Gillivan sets the pace with 67 at Baltray
Harry Gillivan. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Harry Gillivan hit the crossbar when he was beaten in the final of the Munster Amateur Championship at Cork in May, but he’s in a scoring position again at County Louth, where a five-under 67 gave him a one-shot lead after the opening round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.
He was playing out of St Anne’s when he lost to Jason Law in Cork, but he was superb in the opening round at Baltray, where he found his putting touch and followed birdies at the 10th, 13th, 15th and 18th with an eagle three at the second before dropping his only shot of the day at the eighth.
“I’ll just forget about today and start fresh. Make as many good swings as I can and see where it leads me tomorrow,” said Gillivan, who leads by a shot from a four-man group that ominously includes the defending champion Alex Maguire from Laytown and Bettystown.
“I’m happy overall, I would definitely have taken it going out. I played nicely today, pretty steady. Only had the one dropped shot on the eighth hole, my second last hole.
“The course is super, probably the best I’ve ever seen it condition-wise. The greens are unbelievable, if you’re putting well, you know you are going to make a few birdies, so that’s what I did today, rolled in a few.”
Maguire was one of the early clubhouse leaders on Saturday. He carded a couple of birdies on the front nine and again on the back nine for a 68 to share second with Lee O’Meara (Tullamore), Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell) and Ross Latimer (Clandeboye).
“I’m pretty pleased, definitely off to a better start than last year. I hit it pretty well off the tees, I hit it very nicely into the greens. Missed a few putts on the way in but overall very happy,” said Maguire.
“It’s my second time defending a title, the first time didn’t go very well because my expectations went through the roof, but I feel comfortable out here.
“I am not going to change my game plan going forward, I’m just going to go out there and have a bit of fun and then see where that leaves me on Monday night.”
East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, sponsored by the d Hotel, County Louth (Par 72)
First round
67 Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock);
68 Lee O’Meara (Tullamore), Alex Maguire (Laytown & Bettystown), Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell), Ross Latimer (Clandeboye);
69 Eoghan O’Donnell (Tralee), Rory Williamson (Holywood), Niall Carroll (Dunmurry), Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little), Gareth Bohill (Co Louth), Charlie Mooney (Ballinasloe);
70 Liam Abom (Edmondstown), Cian Dullaghan (Greenore), John Cleary (Elm Park), Keith Egan (Carton House), Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle), Adam Buchanan (Royal Portrush), Matthew McClean (Malone), Simon Walker (Roscommon), Sam Murphy (Portumna), Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan), Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin), Conor Murtagh (The Island), Lewis Gowdy (Bangor);
71 Ben Best (Rathmore), David Kitt (Athenry), David Lally (Blainroe), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), James Hewitt (Tandragee), Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle), Simon Ward (Belvoir Park), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Eoin Murphy (Dundalk);
72 Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire), Matthew Giles (Greenore), Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt), Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore), David Shiel (Enniscrone), Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas), James Fox (Portmarnock), Robert Brazill (Naas), TJ Ford (County Sligo), Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), Quentin Carew (Castleknock);
73 Seán Desmond (Monkstown), Ian Lynch (Rosslare), Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth), Graham Callaghan (Co. Louth), Darragh Flynn (Carton House), Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle), Cian Harkin (Letterkenny), Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast), James Walsh (Douglas), Conor Harrington (Royal Dublin);
74 David Reddan (Nenagh), Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock), Michael Green (Greenore), Conor Hickey (Dooks), Jamie Butler (Killeen), Ciarán Johnston (Dundalk), Jordan Hyland (Omagh), Matthew Dodd (St Anne’s), Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little), Matthew Grehan (Tullamore), Fionn Dobbin (Malone), Evan Shipp (Headfort), Thomas Beaumont (Bangor), Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park), Brian Doran (Baltinglass), Paul O Hanlon (Carton House), Jason Rackard (Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club), Conor Byrne (Strabane);
75 Paraic Connolly (The Links Portmarnock), Max Stanley (Roehampton), Annraoi Collins (Portmarnock), Adam Kelly (New Forest), Cian O’Connor (Roscommon), Karl Bornemann (Douglas), Cathal MacCanna (Carton House), Darren McCormack (Corrstown), Adam Doran (County Louth), Morgan Cain (Cork), Evan Farrell (Co. Louth), David Muldowney (Naas), Aidan Dooley (Carton House);
76 Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden), Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock), Jamie Kelly (Dundalk), Daniel Sweeney (Corrstown), Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin), Bryan Ronan (Co Louth);
77 Ruairi O’Connor (Co Sligo), Cathal Butler (Kinsale), Ruairi Kennelly (Castleknock), Jordan Boles (Charleville), Noel Crawford (Mourne), Eoin Marsden (Tullamore), Max Carson (Royal Belfast), Nathan Sproule (Cliftonville), David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown), Lorcan O’Connor (Edmondstown), Killian McGinley (Sunningdale), Karl Murray (Arklow), Brandon St John (Portmarnock);
78 Sean McAufield (Stonebridge), John Cunningham (Carton House), William Beatty (Royal Portrush), Adam Smith (Mullingar);
79 James Lindsay (North West), Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint), John McGinn (Laytown & Bettystown), Richard Finn (Newbridge), Paraic McGrath (Galway Bay), Mark Allen (Florida State Golf Association), Dean O'Riordan (Fermoy), Robbie Walsh (Douglas);
80 Aaron McNulty (Lahinch), Cian Hall (Castletroy), Thomas Finnegan (Co Sligo), Liam Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), AJ McCabe (Malahide), Ciaran Boggan (Co Meath), Mark O’Sullivan (Laytown & Bettystown);
81 Michael Delaney (Emirates Golf Federation);
82 Donal O’Reilly (Farnham Estate), Gavan Keogh (Galway);
83 Aaron Foley (Edmondstown);
85 Adam Fahey (Seapoint);
86 Sean Deasy (Douglas);
DNF Mel Deasy (Douglas), Cormac Crowe (Castleknock)
