | 163 |
| CUT | William Beatty (Royal Portrush) | 20 | 82 | 81 | 163 |
| CUT | Chris Thewlis (Archerfield Links) | 20 | 82 | 81 | 163 |
| CUT | Evan Shipp (Headfort) | 22 | 78 | 87 | 165 |
| CUT | James Murray (Lee Valley) | 24 | 82 | 85 | 167 |
| CUT | James Mitten (Castleknock) | 24 | 81 | 86 | 167 |
| CUT | Sam Kelly (The Island) | 25 | 81 | 87 | 168 |
| CUT | Charlie Connell (Newlands) | 25 | 79 | 89 | 168 |
| CUT | Nicholas McClay (Cairndhu) | 26 | 84 | 85 | 169 |
| CUT | Ian O'Connell (Castleknock) | 27 | 86 | 84 | 170 |
| CUT | Ryan Murray (Balmoral) | 29 | 87 | 85 | 172 |
| CUT | Daniel Afghani (Holston Hills) | 31 | 93 | 81 | 174 |
| CUT | Matthew Giles (Greenore) | 8 | 72 | 74 | 146 |
Article Link: Fox hits the front at Royal Portrush - News - Irish Golf Desk