Reigning G4D Open Champion Brendan Lawlor took the halfway lead in the ISPS Handa Irish Open for Players with a Disability after a brilliant 68 on Tuesday.
Roganstown provided the ideal test and the Carton House golfer shot two birdies and an eagle on his way to a -3 total, and a seven-shot lead over Cian Arthurs (Roganstown). Arthurs shot 75 on his home course while one of his playing partners, and good friend, James McParland (Roganstown) is in third on +6.
They make up the top three in the Gross Stroke Play scoring, while Fiona Gray (St Patrick’s) and Cathy Fitzgerald (Killeen Castle) are tied at the top of the Women’s Division. They both shot 31 points on Tuesday.
Brendan Swan (Co Meath) is the leader in the Net Stroke Play, with Timmy Moloney (Co Tipperary) on top in the Net Stableford.
Caolan Munnelly (Tullamore) leads the Sport Class IN, Ian St John (Tramore) and Fernando Vega de Seoane (Real Club Puerta de Hierro) top the Combined Sport Class, Tom Doherty (Killarney) leads ST1, Arthurs is in charge in ST2, and Lawlor in ST3.
“-3 was probably the worst score I could have shot today,” said Lawlor.
“I hit the ball unbelievable. Hit 17 greens, had a lot of putts. Highlight of the round, I holed an 80-yard shot for eagle on four. I bogeyed one, birdied ten and birdied two so it was a very steady round and it could have been low, low but it’s a good start to the week.
“It was a bad bogey (on the first). I missed a two-foot putt and then I hit seven iron to about 16 feet on the second, holed that and then just kept going about my round and it was good.
“Woburn was an unbelievable week for me. I’m taking a lot of stress off my golf this year, I’m still putting in the work, but I’m not putting pressure on myself to perform. I’m just going out, trying to hit it as best I can.
“It’s unbelievable to play at home again in Ireland, such a great event too, sponsored by ISPS Handa and ran by Golf Ireland.
“It’s an incredibly ran event and it’s just going to get bigger as the years go on.”
In the Women’s Overall Net, Fitzgerald had birdies on the second and fifth to keep tabs on Gray, while her Downpatrick opponent birdied the first, sixth, eighth, 11th and 16th.
“It was a bit up and down, but the score doesn’t reflect how I played,” said Gray.
“I played pretty well. It was two Par 3s that really put the scores up on my card but apart from that, I really enjoyed it out there.
“I can’t remember which hole it was, but I’ve never been as close to a hole-in-one ever, so it was a real buffer going into the next hole, because I know I struggle on the next hole after that.
“All in all, it was it was nice to play with James and Cian, but not hit against them, try and outdrive them or whatever. It was just to try and play my own game, get a bit of confidence from Woburn because Woburn was tough and coming here, this course is tough too but I just wanted to get some more confidence back, play the game that I enjoy playing and just get myself back on track.
“The course is playing lovely. The greens are a lot better this year. Last year they were slick, but they’re really nice and the ball was stopping on the greens. I three-putted a couple of greens because I was leaving myself short but all-in-all, I had a good day.”
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