Moynihan bows out of the Amateur

Gavin Moynihan. Picture by Pat Cashman

Irish interest in the British Amateur Championship ended on Thursday when The Island's Gavin Moynihan fell to world No 382 Alexandre Daydo of France by 4 and 3 in the second round.

Matchplay results - Round 2, Round 3

The only Irish survivor from the first round, the reigning Irish Open Strokeplay champion was two down after nine and never recovered and Daydo went on to face Iceland's Andri Bjornsson in the last 16 in the afternoon.

The third round featured five Frenchmen and just six players from Great Britain with Scots Greig Marchbank, Grant Forrest, Jack McDonald and Robert MacIntyre, and England's Ashley Chesters and Sean Towndrow all making it through.

One of the Frenchmen, Robin Sciot-Siegrist, has Irish roots and works under Irish coach Aaron O'Callaghan at the University of Louisville.

Sciot-Siegrist, who briefly considered declaring for Ireland but was awarded a French cap last year, was one of four Frenchmen to make the quarterfinals where he will face compatriot Romain Langasque

As the R&A reported:

Forrest continued his impressive form in the 120th Amateur Championship at Carnoustie with a convincing 4&3 victory over England’s Ashley Chesters to reach the Quarter-Finals.

Forrest, a former Scottish Amateur champion, was four up after five holes against the two-time European Amateur Champion. Birdies on the 10th and 11th holes gave Forrest, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday tomorrow, a decisive lead in the match and he secured a 4&3 win.

France enjoyed an excellent day with four players reaching the Quarter-Finals. Alexandre Daydou held his nerve in a close match against Iceland’s Andri Bjornsson. The Italian International Amateur Champion won four consecutive holes from the 11th to take control of the match and he eased to a 2&1 win to secure his place in the last eight.

Daydou, who is making his third appearance in the Amateur Championship, will be joined by Antoine Rozner, who took a grip of his all-French match against Paul Barjon with birdies on the 12th and the 14th holes and sealed a 3&2 win, and Romain Langasque who defeated Sweden’s Adam Blomme by two holes. Robin Sciot-Siegrist rounded off the day with a 3&2 win in the final match against Alejandro Tosti from Argentina.

The all-Scottish affair between Jack McDonald, the 2012 Amateur Championship semi-finalist, and Glencruitten’s Robert MacIntyre was won 4&3 by the 22-year-old from Kilmarnock (Barassie). Scottish interest in the Quarter-Finals was further boosted by Greig Marchbank’s 2&1 win over Finland’s Miki Kuronen.

England’s Sean Towndrow, who lost in the Semi-Finals of last year’s Amateur Championship, was three down to  Poland’s Mateusz Gradecki by the 7th hole but clawed his way back into the match, winning the 15th and 16th holes to win by one hole.

Key quotes

Grant Forrest

“I knew it was going to be a tough game. Fortunately he let me get a nice little lead to be four up after five. Then he got a couple back but I made a couple of good putts on the 10th and the 11th to get to five up and then it was a case of hanging on after that.

“I have been playing solid golf. It was a little bit scrappy today but I managed to score which is always good. I got beat in the last 16 two years ago so it’s great to get through to the Quarter-Finals. This is the biggest event we play in the summer and so I have just got to keep doing my thing and see what happens.”

Alexandre Daydou

“I won the 11th to be all square, the 12th to be one up, the 13th to be two up and the 14th to be three up so that was really the key to the game today.

“My putting has been very good this week in all of my rounds and through the match play. I have played very well. I am just playing all of my matches 100% so let’s see what happens.”

Sean Towndrow

“I played really well early doors and even though I was three down after seven holes I just felt like I needed to stay in there as I knew I still had a chance in the match.

“I have been drawing on last year a lot. I feel like I have a lot more experience and will just keep grinding and see how I do. Getting the bronze medal last year made it very worthwhile.”

For the full list of results and the draw for tomorrow’s Quarter-Finals please visit championships.randa.org.