Peter O’Keeffe and John Murphy both sit within touching distance of the lead after solid performances in round two of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.  Royal County  Down was firm and bouncy again today but the links proved a challenge as just a dozen golfers broke par at the testing Irish Open venue.  O’Keeffe was out this afternoon and he continued in the same form as yesterday with plenty of birdies.  Two early bogies didn’t distract the Douglas member, and he got back to level before bogeying the the ninth to turn on +1.  Three birdies followed on the back nine but a dropped shot on the 14th meant that he signed for another 70 and is now one off the lead on -2.  Sean Towndrow (Eng) and Kyle McClatchie (SA) hold the lead on -3, while Christopher McClean (Sco) and Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) are also one behind on -2.

Peter has been on a good run of form, he won the Mid West Alliance and followed that with good performances in Lee Valley and Cork (Munster Strokeplay).  He seemed to enjoy his practice rounds earlier in the week and it looks like his game is coming together.  “I played much better today” said O’Keeffe, I’m starting to hit the ball the way I want and I feel there’s a low one coming.  When I’m happy with my swing, my confidence goes up.”  O’Keeffe is known as a big hitter and the dry firm conditions are suited towards his game.  As we as being a bomber, O’Keeffe is also very comfortable with long irons so the fairways of Royal County Down are suiting his game.

Turner finishes 4th in Ballykisteen, Europro Tour

John Murphy was one of the early starters today and he laid down an early marker for the field with a five under par 66.  Murphy opened with a birdie and although he bogied the 3rd he finished the front nine on -2 thanks to birdies on the 5th & 8th.  Two more birdies and bogies followed but at the 16th a monster drive saw his ball finish just 20 yards from the green.  Murphy chipped in for an eagle 2, and he followed up on the 17th with a birdie.  A par followed on par five 18th but it meant that the Kinsale signed for a five under par 66.  After shooting what would be the lowest score of the day, Murphy headed down the M1 to Maynooth where he sat an exam.  (He was unavailable for comment after the exam but we have to assume it was as flawless as the golf).    Murphy is back in Co Down and will be looking forward to round three tomorrow.

There wasn’t much joy form the other Cork golfers, Ian O’Rourke shot a 75 and is on in 69th place on +7.  Cathal Butler and James Sugrue are both outside the top 100 and look like missing the 54 hole cut which takes place tomorrow evening.

Flogas Irish Amateur Open
At Royal County Down Golf Club Friday 12th May 2017 Round Two Scores

139 S Towndrow (Southport & Ainsdale), 69, 70; K McClatchie (Serengeti), 68, 71
140 C MacLean (Balmore), 73, 67; M Norton (Belvoir Park), 72, 68; P O’Keeffe (Douglas), 70, 70
141 J Murphy (Kinsale), 75, 66; A Gleeson  (Castle), 72, 69; G Bloor (Cavendish), 71, 70
142 M Schmitt (Rheinhessen), 74, 68; H Bernard (Laval Sur-le-Lac), 71, 71; E McIntosh (Turnhouse), 71, 71; J Fox (Portmarnock), 70, 72; M Jordan (Royal Liverpool), 68, 74
143 T Randolph (Arcola), 73, 70; A Venter (Silverlakes), 72, 71; G Rank (Elmira), 72, 71; A James (Laval Sur-le-Lac), 71, 72; T Sloman (Taunton & Pickeridge), 69, 74; N Poppleton (Wath), 67, 76
144 S Hagestad (Deepdale), 73, 71; C Howie (Peebles), 73, 71; C Raymond (Newlands), 72, 72; C Consul (Duesseldorfer), 72, 72; C O’Rourke (Naas), 72, 72; B Gill (Lindrick), 70, 74; L Johnston (Dumfries and County), 70, 74; G Petrozzi (Trentham), 69, 75
145 J Glenn  (Brancepeth Castle), 75, 70; R Brazill (Naas), 74, 71; C Syme (Drumoig), 74, 71; E Griffith (Conwy), 74, 71; D Boote (Walton Heath), 73, 72; C Ross (Kirkhill), 73, 72; T O’Connor (Athlone), 72, 73; L Brown (Muriwai), 72, 73; G Frimodt (Odense Eventyr), 72, 73; J Freiburghaus (Domat/Ems), 72, 73; J Hilleard (Farrington Park), 71, 74; H Byers (Walton Heath), 71, 74
146 C Strickland (Ham Manor), 76, 70; M Saulez (Durban), 76, 70; G Lenehan (Portmarnock), 74, 72; J Bolton (Ogbourne Downs), 73, 73; C Farr (Priors Hall), 73, 73; C Rafferty (Dundalk), 72, 74; S Broholt Lind (Odder Gol), 72, 74; E McCormack (Galway Bay), 71, 75; L Shepherd (Rye), 71, 75; R Dawson (Tramore), 71, 75
147 W Small (Tandragee), 75, 72; T Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown), 75, 72; O Percy-Smith (Furesø), 72, 75; C Fairweather (Knock), 71, 76; T Plumb (Sherborne), 71, 76; R Foley (Lausanne), 70, 77
148 N Bachem (Marienburger), 78, 70; H Goddard (Hanbury Manor), 76, 72; M Schmid (Herzogenaurach), 75, 73; S Coulter (Warrenpoint), 75, 73; J Pierse (Portmarnock), 74, 74; M Nolan (Delgany), 74, 74; J Galbraith (Whitehead), 73, 75; C Unger (St. Leon-Rot), 73, 75; G Lappin (Belvoir Park), 73, 75; L Matthews (Southerndown), 72, 76; J Wilson (Balmore), 72, 76; J Skov Olesen (Naestved), 72, 76; J McDonnell (Forrest Little), 69, 79
149 E Leonard (Wentworth), 79, 70; A Harper  (Bolton OldLinks), 76, 73; M Waite (Filton), 76, 73; A McCormack (Castletroy), 76, 73; N Crawford (Mourne), 76, 73; S Carter (The Royal Dublin), 75, 74; M Power (Kilkenny), 75, 74; C Long (Burton), 75, 74; J Nicholas (Westchester Country Club), 74, 75; I O’Rourke (The Royal Dublin), 74, 75; S Bleakley (Shandon Park), 73, 76; J McMahon (Wallasey), 73, 76; J Lyons (Galway), 70, 79
150 M Ryan (New Ross), 78, 72; G McDermott (Carton House), 77, 73; W Russell (Clandeboye), 76, 74; T Gandy  (Rowany), 76, 74; P Coughlan (Moate), 75, 75; K LeBlanc (The Island), 75, 75; S Gregory (Corhampton), 75, 75; D Dougan (Drumpelier), 74, 76; R Geissler (St. Leon-Rot), 72, 78
151 R Neergaard-Petersen (Furesø), 80, 71; A Grant (Dundalk), 78, 73; B Jones (Northamptonshire county), 77, 74; T Vahlenkamp (Berliner Stolper Heide), 74, 77; A Hickey (Ballyhaunis), 73, 78; T Harris (Castletown), 73, 78; D Goldstein (Noyac), 73, 78
152 C Campbell (Warrenpoint), 79, 73; R Pierse (Grange), 77, 75; J Long (Lansdown), 76, 76; L Donnelly (Kilkenny), 74, 78; H Young-alls (Notts), 73, 79; C Thornton (), 73, 79; M Morrissey (Co. Sligo), 71, 81
153 B Dietzel (Essen-Heidhausen), 80, 73; T Beasley (Hunstanton), 79, 74; A McDougall (Elderslie), 79, 74; K Harman (Southerndown), 77, 76; M Zillekens (Niederrheinischer), 77, 76; T Cline (The Tuxedo), 76, 77; J Stokes (La Moye), 76, 77; M Howard (The Royal Birkdale), 76, 77; C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown), 75, 78; C Boon (Oubaai), 75, 78; M Harris (St Mellons), 72, 81
154 H Foley (The Royal Dublin), 81, 73; S Hamilton (Notts), 80, 74; J Sundborg (Shanklin & Sandown), 78, 76; G Dunne (Co. Louth), 77, 77; R Dutton (Tandragee), 77, 77; C Butler (Kinsale), 77, 77; T Collins (Dun Laoghaire), 76, 78; J Seaman (Wrag Barn), 76, 78; B Chamberlain (Padeswood and Buckley), 76, 78
155 J Whelan (Newlands), 80, 75; J Sugrue (Mallow), 80, 75; D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown), 77, 78; G Collins (Rosslare), 76, 79
156 M Hutson (Muriwai), 80, 76
157 J Hapgood (Southerndown), 77, 80
158 B Komline (Black Oak), 82, 76; T McLarnon (Massereene), 79, 79; R Haije (Goyer), 76, 82
159 T Junak (GC Main-Taunus), 81, 78; R Moran  (Castle), 80, 79; T Dolan (Heswall), 80, 79; J Brady (Rosslare), 77, 82; J Burnage (Saunton), 75, 84
161 D Brophy (Castleknock), 78, 83
162 J Trinder (Pymble), 82, 80; M Reid (Galgorm Castle), 78, 84
164 M Boegel (St. Leon- Rot), 79, 85
WD B Best (Rathmore), 77, WD
DQ S Ryan (The Royal Dublin)