Hurley and Co shift focus to Brabazon
Gary Hurley at the ninth during round three of the Irish Open at Fota Island. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie
The Irish Open is history now for Gary Hurley, Dermot McElroy and Gavin Moynihan as they turn their attention to this week's Brabazon Trophy at Seaton Carew.
The pair lead a nine-strong Irish contingent to the Hartlepool track alongside Paul McBride, Stuart Grehan, Jack Hume, Cormac Sharvin, Daniel Holland and Robin Dawson.
Moynihan and McElroy missed the cut but Hurley shot 72-66 to make the weekend and eventually finish 73rd on eight over after weekend rounds of 81 and 73.
"It was a brilliant week, really enjoyed it," Hurley said. "It had everything in it. Highs, some very good highs and some pretty big lows. But it kind of evened itself out at the end of the week and hopefully next time I get in a position like I was yesterday I can handle it a bit better. I thought I played quite well considering I was absolutely drained from yesterday and the day before. I am just delighted to be here, to be playing on a Sunday."
Reflecting on his 81 on Saturday, he said: "There were so many people following me and cheering me on it was hard to concentrate on playing well without letting them down if you know what I mean. Hopefully I can learn next time I can handle the situation a bit better, maybe be a bit more mature about the whole thing."
He closed out his week by holing a 25 footer for birdie at the 18th and received a huge ovation.
“I think golf is 70 per cent mental. You have to be able to cope with highs and you have to be able to cope with lows.”
"I was playing on my own, another experience for the week. I never played a competitive round on my own before. But I was great, so many people following me. I was off at 6.45 so for the people to come out is brilliant. It really means a lot."
Getting over the physical and mental exertions of Fota Island is the next step for Hurley, who believes he will learn from the experience.
"I think golf is 70 per cent mental. You have to be able to cope with highs and you have to be able to cope with lows, making bogeys and coming back from bad breaks.
"You can play badly and have a good round with a good mental attitude and get a good score, or you can play well with a bad mental attitude and have a bad score. It’s a big part of golf; that’s what I’ve learned over the last few years of playing and I’m trying to improve. It’s difficult but I’m getting there one step at a time.
"I learned a lot more yesterday (Saturday) than I learned any day this week. There are so many things you can do better. You learn from that, whereas when you have a good round you don’t really think of the things you did badly. You just cherish the good times you had.
Brabazon Trophy, Seaton Carew, Wed., June 25 to Saturday, June 28
Tee-times
| Time R1 | Match | Time R2 | No. | Name | Club |
| 0700 | 1 | 1130 | 1 | Zach Galliford Borth & Ynyslas | Borth & Ynyslas |
| 2 | Matt Hill Leighton Buzzard | Leighton Buzzard | |||
| 3 | Seb Crookall-Nixon Workington | Workington | |||
| 0710 | 2 | 1140 | 4 | Tom Bullough Northamptonshire County | Northamptonshire County |
| 5 | Florian Kolberg Turkey | Turkey | |||
| 6 | Harrison Greenberry Exeter Golf & CC | Exeter Golf & CC | |||
| 0720 | 3 | 1150 | 7 | Jamie Bower Meltham | Meltham |
| 8 | Scott Gregory Corhampton | Corhampton | |||
| 9 | Mark Young Longridge | Longridge | |||
| 0730 | 4 | 1200 | 10 | Ben Robinson Vale Golf & CC | Vale Golf & CC |
| 11 | James Simpson Whickham | Whickham | |||
| 12 | Jordan Lawrence Sandy Lodge | Sandy Lodge | |||
| 0740 | 5 | 1210 | 13 | Jimmy Mullen Royal North Devon | Royal North Devon |
| 14 | Jean-Michel Hall Woburn | Woburn | |||
| 15 | Tomasz Anderson Brocket Hall | Brocket Hall | |||
| 0750 | 6 | 1220 | 16 | Jordan Smith Bowood Golf & CC | Bowood Golf & CC |
| 17 | Joey Lamb Wilpshire | Wilpshire | |||
| 18 | Ryan Evans Wellingborough | Wellingborough | |||
| 0800 | 7 | 1230 | 19 | Tom Sloman Taunton & Pickeridge | Taunton & Pickeridge |
| 20 | James Adams Druids Heath | Druids Heath | |||
| 21 | John Kemp Woburn | Woburn | |||
| 0810 | 8 | 1240 | 22 | Joshua Cottrell Ipswich | Ipswich |
| 23 | Luke Johnson Kings Lynn | Kings Lynn | |||
| 24 | Adam Dunton McDonald | McDonald | |||
| 0820 | 9 | 1250 | 25 | Nicolaas Arnoldi South Africa | South Africa |
| 26 | Sean Towndrow Southport & Ainsdale | Southport & Ainsdale | |||
| 27 | Thomas Rowland Prudhoe | Prudhoe | |||
| 0830 | 10 | 1310 | 28 | Dean Homewood Addington Palace | Addington Palace |
| 29 | Richard James Aberystwyth | Aberystwyth | |||
| 0840 | 11 | 1320 | 31 | Paul Waring Felixstowe Ferry | Felixstowe Ferry |
| 32 | George Bloor Cavendish | Cavendish | |||
| 33 | Jack Cardy Ipswich | Ipswich | |||
| 0850 | 12 | 1330 | 34 | Ciaran Doherty Bury | Bury |
| 35 | Dermot McElroy Ballymena | Ballymena | |||
| 36 | Freddie Sheridan-Mills Walsall | Walsall | |||
| 0910 | 13 | 1340 | 37 | Luke Aston Beau Desert | Beau Desert |
| 38 | David Langley Castle Royle Golf & CC | Castle Royle Golf & CC | |||
| 39 | Will Smith Stoneleigh Deer Park | Stoneleigh Deer Park | |||
| 0920 | 14 | 1350 | 40 | Michael Bullen Worthing | Worthing |
| 41 | Calum Hill Tantallon | Tantallon | |||
| 42 | Joshua Munn New Zealand | New Zealand | |||
| 0930 | 15 | 1400 | 44 | Jamie Dick Forest Hills (Gloucestershire) | Forest Hills (Gloucestershire) |
| 45 | Corey Sheppard High Post | High Post | |||
| 0940 | 16 | 1410 | 46 | Bradley Thomas Foxhills | Foxhills |
| 47 | Edgar Catherine France | France | |||
| 48 | Ben Amor Marlborough | Marlborough | |||
| 0950 | 17 | 1420 | 49 | Joris Etlin France | France |
| 50 | Gordon Stevenson Whitecraigs | Whitecraigs | |||
| 51 | Michael Lawrence Sundridge Park | Sundridge Park | |||
| 1000 | 18 | 1430 | 52 | Leo Mathard France | France |
| 53 | David Houlding Moortown | Moortown | |||
| 54 | Jonathan Grey Hever Castle | Hever Castle | |||
| 1010 | 19 | 1440 | 55 | Ragnar Gardarsson Iceland | Iceland |
| 56 | Hole Augustin France | France | |||
| 57 | Jonas Thomsen Denmark | Denmark | |||
| 1020 | 20 | 1450 | 58 | Ashley Chesters Hawkstone Park | Hawkstone Park |
| 59 | Daniel Young Craigie Hill | Craigie Hill | |||
| 60 | Paul Howard Southport & Ainsdale | Southport & Ainsdale | |||
| 1030 | 21 | 1500 | 61 | Jake Phillips Cotswold Hills | Cotswold Hills |
| 62 | Sam Edwards Bigbury | Bigbury | |||
| 63 | Matt Kippen Enmore Park | Enmore Park | |||
| 1040 | 22 | 1510 | 64 | Craig Melding Neath | Neath |
| 65 | Jordan Boulton Notts | Notts | |||
| 66 | Gary Hurley West Waterford | West Waterford | |||
| 1050 | 23 | 1520 | 67 | Gavin Nesbit Boldon | Boldon |
| 69 | Steven Robins Hull | Hull | |||
| 68 | William Aldred Brocket Hall | Brocket Hall | |||
| 1110 | 24 | 1530 | 70 | Haydn McCullen Delamere Forest | Delamere Forest |
| 71 | Arron Wright Enville | Enville | |||
| 72 | Daniel Wasteney Lindrick | Lindrick | |||
| 1120 | 25 | 1540 | 73 | Bobby Keeble Crowlands Heath | Crowlands Heath |
| 74 | Jamie Boler Notts | Notts | |||
| 75 | Ewen Ferguson Bearsden | Bearsden | |||
| 1130 | 26 | 0700 | 76 | Scott Gibson Southerness | Southerness |
| 77 | Will Robson Bellingham | Bellingham | |||
| 78 | Conor Syme Dumfries & County | Dumfries & County | |||
| 1140 | 27 | 0710 | 79 | Robert Burlison Oxley Park | Oxley Park |
| 80 | Cameron Murry Ramsdale Park GC | Ramsdale Park GC | |||
| 81 | Oscar Granstrom-Livesey Royal Mid-Surrey | Royal Mid-Surrey | |||
| 1150 | 28 | 0720 | 82 | Paul McBride Island | Island |
| 83 | Daniel Brown Bedale | Bedale | |||
| 84 | Nick Watson Stoke Rochford | Stoke Rochford | |||
| 1200 | 29 | 0730 | 85 | Taylor Hutton Foxhills | Foxhills |
| 86 | James McCormick Styal | Styal | |||
| 87 | Craig Smith Pike Hills | Pike Hills | |||
| 1210 | 30 | 0740 | 88 | Stephen East Moortown | Moortown |
| 89 | Iain Mackay Wentworth | Wentworth | |||
| 90 | Victor Veyret France | France | |||
| 1220 | 31 | 0750 | 91 | Marcus Mohr Bromborough | Bromborough |
| 92 | Tom Fox China Fleet | China Fleet | |||
| 93 | Daniel Holland Ireland | Ireland | |||
| 1230 | 32 | 0800 | 94 | Tom Hamson Horsley Lodge | Horsley Lodge |
| 95 | James Reeson Brampton Park | Brampton Park | |||
| 96 | Andrew Schonewille Australia | Australia | |||
| 1240 | 33 | 0810 | 97 | Scott Borrowman Dollar | Dollar |
| 98 | Sam Whitehead Woburn | Woburn | |||
| 99 | Ian Kenwright Haydock Park | Haydock Park | |||
| 1250 | 34 | 0820 | 100 | Lee Jones Conwy (Caernarvonshire) | Conwy (Caernarvonshire) |
| 101 | Rhys Pugh Vale of Glamorgan | Vale of Glamorgan | |||
| 102 | Alexander Culverwell Dunbar | Dunbar | |||
| 1310 | 35 | 0830 | 103 | James Allan Chelmsford | Chelmsford |
| 104 | Harry Casey Enfield | Enfield | |||
| 105 | Keiron Fowler Wells | Wells | |||
| 1320 | 36 | 0840 | 106 | Luke Spooner Sundridge Park | Sundridge Park |
| 107 | Jack Bush Morlais Castle | Morlais Castle | |||
| 108 | Stuart Grehan Tullamore | Tullamore | |||
| 1330 | 37 | 0850 | 109 | Matthew Moseley Carmarthen | Carmarthen |
| 110 | Alex Dixon City of Newcastle | City of Newcastle | |||
| 111 | Victor Trehet France | France | |||
| 1340 | 38 | 0910 | 112 | Robin Dawson Faithlegg | Faithlegg |
| 113 | Jack Hume Naas | Naas | |||
| 114 | Ben Stow Rushmore | Rushmore | |||
| 1350 | 39 | 0920 | 115 | James Dobbs Ross-on-Wye | Ross-on-Wye |
| 116 | Pierre Mazier France | France | |||
| 117 | Alastair Jones Radyr | Radyr | |||
| 1400 | 40 | 0930 | 118 | Adam Chapman Windermere | Windermere |
| 119 | David Ravetto France | France | |||
| 120 | Robert Clayton Cold Ashby | Cold Ashby | |||
| 1410 | 41 | 0940 | 121 | Liam Cox Burhill | Burhill |
| 122 | Cormac Sharvin Ireland | Ireland | |||
| 123 | Afonso Girao Portugal | Portugal | |||
| 1420 | 42 | 0950 | 124 | Paul Kinnear Formby | Formby |
| 125 | Ben Taylor Walton Heath | Walton Heath | |||
| 126 | Matthew Hogg Rushcliffe | Rushcliffe | |||
| 1430 | 43 | 1000 | 127 | Goncalo Costa Portugal | Portugal |
| 128 | Jordan Wrisdale Boston | Boston | |||
| 129 | Ben Best Rathmore | Rathmore | |||
| 1440 | 44 | 1010 | 130 | Billy McKenzie Rowlands Castle | Rowlands Castle |
| 131 | William Whiteoak Shipley | Shipley | |||
| 132 | Sam Claypole Horsley Lodge | Horsley Lodge | |||
| 1450 | 45 | 1020 | 133 | Richard Mansell Beau Desert | Beau Desert |
| 134 | Craig Ross Kirkhill | Kirkhill | |||
| 135 | Michael Saunders Dartford | Dartford | |||
| 1500 | 46 | 1030 | 136 | Nick Marsh Huddersfield | Huddersfield |
| 137 | Sebastian Mork Andersen Norway | Norway | |||
| 138 | Gavin Moynihan The Island | The Island | |||
| 1510 | 47 | 1040 | 139 | Mathias Schjolberg Norway | Norway |
| 140 | Freddie Price Royal Blackheath | Royal Blackheath | |||
| 141 | Matthew Alden West Middlesex | West Middlesex | |||
| 1520 | 48 | 1050 | 142 | Tom Gandy Rowany | Rowany |
| 143 | Cameron Massey Wallasey | Wallasey | |||
| 144 | Jacob Tinsley East Devon | East Devon | |||
| 1530 | 49 | 1110 | 145 | Alister Balcombe Clevedon | Clevedon |
| 146 | Greig Marchbank Thornhill | Thornhill | |||
| 147 | Thomas Lawton Wilmslow | Wilmslow | |||
| 1540 | 50 | 1120 | 148 | Daniel Garner Romford | Romford |
| 149 | Will Rushworth Pannal | Pannal | |||
| 150 | David Boote Walton Heath | Walton Heath |
