Moynihan leads 11-strong Irish challenge for St Andrews Links
Gavin Moynihan. Picture via Scottishgolf.org
Newly crowned Scottish Amateur Open champion Gavin Moynihan will be bidding to take up where he left off on Sunday and become just the second Irish winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy at the Home of Golf.
The man from The Island was surprised to jump as high as 10th on the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking following his impressive win at Panmure. But given his level of confidence right now, he must be fancied to following in the footsteps of Alan Dunbar, who won the title in 2009.
"I played nicely," said Moynihan, who will tee it up in the Irish Open in a fortnight alongside Robbie Cannon, Dermot McElroy and Gary Hurley. "I just had one hiccup in the third round where I had a nine on a hole but I was just delighted to came back from it. I couldn't believe I went up that far in the rankings but I was delighted to see it. This is another great event too, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Ireland has 11 players in the field and all of them are capable of a run at the title with the current West of Ireland champion, Naas' Jack Hume, clearly in good form having finished second to Moynihan.
Ardee's Eugene Smith will be keen to show that he's a player on the rise while Paul Dunne will need to dig deep to recover from his recent transatlantic performances for UAB in the US and last weekend's runner-up finish in his defence of the East of Ireland at Baltray.
Lucan's Richie O'Donovan — tied 12th on Sunday — is showing signs that he is getting back close to his best after losing his place on the Irish team last year while Reeve Whitson, McElroy and Rory McNamara will be gunning to make amends for missing the cut at Panmure.
Cormac Sharvin, 41st at Panmure, will be keen to put in a big performance as will Hurley, who did well to finish third in the "East" having just finished his exams.
As for West of Ireland runner-up Cannon, the Balbriggan man was disappointed to miss the cut at Baltray but with the Irish Open just around the corner, competition against some of the best amateurs in the world is likely to get him off and running again.
The bookies have installed England's Ryan Evans as a warm favourite ahead of Moynihan, Dunne, Hume and Lytham Trophy winner Thriston Lawrence of South Africa.