Ireland lead the team standings by a single shot heading into day two of the European Nations Championships in Sotogrande.
Kilkenny’s Mark Power, Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell and Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty were joined on Wednesday morning in Spain by Naas’ Rob Brazill who was a last minute addition to the team when Mallow’s James Sugrue was forced out due to injury.
And while Brazill understandably struggled to find his feet at late notice yesterday, Power, Purcell and Rafferty combined for a six-over par opening score of 222 that leads Scotland and the Netherlands by a shot atop the leaderboard in the team standings.
In the individual competition, Kilkenny’s Power trails Scotland’s Kieran Cantley by a single stroke after his even par opening effort. The teenager traded four birdies and four bogeys to head the Irish challenge with Purcell on plus-two back in a tie for fifth while Sunday’s West of Ireland winner Rafferty is back in a tie for 21st on four-over par.
Brazill will be looking to bounce back after returning an 80 on day one.
This week, Ireland are hoping to lift the team title that they last won in 2016. John White accompanies the team which is supported by Sport Ireland and Sport NI as part of the GUI’s High Performance Programme.
Live scoring HERE
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