Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass) who shot a 66 to be leading qualifier at the AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Connemara Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman Ardglass’ Cormac Sharvin claimed the coveted Silver Medal when he added a six under par 66 to his opening 70 to top the qualifiers  in the AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Connemara Golf Club.

The University of Stirling student, 20, finished one shot ahead of Tuam’s Damien Coyne on eight under 136.

The reigning North of Ireland strokeplay champion, Sharvin made birdies at the second, third, fifth, seventh and thirteenth and followed a lone bogey at the 16th with birdies at the last two holes.

“I am feeling good, my game is in great shape” Sharvin declared after his 66. “I have barely missed a shot for two days. I holed a few putts this afternoon; that was the difference from the previous day. I hit 17 greens on Saturday and shot two-under. I didn’t hole many then but did today”.

Having moved to Scotland to study, the county Down golfer is now being coached by former European Tour player Dean Robertson and the plus-three handicapper is making steady progress.

“I have had a steady enough season so far. I made the cut at the Lytham Trophy, made the cut at the Scottish amateur last week; just sort of fell away in the last few days. I made the cut in the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin which was nice.”

Damien Coyne (Tuam) driving from the 18th in the second round of the AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Connemara Golf Club. Picture by Pat CashmanTuam’s Damien Coyne, who shot an eight-under par round of 64 on Saturday, missed out on the top spot by one stroke after his second round of 73 left him on 137 while Naas teenager Jack Hume, who agonisingly faded at the finish of the Irish Amateur Open last month, ended stroke play qualifying on 138.

Sharvin will meet Shane McGlynn from Carton House in the first knockout round today, while Coyne takes on Alan Thomas from Dungarvan. Jack Hume has Eanna Griffin from Waterford to overcome if he is to progress.

Defending champion Chris Selfridge from Moyola Park scraped into the top 64 after a second round of 72 which left him just inside the cut on 149 and he faces Fota Island’s Keith Crowley in the next round.

Jack Hume (Rathsallagh) driving from the 16th tee at the AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Connemara Golf Club. Picture by Pat CashmanBalbriggan’s Robbie Cannon, the Irish Amateur Open champion, failed to make it through to the match play stages after rounds of 75 and 76 left him on 151.

AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship, Connemara Golf Club (Par 72)

First round draw

Monday 10 June 2013 (from 730am)

(1st quarter)

P Murray (Limerick) v A Gleeson (Castle);

E Arthurs (Forrest Little) v S Coulter (Warrenpoint);

D Brennan (Shannon) v R McKinstry (Cairndhu);

S Ward (Co Louth) v M McKnight (Lisburn);

E McCormack (Galway) v E Smith (Ardee);

I Brennan (Greenore) v S McCarthy (Killeen Castle/NUIM);

D Loftus (Castlebar/NUIM) v B Anderson (The Royal Dublin);

C Sharvin (Ardglass) v S McGlynn (Carton House);

(2nd quarter)

P McBride (The Island) v D Holland (Castle);

J Hopkins (The Royal Dublin)  v G Lappin (Belvoir Park);

N Gorey (Muskerry) v J Greene (Portmarnock);

G McDermott (Co Sligo) v J Richardson (Royal Portrush);

S Flanagan (Co Sligo) v A Purdy (Ballyclare);

C Campbell (Warrenpoint) v K Egan (Carton House);

M Morrissey (Mt Wolseley) v D Byrne (Greystones);

J Hume (Rathsallagh) v E Griffin (Waterford);

(3rd quarter)

C Selfridge (Moyola Park) v K Crowley (Fota Island);

T McLarnon (Massereene v UUJ) v J Yates (Naas);

S Loftus (Lahinch) v S Bleakley (Shandon Park);

D Morgan (Mullingar) v S O’Hara (Co Sligo);

S Healy (Claremorris) v R Pierse (Grange);

E Haugh (Castletroy) v M McAlpin (Royal Portrush);

A Thomas (Dungarvan) v D Coyne (Tuam);

G Lenehan (Portmarnock) v P Coughlan (Moate);

(4th quarter)

P Dunne (Greystones) v D Carey (Carton House);

L Ashby (Killerig) v J Whelan (Newlands);

T Cleary (Dromoland) v S Walsh (Portmarnock);

R Bridges (Stackstown) v K Lynch (Skibbereen /NUIM);

S Grehan (Tullamore) v C McKenna (Mallow);

J Lyons (Galway) v S Bryan (Delgany);

M Collins (Killeen Castle) v J Sugrue (Mallow);

R Dawson (Faithlegg) v D Coghlan (Portmarnock).

Qualifiers

136 C Sharvin (Ardglass) 70 66

137 D Coyne (Tuam) 64 73

138 J Hume (Rathsallagh) 71 67

139 P Dunne (Greystones) 67 72

140 R Bridges (Stackstown) 71 69

141 A Thomas (Dungarvan) 73 68, M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 73 68, D Morgan (Mullingar) 70 71

142 R Pierse (Grange) 72 70, S Loftus (Lahinch) 72 70, D Coghlan (Portmarnock) 71 71, K Egan (Carton House) 70 72, S Flanagan (Co. Sligo) 70 72, T McLarnon (Massereene v UUJ) 69 73, P McBride (The Island) 66 76

143 S Healy (Claremorris) 73 70, J Hopkins (Royal Dublin) 73 70, B Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 71 72

144 S Ward (Co. Louth) 74 70, E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 72 72, D Byrne (Greystones) 72 72, G McDermott (Co. Sligo) 69 75, S Coulter (Warrenpoint) 68 76

145 J Sugrue (Mallow) 75 70, M Collins (Killeen Castle) 74 71, S Bryan (Delgany) 73 72, J Yates (Naas) 73 72, D Loftus (Castlebar /NUIM) 73 72, I Brennan (Greenore) 71 74, M McKnight (LPGA International) 71 74, K Lynch (Skibbereen /NUIM) 69 76

146 S Walsh (Portmarnock) 73 73, E Smith (Ardee) 71 75

147 T Cleary (Dromoland) 75 72, L Ashby (Killerig) 74 73, D Carey (Carton House) 73 74, S Grehan (Tullamore) 70 77

148 R McKinstry (Cairndhu) 77 71, D Brennan (Shannon) 77 71, S O’Hara (Co. Sligo) 76 72, G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 76 72, P Coughlan (Moate) 75 73, E Haugh (Castletroy) 73 75, S Bleakley (Shandon Park) 73 75, J Greene (Portmarnock) 72 76, S McCarthy (Killeen Castle /NUIM) 71 77, G Lappin (Belvoir Park) 69 79

149 D Holland (Castle) 78 71, S McGlynn (Carton House) 78 71, C Selfridge (Moyola Park) 77 72, A Gleeson (Castle) 77 72, A Purdy (Ballyclare) 77 72, C McKenna (Mallow) 76 73, P Murray (Limerick) 76 73, J Lyons (Galway) 75 74, E Griffin (Waterford) 74 75, K Crowley (Fota Island) 74 75, M Morrissey (Mount Wolseley) 73 76, R Dawson (Faithlegg) 73 76, C Campbell (Warrenpoint) 73 76, E McCormack (Galway) 73 76, J Richardson (Royal Portrush) 72 77, N Gorey (Muskerry) 71 78, J Whelan (Newlands) 71 78

Non-Qualifiers:

149 P Reavey (Warrenpoint) 71 78

150 C O’Rourke (Naas /NUIM) 79 71, T Fay (Rush) 79 71, I O’Flynn (Cork) 78 72, C Melvin (Corrstown) 76 74, G Collins (Rosslare) 75 75, S Brady (Co. Sligo) 74 76

151 J Pierse (Grange) 78 73, J Conroy (Bray) 76 75, A Hogan (Newlands) 75 76, E Murphy (Cork) 75 76, R Cannon (Balbriggan) 75 76, M Shanahan (Castlemartyr) 74 77

152 C Fairweather (Knock) 82 70, R Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 80 72, M McClean (Balmoral) 79 73, D Brady (Co. Sligo) 78 74, G Cohen (Beaverstown) 76 76, C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown) 76 76, E Farrell (Ardee) 76 76, E O’Donovan (Craddockstown) 75 77, N Grant (Knock) 74 78, N Foley (The Island) 74 78, P Linton (Lucan) 73 79, A D’Arcy (Ballinrobe) 73 79

153 R Symington (Lisburn) 79 74, J Hickey (Cork) 78 75, A Lowry (Esker Hills /NUIM) 78 75, S Cullen (Slieve Russell) 78 75, M Wylie (Quinta da Ria) 77 76, S Cannon (Loughrea) 76 77, B O’Reilly (Athenry) 76 77, D O’Donovan (Muskerry) 76 77

154 G Brett (Ballinrobe) 76 78

155 M Richards (Roganstown) 80 75, D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) 79 76, S Watts (Cairndhu) 78 77, E Cradock (Gort) 77 78, P Connolly (Clontarf) 75 80, D Shaw (Belvoir Park) 75 80

156 A Magee (Powerscourt) 83 73, G O’Flaherty (Cork) 79 77, S Hogan (Nenagh) 79 77, S Carter (Stackstown /NUIM) 78 78, F O’Sullivan (Tralee) 78 78

157 R O’Dwyer (Callan /NUIM) 80 77, R Walsh (Kilkenny) 78 79, S O’Connor (Luttrellstown Castle) 78 79, C Coyne (Youghal) 76 81, D McDonough (Galway) 75 82

158 C McCaughey (Dungannon) 80 78, P O’Leary (Lucan) 80 78, D Byrne (Athenry) 78 80, S Alley (Co. Tipperary) 78 80

159 W Bamber (Royal Portrush) 81 78, C O’Sullivan (Fota Island) 78 81, C Kenny (Curragh) 78 81, J Flaherty (Connemara) 77 82

160 G Shaw (Mullingar) 80 80

161 N McGlynn (Carton House) 85 76

162 J O’Flynn (Cork) 84 78, G MacNamara (Woodbrook) 82 80, M Horan (Birr) 80 82

163 J Monaghan (The Royal Dublin) 79 84

165 E McGuinness (East Clare) 86 79

NR G Anthony (Connemara) 81 NR

WD D O’Sullivan (Youghal) 81 WTD