Thirty-two players began and just eight remain ahead of Sunday’s quarter-finals at the Annesley Williams Skoda 9-Hole Matchplay Championship at Sutton Golf Club.
Big names like Niall Kearney and two-time winner Tim Rice are safely through to the knockout stages while Galway’s Andrew Hickey is also through in his tournament debut.
Kearney completed a clean sweep with wins over David Higgins, Sutton’s own Patrick Devine and Rathfarnham’s Liam Power.
The Royal Dublin man eased into the last-8 with a 5&3 win over Power where he was five-under for the six holes and he shook off any fatigue he had from yesterday’s DP World Tour Q-School First Stage.
“Played well, got home late last night from the first stage of Q-School so felt a little bit jaded this morning but matchplay is great and it’s a good format to play because we don’t play it too often, it’s quite refreshing and I’m fortunate to play well and get through.
“I was sharp out there today, pitching and putting and just the tidiness of it all, was happy with my game, solid and great to bring my q-school form into this weekend.”
Last year Limerick’s Rice came through a seven-hole playoff to advance, but today he needed just the one to see off Liam Grehan after the pair had halved their match earlier in the day and his quest for a third matchplay title is very much alive.
“I got quite lucky on the playoff hole, Liam hit a good drive and I didn’t and I ended up in probably a better spot and I got up and down, that’s the luck of matchplay.
“It’s very exciting because the matches are so quick, if you’re 1UP you are nowhere near safe at any point. It’s the perfect course for this format because there is so much risk reward, if you birdie a hole you will win it, if you par it you might lose it.
“I love it here, the holes are excellent and there’s just something about the place, some of the shots you have to hit with the wind need to be world class.”
A birdie at the last gave Hickey the win over Paul Eivers to top his group with three wins from three.
“Absolutely, it’s great to be through. Played really nicely all day so delighted to get through,” said the former PGA Assistants champion.”
The first player through to the knockout stages was Shane Jenkinson of the Island, he beat defending champion Neil O’Briain 2&1 in his final group game to win three from three.
“Job done, played nicely for the three games so I was glad to get through. It’s been a while since I played 27 holes so feeling it in the body now!
“If you are good with the driver you can make birdies, I have hit driver wherever I can and made a few nice putts. You need to be aggressive around here.”
Perhaps the big surprise of the day was Dooks professional Daniel Sugrue getting through but he did so in style with a 100% record including knocking in a clutch four foot par putt on the last to see off Patrick Geraghty.
The 2004 Open Championship participant feels at home on Sutton’s traditional links terrain.
“I was happy enough just to be here and to get to the quarter finals I will take that as an achievement really with such little golf played this year, this course gets me going though so delighted.
“I left myself a lot of work to do on 9, Patrick is a good competitor so to get through those three games I am very happy.
“Sutton is an old style links, the first few holes are very exciting to play so you need to control your ball under the wind and the greens are incredible, I’m used to this style of golf so it helps.”
There was another playoff win for Kilkenny’s Jimmy Bolger who edged Cian McNamara and Glen Robinson with a birdie at the first extra hole while Headfort’s Brendan McGovern snatched Group 6 with a 2&1 win over Steven Quinlan.
Brian McElhinney breezed through Group 4 with three wins.
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