Paul McBride was inspired by Paul Dunne’s “ unbelievable” Open Championship performance as he headed the qualifiers for the South of Ireland Amateur Open at pristine Lahinch.

The 19-year old interprovincial from The Island added a four under par 68 to his opening 72 to edge out Laytown and Bettystown’s Cian Geraghty (70-70) for the medal on four under 140 and strengthened his case for a full Irish call up for next month’s defence of the Home Internationals at Royal Portrush.

The fair-haired, Dubliner — recently returned from a successful freshman year at Wake Forest University — erased bogeys at the fifth and seventh with birdies second, ninth 13th and 18th and an eagle three from 20 feet at the fourth. 

And he confessed that it was his love of the course and Dunne’s amazing performance at St Andrews that got him in the mood on his first visit to the Co Clare links.

“| love the course,” said McBride. “It is probably the best conditioned we have played this year. The greens are really good and really fast and my putting is really good, probably because I am used to the fast greens being in the States. I’m very happy."

McBride said he hopes to give the Irish selectors food for thought this week — but inspired after watching Dunne play in the final group on the final day of The Open at St Andrews, his confidence is high.

“It was great for Dunners,” he said on a day when Lahinch played far easier that on Wednesday with tees moved up some 198 yards and pins cut in more accessible positions. 

“It’s unbelievable. It makes us realise that the gap between the pros and the top amateurs is not that wide.”

Geraghty carded a second successive 70, even if it did require a holed bunker shot for eagle at the last to pull it off.

McBride and Geraghty finished two strokes ahead of Royal Dublin’s Jeff Hopkins (70), Knock’s Colin Fairweather (68) and Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell (68), last year’s East of Ireland champion.

Like McBride, Campbell is making his first trip to Lahinch and he confessed he was blown away by the quality of the course.

“The golf course is just amazing,” said Campbell, who has had a decent season without doing anything spectacular and after falling to eventual runner up Gary Collins in the “North” he’s hoping to make amends this week.

“I cam away extremely disappointed from the North because I knew I had a great chance of winning if I could beat Gary,” Campbell said.  “The season has been solid and there’s still time to get a win. 

“This will be great course for matchplay with some really great holes out there. Looking at the great winners in the clubhouse is inspiring and even the beaten finalists are some of the best players we’ve ever produced, so I am looking forward to tomorrow."

The cut for the top 64 fell at nine over par 153, which meant an early exit for former winners John Greene and Stephen Walsh and international Richard Bridges.

South of Ireland Amateur Open, Lahinch GC (Par 72)

Round One

1 07:00 Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) v Marc Nolan (Delgany)
2 07:09 Thomas O'Connor (Athlone) v Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin)
3 07:18 Eddie Power (Kilkenny) v Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle)
4 07:27 Jonathan Breen (Kirkistown Castle) v Pat Murray (Limerick)
5 07:36 Rowan Lester (Hermitage) v Stephen Healy (Carton House)
6 07:45 Steffan O'Hara (Co. Sligo) v Keith Egan (Carton House)
7 07:54 William Hanna (Warrenpoint) v Daniel Holland (Castle)
8 08:03 Shane Whooley (Muskerry) v Paul McBride (The Island)
9 08:12 Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) v Karl Purcell (Dun Laoghaire)
10 08:21 Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) v Stephen Barker (Mourne)
11 08:30 Rob Brazill (Naas) v Eanna Griffin (Waterford)
12 08:39 Declan King (Tramore) v Paul McCarthy (Mallow)
13 08:48 Mark Morrissey (Mount Wolseley) v Liam Grehan (Mullingar)
14 08:57 John Conroy (Bray) v Thomas Neenan (Lahinch)
15 09:06 Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) v Gary McDermott (Carton House)
16 09:15 Dan Murphy (Portarlington) v Colin Fairweather (Knock)
17 09:24 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) v Ted Collins (Dun Laoghaire)
18 09:33 Alan Lowry (Esker Hills) v Michael Buggy (Castlecomer)
19 09:42 Des Morgan (New Forest) v Tony O'Leary (Wexford)
20 09:51 Adam Doran (Ardee) v Robert Cannon (Balbriggan)
21 10:00 Andrew McCormack (Newcastle West) v Daniel Brennan (Shannon)
22 10:09 Declan McInerney (Lahinch) v Gary O'Flaherty (Cork)
23 10:18 Jack Pierse (Portmarnock) v Ed Stack (Ballybunion)
24 10:27 Barry Daly (Edmondstown) v Gary Collins (Rosslare)
25 10:36 Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) v Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu)
26 10:45 Brian Doran (Palmerstown Stud) v Joe Lyons (Galway)
27 10:54 Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth) v Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin)
28 11:03 Ally Purdy (Ballyclare) v Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin)
29 11:12 Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) v Michael O'Kelly (Limerick)
30 11:21 Sean Walsh (Carton House) v Mark MacGrath (Limerick)
31 11:30 Simon Bryan (Delgany) v Niall Gorey (Palmerstown Stud)
32 11:39 Conor Coyne (Youghal) v Colm Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint)

Qualifiers

140 Paul McBride (Island) 72 68 (leading qualifier), Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 70 70

142 Colm Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 74 68, Colin Fairweather (Knock) 74 68, Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin) 72 70

144 Andrew McCormack (Newcastle West Golf Club) 71 73

145 Paul McCarthy (Mallow Golf Club) 74 71, Mark Morrissey (Mount Wolseley Golf Club) 73 72, Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene Golf Club) 72 73, Keith Egan (Carton House Golf Club) 71 74

146 Gary Collins (Rosslare Golf Club) 76 70

147 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore Golf Club) 77 70, Mark MacGrath (Limerick Golf Club) 74 73, Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) 74 73, Des Morgan (New Forest) 70 77

148 Thomas Neenan (Lahinch Golf Club) 79 69, Rob Brazill (Naas Golf Club) 77 71, Gary O'Flaherty (Cork Golf Club) 76 72, Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth Golf Club) 75 73, Robert Cannon (Balbriggan Golf Club) 73 75, Eddie Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 72 76, Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin) 71 77

149 Joe Lyons (Galway Golf Club) 78 71, Stephen Barker (Mourne) 77 72, Jack Pierse (Portmarnock) 77 72, Michael Buggy (Castlecomer Golf Club) 75 74, Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 75 74, Simon Bryan (Delgany Golf Club) 74 75, William Hanna (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 73 76

150 Daniel Holland (Castle) 81 69, Niall Gorey (Palmerstown Stud) 80 70, Gary McDermott (Carton House Golf Club) 79 71, Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 79 71, Alan Lowry (Esker Hills) 79 71, Rowan Lester (Hermitage Golf Club) 78 72, Brian Doran (Palmerstown Stud) 78 72, Ed Stack (Ballybunion Golf Club) 78 72, Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) 76 74, Thomas O'Connor (Athlone Golf Club) 76 74, Declan McInerney (Lahinch Golf Club) 75 75, Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin) 75 75, Eanna Griffin (Waterford) 74 76

151 John Conroy (Bray) 79 72, Tony O'Leary (Wexford Golf Club) 77 74, Sean Walsh (Carton House Golf Club) 77 74, Stephen Healy (Carton House Golf Club) 75 76, Steffan O'Hara (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 74 77, Michael O'Kelly (Limerick Golf Club) 74 77

152 Adam Doran (Ardee) 82 70, Liam Grehan (Mullingar Golf Club) 81 71, Declan King (Tramore Golf Club) 79 73, Daniel Brennan (Shannon) 78 74, Ally Purdy (Ballyclare Golf Club) 77 75, Jonathan Breen (Kirkistown Castle Golf Club) 77 75, Marc Nolan (Delgany Golf Club) 76 76, Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park Golf Club) 75 77, Pat Murray (Limerick Golf Club) 75 77, Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu Golf Club) 74 78, Barry Daly (Edmondstown Golf Club) 73 79

153 Karl Purcell (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 81 72, Dan Murphy (Portarlington Golf Club) 80 73, Conor Coyne (Youghal Golf Club) 78 75, Ted Collins (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 78 75, Shane Whooley (Muskerry Golf Club) 77 76

Non-Qualifiers

153 Justin Kehoe (Limerick Golf Club) 76 77

154 Jake Whelan (Newlands) 82 72, Peter Kane (Ashbourne) 80 74, Jack Walsh (Castle) 80 74, Eoghan Long (Monkstown Golf Club) 78 76, Stephen Watts (Cairndhu Golf Club) 78 76, Colm Crowley (Woodbrook Golf Club) 78 76, David Finn (Doneraile Golf Club) 77 77, Gareth Lappin (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 77 77, Darragh Hogan (Killeen Castle) 77 77, Paul Murphy (Rosslare Golf Club) 76 78, Evan Farrell (Ardee) 76 78, Robert Farrell (New Ross Golf Club) 74 80

155 Paul O'Sullivan (Bray) 82 73, Colin Woodroofe (Blainroe Golf Club) 81 74, David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) 81 74, James Sugrue (Mallow Golf Club) 80 75, Shane McGlynn (Carton House Golf Club) 80 75, Ryan O'Doherty (Enniscrone Golf Club) 80 75, Richard Bridges (Stackstown Golf Club) 79 76, Gary McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 78 77, Ben Corfee (USA) 78 77

156 Sean Alley (Co. Tipperary Golf Club) 81 75, Matthew McClean (Balmoral Golf Club) 81 75, Alan Purcell (Adare Manor Golf Club) 80 76, Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell Golf Club) 79 77, Michael Reddan (Limerick Golf Club) 78 78, Tommy O'Driscoll (Killarney Golf Club) 78 78, John Greene (Portmarnock) 77 79, Greg Mungovan (Headfort Golf Club) 77 79, Owen O'Brien (Limerick Golf Club) 77 79, Kevin Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 75 81

157 Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint Golf Club) 84 73, Mathew Kane (Whitehead Golf Club) 82 75, Tony Cleary (Woodstock Golf Club) 80 77, Tristan O'Rourke (Nenagh Golf Club) 79 78, John Hickey (Cork Golf Club) 78 79, Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) 77 80, Mark Mullen (Rosslare Golf Club) 75 82

158 Pat Fitzpatrick (Kanturk Golf Club) 81 77, Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion Golf Club) 81 77, Conor O'Rourke (Naas Golf Club) 81 77, James Monaghan (The Royal Dublin) 79 79, Ian Spillane (Mallow Golf Club) 77 81, Robbie Pierse (Grange) 77 81

159 Keith Daniels (Loughrea Golf Club) 85 74, Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little.) 84 75, Philip Spratt (West Waterford Golf Club) 82 77, Ryan Long (Cairndhu Golf Club) 82 77, Liam Hutchinson (The Royal Dublin) 80 79, Gavin Smyth (Clonmel Golf Club) 79 80, Eoin O'Connor (Ballybunion Golf Club) 78 81, Mark Timmins (Coollattin Golf Club) 77 82

160 Paul Behan (St. Anne's) 83 77, Karl McCormack (Portarlington Golf Club) 83 77, Shane Hogan (Nenagh Golf Club) 82 78, David Reddan (Nenagh Golf Club) 80 80, Dylan Brophy (Castleknock) 79 81

161 Kelan McDonagh (The Royal Dublin) 85 76, Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) 84 77, John Reynolds (Dungarvan Golf Club) 83 78, Jason O'Leary (Dromoland Golf Club) 82 79, Jamie O'Shea (Shannon) 79 82, Graham Nugent (Kilkenny Golf Club) 79 82

162 Paul Buckley (Kanturk Golf Club) 81 81

163 Eoghan O' Loughlin (Spanish Point Golf Club) 82 81

164 Scott Campbell (Ballyclare Golf Club) 85 79, Ronan O'Grady (Tullamore Golf Club) 85 79, Gavin McKenna (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 84 80, David McMahon (Tralee Golf Club) 82 82, Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry Golf Club) 82 82, Keith Murphy (Charlesland Golf Club) 82 82

165 Tom Griffin (Crews Hill Golf Club) 86 79, Dale Jackson (Massereene Golf Club) 82 83

166 Bob Loftus (Lahinch Golf Club) 88 78, Dean McMahon (Castletroy Golf Club) 85 81, Ruairi O'Connor (Co. Sligo Golf Club) 83 83, Peter Meaney (Cahir Park Golf Club) 83 83

167 Aaron Moore (Adare Manor Golf Club) 83 84, Nicky Duggan (Dromoland Golf Club) 79 88

168 Brian Gilligan (Woodstock Golf Club) 88 80

169 Sean Doyle (Athlone Golf Club) 82 87

172 Paul O'Neill (Shannon) 87 85

177 Ronan Mullane (Dromoland Golf Club) 95 82

180 John Richard (France) 93 87

NR Sean Poucher (Limerick Golf Club) 83 NR