Defending Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland champion Keith Egan, former professional Stuart Grehan, Colm Campbell, Luke O’Neill and 2017 champion Barry Anderson are the headline acts remaining heading into the last-16 at County Sligo Golf Club.
It was Easter Sunday at Rosses Point. So naturally, there were a few comebacks in the last-64 and last-32 matches as the knockout stages got underway. A dramatic morning saw matches go the distance and even beyond while the afternoon saw a peppering of one sided ties before the evening played out to another crescendo of drama as two matches went to extra holes as darkness began to set in.
Stuart Grehan was warned by 52-year-old veteran Eddie McCormack that he would have to do better if he was going to have a serious run at this championship despite beating the 2010 finalist on the 19th.
Grehan saw a three hole lead with four to play disappear when McCormack rolled in a sensational 15-footer for birdie on 18 to force extra time.
McCormack was left shocked when he found the left fairway bunker off the 19th tee having taken a 3-wood to avoid such a scenario. Unable to reach the green, Grehan pounced on the Galway man and had the easiest of two-putts for victory.
“I knew it was going to be a tricky match, played pretty well all match but was scrappy coming in. I knew he would never go away.”
The former South and East of Ireland champion, playing his first championship since regaining his amateur status after nearly a decade as a touring professional, stepped up his game in the afternoon with a 3&2 win over Jordan Boles.
“Played lovely golf. A good few birdies and I feel like my game is trending nicely. I held a couple more putts and scored a bit better. I was quite nervous this morning didn’t know what to expect really because I hadn’t been in this situation for a while but delighted to get through.”
Grehan set up a last-16 clash with close friend Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) who is also his S&C coach. There will be no place for secrets tomorrow morning.
“Me and Robbie know each other very well and I am expecting a tough match. There will be no love lost tomorrow, enemies tomorrow we can be friends after but we will give it a run.”
2017 champion Anderson, might be representing Cork Golf Club these days but the Sligo man is very much the home hero this week.
Anderson had little to no expectations when he teed it up on Friday but he hopes he can roll back the years over the bank holiday weekend after beating Sean Murphy and Norway’s Oscar Bach on the 18th.
“Made hard work of it in the end I was five up through six and nine but found it difficult coming home into the wind but in fairness to Oscar he kept plugging away,” said Anderson who had an incredible run to the final in 2023.
“Nowadays I only play a couple of tournaments every year, the West being one of them. My wife is expecting a baby in five weeks time. I will play this and the Munster Strokeplay so that could be the height of it for the summer! I need to get as much value for money out of this week as I can.”
Defending champion Egan cruised into the last-16 with two comfortable wins over Geoff Lenehan and Aodhagan Brady as he added another scalp of the Brady bunch in Rosses to his CV.
The Carton House man is looking to become the first man since Rory McIroy in 2006 to successfully defend the West.
“I had a tough match with Aodhagan and I know him well and seen him progress over the last few years. I know for the local lads in Sligo it can be tough playing here but he played well and I had to grind it out and I found my game on the back nine. Happy to get through,” said a relieved Egan.
Quick starts proved to be the key for Connemara’s O’Neill as he hunts his maiden major title. After roaring six up through eight holes against Paul Coughlan in the afternoon, he held on for a 3&2 win just hours after being taken to the 18th by Shea Dorman despite having a 5up lead after eleven holes.
O’Neill had a run to the semi final of the Spanish Amateur in February and he believes he has the matchplay experience to have a deep run at his home championship.
“It was a weird day, I played well in parts but poorly in others. After the first twelve holes I couldn’t find the middle of the club face. I rang my dad after the morning match and we changed some swing thoughts and I was five up through seven in the afternoon and then around the turn it was getting tight I made some bogeys and a three putt but I’m through and it’s all about going through.”
Warrenpoint star Campbell is looking to add the West to his already glittering CV which includes the Irish Amateur, the South and the East but after seeing off Edmondstown duo Thomas Abom and Pat Curran he faces Jack McDonnell in one of the standout round of 16 ties.
Elsewhere there were wins for Dylan Holmes, David Kitt, Jonathan Keane, David Reddan and James Walsh while harry Gillivan beat Dwayne Mallon on the 20th and Conor Hickey edged Liam Abom on 19.
James Fox, playing his first championship after an eleven month hiatus following surgery on a ECU tendon in his wrist has scrapped his way through the first three days and the 42-year-old edged Paul O’Hanlon on the last and the former North winner and 2018 West of Ireland semi finalist will tackle Warrenpoint teenager Harry McArdle tomorrow.
There is a mixture of experience and youth in the sixteen players that remain with major winners Fox (42), Grehan (32), Cannon (46), Anderson (34) and Campbell (37) carrying the fight to the young guns such as O’Neill, McCardle, Hickey, Holmes and Walsh.
View the last-16 draw in full HERE
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