Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty topped the qualifiers in the Connolly’s Audi West of Ireland Championship but the jury is out on the new format for the opening amateur major of the season.

The 29-year-old former Walker Cup player had enough in a one-over 72 to top the 54-hole qualifier by four strokes from Roscommon’s 19-year old Boys international Thomas Higgins, who shot 73, and Bray’s Alan Fahy, who fired a best of the day 68 to make the top 16 with ease.

While it achieved its aim of a quality first-round draw today— the new format will have no effect on the event’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) rating — many felt three rounds was too much with just 16 to qualify and almost half the field well out of contention after two rounds. 

Of the 132-strong starting field, just 106 teed it up in the final round as 19 withdrew, six retired and another two failed to appear yesterday.

“100% there should’ve been a cut yesterday because there are a lot of guys playing pointless golf out there today,” said Tralee’s Darren O’Sullivan, who failed to qualify by a shot after a 73 left him on eight-over.

Defending champion Hugh Foley finished eighth on three-over after a 74 and admitted he was playing defensive golf just to hold on to his place in the last 16.

“I’m just relieved to get through,” said Foley, who now faces international teammate Marc Boucher from Carton House. “Now that it’s matchplay you can just free up again but it was difficult to stay in the psychology of not looking at the top 16.

“It was a little bit stressful today but tomorrow you can be more aggressive. I was almost playing for pars and bogeys over the last few holes and trying to avoid a seven or an eight.”

Rafferty believes organisers should stick with the old format of 36 holes of strokeplay with 64 to qualify or switch to 72 holes of strokeplay, rather than using a format that falls between two stools.

“Part of me thinks around three is a bit of a waste because it’s a long three days for anybody, especially at the bottom of the leaderboard,” said Rafferty, who plays Roscommon’s Allan Hill, who made a 25 footer at the 18th for birdie to claim 16th place as just two of the five players on seven-over progressed. 

Seven players who started the day outside the top-16 moved inside the qualifying places including Irish Close and Irish Amateur Open champion Peter O’Keeffe, who shot 70 to make it with a shot to spare.

Seven of the 10-strong Irish elite squad progressed but there was also a place for 49-year-old Eddie McCormack from Galway Bay, who carded a brilliant 69 to qualify in sixth place on three-over.

Beaten by Shane Lowry in the semi-finals in 2008 and by Rory Leonard in the 2010 final, McCormack gained confidence when he made a 25 footer for birdie at the first at County Sligo’s Rosses Point links.

He’s thrilled to make the last 16 but as a golfer who plays rarely these days, he found three rounds of strokeplay tough work and is no fan of the new format, which is being trialled this year with an option for next year also.

“I’d rather 36 holes and then 64 in the match play,” said the Cavan native, who faces Keith Egan today. “You’d want to be really on your game the whole time for 54 holes of strokeplay. It’s not a format built for the working man, it’s for the elite amateur.”

O’Keeffe began the third qualifying round three strokes outside the qualifying places on seven-over par but birdied three of his first six holes before holding on to finish 13th on six-over.

“I didn’t play well in the early rounds because I had a bit of a back injury all week but it freed up and I had a good range session this morning,” reported O’Keeffe, who faces Galway’s Liam Nolan in the first matchplay round. “I hit a nice drive down the middle of the first and I stuck with that feeling all day.”

The 40-year old Cork man was one of just four players to break par on a day of 20 mph southeasterly gusts and squally showers.

Rafferty will play Roscommon’s Allan Hill, who birdied the 18th from 25 feet to claim 16th on seven over after a 71, edging out Gareth Lappin (77), Wednesday qualifier winner Jordan Boles (72) and Co Sligo’s TJ Ford (76) after a countback.

Rafferty is ready now for a new tournament after revealing he simply tried to stay out of trouble yesterday.

“Today was one of those days where I just chipped it around the front nine trying not to make big numbers, knowing that if I did that, I’d have a handy walk in on the back nine.”

He now faces Hill in round one and knows he has to reset.

“It’s a new round of golf,” he said. “You might as well call it a new tournament because the stroke play is gone. I have got a match against Allan Hill tomorrow now. It’s about beating him. Everyone from 1 to 16 has a chance of winning this now.”

As for the format, which was changed after consultation with the elite players, none of those asked were doing cartwheels.

“It’s too long a week,” said Balbriggan’s Robbie Cannon. :I think the days of the five-day amateur tournament are over. I think they need to start looking at three days or going to 72-hole strokes. The West last September was 72 strokes over two days and it was very popular with the players. There are a lot of guys working these days.”

Connolly’s Audi West of Ireland Amateur Championship, Co Sligo GC (Par 71)

Matchplay, First round tee-times

1. 08:00 Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) v Allan Hill (Roscommon);

2. 08:10 Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin) v Marc Boucher (Carton House);

3. 08:20 Liam Nolan (Galway) v Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas);

4. 08:30 Matthew McClean (Malone) v Eoin Sullivan (Carton House);

5. 08:40 Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) v Andrew Benson (West Lothian);

6. 08:50 Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) v Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar);

7. 09:00 Alan Fahy (Bray) v James Hewitt (Tandragee);

8. 09:10 Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay) v Keith Egan (Carton House).
   

Qualifiers

Detailed scores

210 C Rafferty (Dundalk) 65 73 72 (silver medal);

214 T Higgins (Roscommon) 71 70 73, A Fahy (Bray) 68 78 68;

215 L Nolan (Galway) 68 73 74;

216 M McClean (Malone) 72 73 71, E McCormack (Galway Bay) 71 76 69, A Mulholland (Castlerock) 71 72 73, H Foley (Royal Dublin) 70 72 74;

218 M Boucher (Carton House) 71 75 72, R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 71 71 76, K Egan (Carton House) 69 75 74;

219 E Sullivan (Carton House) 73 74 72, P O'Keeffe (Douglas) 72 77 70, J Hewitt (Tandragee) 71 77 71;

220 A Benson (West Lothian) 74 73 73, A Hill (Roscommon) 73 76 71.

Non-qualifiers

220 G Lappin (Belvoir Park) 72 71 77, J Boles (Charleville) 71 77 72, T Ford (Co. Sligo) 69 75 76;

221 P Coughlan (Castleknock) 75 72 74, D Flynn (Carton House) 73 75 73, D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 71 77 73, J Whelan (Grange) 70 75 76;

222 J Fox (Portmarnock) 76 74 72, T Abom (Edmondstown) 73 79 70, J Cleary (Elm Park) 73 76 73, R Latimer (Clandeboye) 73 73 76, R Cannon (Balbriggan) 71 77 74, D Shiel (Powerscourt) 71 74 77, J McDonnell (Forrest Little) 70 76 76;

223 R Knightly (Royal Dublin) 76 76 71, R Moran (Castle) 75 75 73, A King (Faithlegg) 75 74 74, K McCarron (North West) 74 76 73, R Brazill (Naas) 74 76 73, T Dowdall (Woodbrook) 73 77 73, C Hickey (Dooks) 72 75 76, M Deasy (Douglas) 71 78 74, C Clarke (Balmoral) 70 77 76;

225 J Lyons (Galway) 75 77 73, A Barr (Ballymena) 75 76 74, M Giles (Greenore) 74 75 76, E Murphy (Dundalk) 73 78 74, S McLoughlin (Co. Sligo) 72 79 74

226 C Harkin (Letterkenny) 74 73 79, A Brady (Co. Sligo) 73 71 82;

227 H Fanagan (Milltown) 75 78 74, C Campbell (Warrenpoint) 74 79 74, A Marshall (Lisburn) 73 76 78;

228 S McDermott (Slieve Russell) 78 74 76, R O'Connor (Co. Sligo) 78 72 78, R Kennelly (Castleknock) 77 75 76, S Carroll (Ballybunion) 76 78 74, B Reilly (Royal Tara) 74 79 75, S O'Brien (Nenagh) 73 81 74, H Gillivan (Westport) 72 81 75, D O'riordan (Fermoy) 71 82 75;

229 L Cunningham (Galway Bay) 76 78 75, J Hill (Galgorm Castle) 73 75 81, D Kitt (Athenry) 73 73 83, S O'Connor (Castlebar) 71 77 81;

230 S Downes (Royal Dublin) 78 75 77, R Williamson (Holywood) 74 83 73, D Brady (Co. Sligo) 74 81 75, T Cafferky (Ballinasloe) 74 79 77, A Hickey (Ballyhaunis) 68 83 79;

231 S O'Connell (Athenry) 74 79 78, D Muldowney (Carton House) 73 78 80

232 L Kelly (Belvoir Park) 78 78 76;

233 D Marshall (Naas) 81 78 74, K Patton (Lisburn) 78 79 76, R Walsh Jnr (Douglas) 78 76 79, F Dobbin (Malone) 76 77 80, C Rabbette (Esker Hills) 72 80 81;

234 L O'Connor (Edmondstown) 76 81 77, G O'Neill (Malahide) 76 79 79, J Rowe (Belvoir Park) 75 82 77, S Dowling (The Island) 74 81 79;

235 A McNulty (Lahinch) 79 81 75, K Robinson (Castlewarden) 79 79 77, J Sheahan (Galway Bay) 79 78 78, G Finnegan (Co. Sligo) 78 86 71, A Kelly (New Forest) 78 85 72, D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh) 77 79 79, A Gaynor (Co. Sligo) 74 81 80, T Byrne (Royal Curragh) 74 80 81;

236 T O'Connor (Athlone) 81 78 77;

237 S McGlynn (Portmarnock) 82 78 77, A Challoner (Galway Bay) 78 79 80, J Kelly (Ardee) 76 82 79;

238 J Hayden (Grange) 81 80 77, M Cain (Cork) 76 80 82;

240 B St. John (Portmarnock) 83 79 78, A McCabe (The Links Portmarnock) 76 81 83, S Underwood (Co. Sligo) 76 80 84;

241 L Abom (Edmondstown) 81 80 80;

243 E Lisibach (Glasgow) 86 82 75, J Walsh (Douglas) 80 84 79;

244 M O Sullivan (Ballyneety) 81 82 81;

245 R O'Reilly (Cregmore Park) 79 82 84;

246 H Kane (Bahamas Golf Federation) 84 82 80, R McCrory (Lurgan) 80 80 86;

247 T Plunkett (Crover House) 84 80 83, J Mitten (Westmanstown) 77 86 84

DQ 155 L Lyons (Limerick) 73 82;

Rtd 147 S Walker (Roscommon) 72 75;

NS 153 J Murphy (Dundalk) 74 79;

WD 153 J Hood (Galgorm Castle) 78 75, J Rackard (Enniscorthy) 75 78, D Connellan (St. Anne's) 73 80;

WD 154 C Ryan (Bray) 74 80;

Rtd 155 C Murtagh (The Island) 77 78;

WD 155 A McCormack (Castletroy) 74 81;

WD 156 S Ryan (Royal Dublin) 77 79, S Flanagan (Portmarnock) 75 81;

WD 157 R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 79 78, S Cullen (Slieve Russell) 78 79, D McCormack (Corrstown) 76 81, R Hynes (Oughterard) 75 82;

WD 158 N Crawford (Mourne) 79 79, A Collins (Laytown & Bettystown) 77 81;

Rtd 159 A Dooley (Carton House) 76 83;

WD 159 S Cunningham (Esker Hills) 76 83;

WD160 M Shiel (Galway Bay) 74 86;

WD 161 W Beatty (Greenacres) 77 84

Rtd 162 P McGrath (Galway Bay) 78 84;

Ns 162 R Carvill (Warrenpoint) 77 85;

WD 162 D Lally (Blainroe) 80 82;

WD 167 R Halpin (Dun Laoghaire) 77 90;

WD 186 M McCaughey (Bundoran) 92 94;

Rtd 78 Q Carew (Castleknock);

Rtd 76 P O Dochartaigh (Gweedore).