Jake Whelan’s quest for back-to-back Munster Amateur Open Championships remains on track after he came through his last-16 and quarter-final ties in Cork Golf Club.
Whelan birdied three of his last six holes in the 36-hole stroke play to make the match play stages on the cut mark on level-par and he continued that momentum with a thumping 5&4 win over home favourite Brian Kelleher before he edged Co. Louth’s Adam Doran 2&1 in the afternoon quarter-final.
The Grange golfer will face St Anne’s Harry Gillivan while East Cork’s Jason Law will play John Cunningham of Carton House.
“Harry is a very good player and hopefully it’s a good match,” said Whelan.
It was playing sailing for Whelan who won this event in a 72-hole stroke play format last year in his last-16 match but he didn’t have it all his own way in the afternoon with Doran pushing him close.
Whelan never trailed in the match, going 1UP on the second and seventh holes. Having been pegged back on 8, birdies on the ninth and tenth saw him pull two clear of Doran and the pair matched each other as far as the 17th green with pars.
“I hit the ball well this morning, got off to a good start and got up early. The golf was decent enough and I played well. Played OK in the afternoon with a few sloppy mistakes. Struggled with the pace of the greens at times but held the putts I needed to which was good.
“Resting up for tomorrow, they’re long days, they are difficult being 36 holes so it’s been a long week overall.”
The curse of the leading qualifier didn’t strike Douglas’ James Walsh who survived a back nine rally to see off Nenagh’s David Reddan.
Walsh was beaten 2&1 by Gillivan in the quarter-final but he won’t go away empty handed having topped the 36-hole stroke play.
It was a rebel derby in the quarter-final between East Cork’s Law and Cork’s Morgan Cain with Law edging it 2&1. All four last-8 clashes went to the 17th hole with Cunningham pipping Caslteknock’s Paul Coughlan 3&1.
The match was level after 14 holes but Cunningham won the 15th, 16th ad 17th holes to book his place in the last-4 on Bank Holiday Monday.
It’s three Leinstermen in the semi-finals with Law looking to keep the Munster title in the province on the 100th edition of the tournament.
Scoring HERE
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