Selfridge surges in Azalea Invitational; Golf Digest Volvo Open at Arklow
The Country Club of Charleston
University of Toledo senior Chris Selfridge showed his fitness coach Robbie Cannon a clean pair of heels in the second round of the Azalea Invitational at the Country Club of Charleston.
The Moyola Park man, the reigning North of Ireland champion, rattled in five birdies and dropped only one stroke in a four under 67 to move up to tied 11th on four under at halfway.
The Irish international is six shots behind leader Todd White, who added a 67 to his first round 65 to lead by one on 10 under from Andre Tourinho and Patrick Christovich.
Strength and conditioning coach Cannon, who was in the US to work with Shane Lowry last week, came back from an early double bogey five, picking up four birdies in the last 10 holes to post a second successive 70.
The Balbriggan man is tied for 22nd on two under in his final warm up for the West of Ireland, which starts next Friday.
The Azalea field features two players who will be teeing it up at the Masters Tournament next week as well as Augusta member Jeff Knox, the amateur who outscored (and out putted) Rory McIlroy by one when playing with him as marker in last year's third round.
As it turns out, all three trail Selfridge and Cannon.
Knox is 44th on one over after rounds of 68 and 75 while 2014 U.S. Amateur runner-up Corey Conners of Canada, who is the No. 1 ranked amateur golfer in the world according to the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com rankings, is 32nd on level par.
Also prepping their game for the Masters is 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Scott Harvey who has claimed two victories already in 2015, including the South American Amateur and the rain-shortened Gasparilla Invitational.
Harvey is tied for 32nd with Knox on level par.
Teeing off on the fifth at Arklow Golf Links
Golf Digest Volvo Open — The Golf Digest Volvo 2015 tournament season and the “drive” to Carton House officially began today at Arklow Golf Links on Friday.
The ladies were out in force at Arklow. Please click to expand image
No fewer than 168 golfers competed in the Golf Digest Volvo Open at Arklow Golf Links, with the winner in each of three different categories earning a place in the Golf Digest Grand Final, which will be played in Carton House on Monday 2 November.
Stephen Finlan from, Dunmurry Springs (4) won the 0-12 category with 35 points. Wexford's Larry Doyle (20) won the 13-24 category with 37 points while Arklow Golf Links' Katrina O’Riordan (5) won the ladies category with 37 points. All now qualify for the title decider in Carton House in November.
The next Golf Digest Volvo Open is at County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point on Friday 17th April, with limited places still available.
