Ireland have work to do if they’re to be in with a chance of landing a medal at the European Amateur Team Championship at Estonian Golf and Country Club on the outskirts of Tallinn.
With the best five scores counting for each side over the two strokeplay rounds and the leading eight teams going on to compete for the medals in matchplay, Ireland lie in a share of eighth place with Spain on +2.
Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins was the top performer on day one, shooting a two-under 70 thanks to three birdies and one bogey, with Stuart Grehan, making his final competitive start before heading to Royal Birkdale for the Open Championship, one behind at -1.
Gavin Tiernan and Matthew McClean each carded rounds of 73, and Caolan Rafferty’s 75 – John Doyle shot 76 – was the final counting score.
Finland lead the way after combining for a nine-under-par total that leaves them one ahead of the Netherlands, with Switzerland third on -7 and France fourth on -6.
England (-3), Estonia (-2), and Germany (level-par) are the other three teams ahead of the Irishmen, but Spain aren’t the only contenders to break into the top eight with Sweden one further back at +3 and Belgium, Italy and Iceland all sitting on +4.
Meanwhile, the Irish Girls team, led by Kayleigh Mulholland who sits tied for fifth on the individual leaderboard, are on the outside looking in as they opened with a combined +21 to sit in 10th place, four shots off eighth in the Girls Amateur Team Championship in Zurich, while the Irish Boys team, competing in Division 2 of the European Boys Team Championship at Costa Navarino in Greece are in third place.
MENS SCORING
GIRLS SCORING
BOYS SCORING
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