Consistent Kitt leads Irish at Portuguese Amateur
Montado Golf Resort
Athenry’s David Kitt looks set for a big season and after opening with a brace of two-under 70s, he heads the Irish challenge in the 92nd Portuguese International Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort.
The former Irish Amateur Close runner-up birdied the 17th and 18th to turn in two-under and parred his way home to share 15th place on four-under.
He’s six strokes behind England’s Frank Kennedy, who followed his opening 65 with a 69 to lead by a shot on 10-under par from German duo Finn Koelle (67) and Carl Siemens (70) and Frenchman Paul Beauvy (69).
Galway Bay’s Andrew Hickey is the next best of the Irish, tied for 34th on one-under after making an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys in a 69.
Powerscourt’s David Shiel is two strokes outside the top 40 who will make the 54-hole cut on Friday. tied for 47th on one-over after a 72 with Carton House’s Keith Egan a shot further back after following his first-round 69 with a 78.
Egan is tied for 62nd with Forrest Little’s Jack McDonnell, who had one of the rounds of the day, a five-under 67 featuring seven birdies.
Athenry’s Allan Hill is 88th on six-over after a 75 with Co Sligo’s TJ Ford, the South of Ireland champion, a shot further back in 90th after a 79 with all the damage done by a double-bogey six at the ninth and a septuple-bogey 11 at the 381-metre 14th.
Royal Dublin’s Richard Knightly is 103rd on nine-over after a 73 that was a tale of two nines.
Out in four-under 32 thanks to birdies at the first, second, third and seventh, he double-bogeyed the par-three 12th and bogeyed the next three holes.