Casey sets the pace in Mullingar
Home favourite Dessie Morgan drives off the 10th in Saturday’s second round.
Headfort’s Brian Casey opened with super 68 to grab the first round lead in the 50th anniversary edition of the Mullingar Grant Thornton Scratch Trophy.
He leads by a stroke on four under par from former South of Ireland champion Stephen Walsh of Portmarnock with Royal Dublin’s Sean Ryan, Castlemartyr’s Mark Shanahan, Ballyclare’s Ally Purdy, Ger Lawlor of Newbridge and The Island’s Brendan Walton a further shot back.
While British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar was one of several top players to withdraw due to the hectic amateur calendar, there is a top class field in action at the famed James Braid course.
They are chasing a place in the history books alongside a host of Irish golfing heroes who have lifted the famous silver trophy, incluing major winners Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy, Ryder Cup stars Des Smyth, Paul McGinley and Philip Walton and tour players such as Shane Lowry, Gary Murphy and Raymond Burns.
The list of winners is a who’s who of Irish golf, starting with the great JB Carr in 1963.
Mullingar Grant Thornton Scratch Trophy 2012
Saturday & Sunday, 25th & 26th August 2012
Round One
68 B Casey (Headfort)
69 S Walsh (Portmarnock)
70 S Ryan (Royal Dublin), M Shanahan (Castlemartyr), A Purdy (Ballyclare), G Lawlor (Newbridge), B Walton (Malahide)
71 C Fairweather (Knock), L Grehan (Mullingar), J Greene (Portmarnock), N Grant (Knock)
72 C Glynn (Carton House), T McLarnon (Masserene), A Kearney (Castlerock), T O’Connor (Athlone), J Fox (Portmarnock), M Kane (Whitehead), C Molloy (Ardee), J Gourley (Holywood), M McAlpin (Royal Portrush), J Lyons (Birr)
73 D Morgan (Mullingar), C Sharvin (Ardglass), S Grehan (Tullamore), A Lowry (Esker Hills), A Hogan (Newlands), C Rafferty (Greenore)
74 S Ward (Co Louth), K McDonagh (Athlone), G McGrane (Royal Dublin), D Holland (Castle), C Cunningham (Carton House), C O’Rourke (Naas), P Small (Bangor), J Conroy (Bray), J Rothwell (Curragh), D Downie (Sutton)
75 R Weldon (Killeen Castle), G Lenehan (Portmarnock), J Hume (Rathsallagh), J Rackard (Enniscorthy), S Smyth (Co Louth), S Egan (Castle Bearna), B McGarry (Birr), L Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), D McElroy (Ballymena), M Murphy (Enniscorthy), L Ashby (Killerig), S Hogan (Nenagh), R Bridges (Stackstown), P O’Kane (Moyola Park)
76 A Grant (Dundalk), G Shaw (Mullingar), D Reidy (Co Sligo), A Doran (Ardee), S Carter (Stackstown/NUIM), E Smith (Ardee)
77 J McGuinness (New Forest), M Kelly (Mullingar), A Duffy (Royal Tara), R Symmington (Lisburn), C Tormey (Mullingar), C Geraghty (L&B), D Lally (Mullingar), M Boucher (Carton Hse), S McGlynn (CartonHse)
78 E Farrell (Ardee), J Carvill (Banbridge), T Jordan (Dungannon)
79 R Burke (Castle), C McGrogan (Newbridge), G O’Connor (Malahide), R Knightly (Royal Dublin), S Healy (Claremorris)
80 G Carr (Mullingar), G Walsh (Mount Juliet)
81 I Brennan (Greenore)
82 M Richards (Carton House), C Rentes (Highfield)
85 P Burke (Mullingar)
86 L McMillan (Blessington Lakes)
89 D O’Connor (Athlone)
CSS Round 1: 73
Mullingar Scratch Cup - Past winners
2011 Nicky Grant
2010 Kelan McDonagh
2009 Connor Doran
2008 Shane Lowry
2007 Paul O’Hanlon
2006 Rory McIllroy
2005 Gareth Shaw
2004 Greg Bowden
2003 Colm Moriarty
2002 Eoin O’Sullivan
2001 Colm Moriarty
2000 Johnny Foster
1999 Tim Rice
1998 Pat Collier
1997 Sean Quinlivan
1996 Peter Lawrie
1995 Gary Murphy
1994 Padraig Harrington
1993 Eddie Power
1992 Raymond Burns
1991 Paul McGinley
1990 Leslie Walker
1989 Darren Clarke
1988 Adrian Morrow
1987 Frank Gannon
1986 John McHenry
1985 Garth McGimpsey
1984 Paul Murphy
1983 Ian Elliott
1982 Philip Walton
1981 Mark Gannon
1980 Val Smyth
1979 Frank Gannon
1978 B. Wilson
1977 Eddie Dunne
1976 M.D. O’Brien
1975 Hugh Smyth
1974 B. P. Malone
1973 Mark Gannon
1972 Des Smyth
1971 Martin D. O’Brien
1970 Peter Benka
1969 N. Mason
1968 Martin D. O’Brien
1967 B. P. Malone
1966 Peter Townsend
1965 Peter Townsend
1964 Tom Craddock
1963 J.B. Carr