Irish Close champion John Ross Galbraith made an instant impression on the professional scene when he made  the cut at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge in association with Maui Jim Sunglasses, writes the European Challenge Tour.

While Jonny Caldwell (65-73) is the leading home player, five behind leader Joakim Lagergren with Gareth Shaw (67-72) tied 14th and Ballymena amateur Dermot McElroy (67-73) a superb 19th, Galbraith did not disappoint on his debut in a professional event at Galgorm Castle.

The Whitehead player carded five birdies in a one over 72 to finish the second day tied for 30th on level par with Mark Murphy, making the grade for the cut with two shots to spare as five-time European Tour winner Michael Hoey was one of 14 home players to miss out.

“I’m delighted,” said Galbraith. “My target was just to make the cut. I've been hitting the ball well, pretty straight, but I haven’t been putting great, just one now and again. But my game is in good shape so hopefully I can get the flat stick going and shoot a few low ones.

“It’s my first time playing a professional event so it’s always going to be different to an amateur event but the experience has been good so far, I've enjoyed every minute of it. I had a big crowd from Whitehead cheering me on so that always helps.

“The wind is horrendous out there, the trickiest is the cross wind, because you need to start the ball 20 or 30 yards left or right to get it into the middle of the fairway. Even in the downwind holes it’s hard to get the distance right so it’s tricky all around.

“I can just relax now and whatever happens happens, whether I shoot millions over or millions under, it’ll happen.

“I was delighted to get picked by the Ulster Branch for this event, to be classed as the top four in Ulster is good for and I thank them for picking me because it’s great experience for me.

“The standard is unbelievable out here but it’s nothing I didn’t expect to be honest. I feel I could compete pretty well out here.”

Niall Kearney (75) is one over and Alan Dunbar (74) two over but the rest of the Irish missed the cut with the biggest disappointment falling to Hoey after his 75 left him two sots outside the mark. 

Leader Lagergren followed up his spectacular opening 62 with a battling level par 71 in difficult conditions to enter the weekend one shot clear of Englishman Steven Brown (69) on mine under.

Scores

133 J Lagergren (Swe) 62 71, 

134 S Brown (Eng) 65 69, 

135 D Kemmer (USA) 66 69, T Linard (Fra) 67 68,

136 B Stone (RSA) 69 67, K Ferrie (Eng) 68 68,

137 T Sluiter  (Ned) 67 70, M Orrin (Eng) 66 71,

138 R McGowan  (Eng) 66 72, B Ritthammer (Ger) 68 70, R Davies (Wal) 68 70, J Caldwell  (Nir) 65 73, A Bernadet  (Fra) 68 70,

139 J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 68 71, M Ford (Eng) 71 68, P Maddy (Eng) 69 70, G Shaw (Nir) 67 72, C Paisley  (Eng) 72 67,

140 S Little (Eng) 70 70, C Ford (Eng) 70 70, J Sjöholm (Swe) 68 72, R McEvoy  (Eng) 67 73, D McElroy (am) (Nir) 67 73,

141 A McArthur  (Sco) 69 72, R Kind (Ned) 68 73, P Dwyer (Eng) 69 72, R Russell (Sco) 71 70, E Espana (Fra) 71 70, S Henry  (Sco) 72 69,

142 A Snobeck  (Fra) 64 78, A Björk (Swe) 68 74, R Gowers (Eng) 71 71, M Haines  (Eng) 71 71, M Delpodio  (Ita) 69 73, M Murphy  (Irl) 72 70, J Maw (Eng) 68 74, J Harrison (Eng) 69 73, T Murray (Eng) 74 68, C Aguilar  (Esp) 69 73, C Hanson (Eng) 68 74, J Galbraith (am) (Nir) 70 72,

143 B Virto  (Esp) 74 69, J Stalter (Fra) 72 71, J Senior (Eng) 72 71, J Edfors (Swe) 68 75, W Booth  (Sco) 67 76, N Kearney (Irl) 68 75, J Huldahl (Den) 70 73, K Benz (Sui) 67 76,

144 A Wrigley (Eng) 70 74, S Arnold  (Aus) 70 74, G Cambis  (Fra) 68 76, J Guerrier  (Fra) 74 70, J Winther (Den) 69 75, C Shinkwin (Eng) 68 76, N Quintarelli (Ita) 69 75, D Stewart (Sco) 70 74, J Garcia Del Moral (Esp) 70 74, C Shave (Eng) 72 72, P Figueiredo  (Por) 68 76, M Decottignies-Lafon (Fra) 70 74, A Dunbar (Nir) 70 74, M Lafeber (Ned) 72 72, C Kelly (Sco) 72 72, B Åkesson (Swe) 71 73, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 73 71, 

CUT

145 D Gavins (Eng) 72 73, R Steiner (Aut) 74 71, Z Scotland  (Eng) 75 70, E Johansen  (Nor) 70 75, M Wiegele  (Aut) 72 73, M Tullo (Chi) 71 74, O Wilson (Eng) 73 72, N Johansson (Swe) 73 72, F Fritsch  (Ger) 72 73, P McKechnie (Sco) 72 73, G Boyd  (Eng) 69 76, L Goddard  (Eng) 68 77, O Ramsnes  (Nor) 74 71, D Mooney (Nir) 72 73, P Price (Wal) 73 72, J Roos (RSA) 74 71, C Sharvin (am) (Nir) 72 73,

146 S Hutsby  (Eng) 72 74, J Pastor (Esp) 73 73, M Glauert (Ger) 69 77, G Woolgar (Eng) 74 72, H Bacher (Aut) 72 74, B Parker  (Eng) 74 72, H Joannes  (Bel) 73 73, O Farr (Wal) 75 71, M Trappel  (Aut) 71 75, M Hoey  (Nir) 71 75, T Pilkadaris (Aus) 73 73, M McGeady (Irl) 71 75,

147 G Lockerbie  (Eng) 76 71, O Stark (Swe) 76 71, T Lee (USA) 68 79, P Edberg (Swe) 74 73, D Law (Sco) 76 71, C McDonnell (Eng) 68 79, B Hebert  (Fra) 75 72, S Tiley (Eng) 73 74, B Robinson (am) (Eng) 72 75,

148 C McNamara (Irl) 75 73, N Lemke (Swe) 76 72, F Praegant (Aut) 71 77, L Jensen (Den) 72 76, G Murray  (Sco) 69 79, A Savolainen  (Fin) 72 76,

149 C Mivis  (Bel) 73 76, J Fahrbring (Swe) 72 77, C Brazillier  (Fra) 75 74, P Widegren  (Swe) 78 71, D Geminiani (Ita) 78 71, A Hogan  (Irl) 77 72, S Whiffin (Eng) 73 76, P Gal  (Cze) 72 77, A Grant (am) (Irl) 72 77,

150 O Evans (Eng) 76 74, C Russo (Fra) 67 83, N Murray (Nir) 77 73, B Evans  (Eng) 78 72, C Macaulay  (Sco) 77 73, N McCarthy  (Eng) 76 74, D Frittelli (RSA) 72 78, A Perrino  (Ita) 75 75, C Bouniol (Fra) 74 76, J Gonnet  (Fra) 72 78, G King (Eng) 75 75, D Coupland (Eng) 74 76,

151 M Smith (Eng) 79 72, J Rask (Swe) 73 78, A Domingo (Esp) 75 76, R Coles (Eng) 77 74, R Gouveia (Por) 75 76, J Legarrea (Esp) 75 76, L Nemecz (Aut) 74 77, S Grant  (Irl) 74 77, S Hansen (Nor) 73 78,

152 L Kennedy  (Eng) 75 77, R Whitson (Nir) 76 76, L Saltman (Sco) 73 79,

153 J Wilson (Aus) 77 76, C Campbell (am) (Nir) 77 76,

154 J Timmis (Eng) 74 80, A Gabella (Sui) 75 79, M McAlpin (Nir) 74 80,

156 T Innes Ker (Sco) 77 79, B McCarroll  (Irl) 77 79,

158 J Kennegard  (Swe) 81 77, 

159 S Ward (Irl) 78 81,

162 J Quinlivan (Irl) 79 83,

** J Elson  (Eng) 73 DQ, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) RT  0, R McGee (Irl) RT  0,