New Ross star Ryan storms to three-shot Leinster Boys win
Winner Michael Ryan (New Ross) with the Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship at Balcarrick Golf Club. Photo: Ronan Quinlan
He might have started the final day three shots off the pace but New Ross' Michael Ryan brilliantly birdied three of his last five holes for a magnificent three-shot victory in the Titleist Footjoy sponsored Leinster Boys Amateur Open at Balcarrick.
Kinsale's Gary Ward and Ballyhaunis' Andrew Hickey led by a shot at halfway from Dubai's Rayhan Thomas on one under with Ryan tied sixth on two over in his final event as a Boy.
The overall winner Michael Ryan (New Ross) with his course record score card for a 5 under par round of 68 in the Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship 2015 at Balcarrick Golf Club
Photo: Ronan Quinlan
Plus one handicapper Ryan then fired six birdies in a five under par, course record 68 in Thursday's shotgun start but still found himself two shots adrift of Ward, who posted a fine 69 to lead on five under with a round to go.
But it in the final round it was Ryan who surged ahead and having started on the second, he birdied the fourth, seventh and eighth and then followed bogeys at the ninth and 14th with a hat-trick of title winning birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th for a 69 and a four round total of seven under 285.
Ward's one over 74 was the 14th best score of the day but while he had a superb tournament, finished on four under 288, he had no answer to Ryan's final round 69, which was the best score of the afternoon.
Hilton Templepatrick's Reece Black closed with a 70 to tie for third with Royal Portrush's Peter Kerr.
Dubai's Rayhan Thomas was 24th after closing rounds of 76 and 81.
Michael Ryan. Photo: Ronan Quinlan
Michael Ryan receives in the Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship 2015 at Balcarrick Golf Club. Photo: Ronan Quinlan
Gary Ward (Kinsale) in the Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship 2015 at Balcarrick Golf Club. Photo: Ronan Quinlan
Conor Kavanagh (Newbridge) who had a hole-in-one on the 16th in the Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship 2015 at Balcarrick Golf Club. Photo: Ronan Quinlan
Leinster Boys Amateur Open Championship
Sponsored by Titleist Footjoy, Balcarrick Golf Club (Par 73, SSS 74, CSS Rnd 3 - 73; Rnd 4 - 73)
285 Michael Ryan (New Ross Golf Club) 73 75 68 69
288 Gary Ward (Kinsale) 74 71 69 74
292 Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 79 74 68 71, Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 76 73 73 70
294 Eoin Leonard (Wentworth Golf Club) 74 73 71 76, John Brady (Rosslare) 71 76 72 75
295 Jack Doherty (Carton House) 74 76 72 73
296 Eric Doran (Palmerstown Stud) 73 76 73 74
298 Luke Cummins (West Waterford) 77 76 75 70, Alan Fahy (Bray) 73 75 77 73, John Murphy (Kinsale) 71 79 71 77
300 Henry Clark (Shandon Park) 77 77 73 73, Brendan Rossiter (Rosslare) 76 76 75 73, Owen Crooks (Bushfoot) 75 76 77 72, Marc Norton (Belvoir Park) 74 76 70 80
301 Mark Healy (Kinsale) 80 71 73 77, Charlie Mc Donnell (Castleblayney) 76 76 69 80, Nathan McCann (Lurgan Golf Club) 73 80 77 71
302 Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 80 74 75 73, Ciaran Smyth (Greenore Golf Club) 79 72 78 73, Marc Boucher (Carton House) 78 73 78 73, Hugh O'Hare (Fortwilliam) 73 75 79 75, Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis Golf Club) 73 72 77 80
303 Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick) 78 74 73 78, Michael Joseph Kennelly (Athenry) 76 77 73 77, Peter Cummins (Lurgan Golf Club) 74 79 76 74, Rayhan Thomas (Dubai) 71 75 76 81
304 Adam McCormick (Scrabo Golf Club) 76 76 77 75
305 Brian Crowdle (Kilkenny Golf Club) 81 73 75 76, Jack Hearn (Tramore) 78 75 77 75, Ben Graham (Scrabo Golf Club) 75 76 79 75, Liam Whelan (Mount Wolseley) 72 77 78 78
306 Bill Hannan (Carton House) 79 75 77 75, Conor Kavanagh (Newbridge Golf Club) 75 77 79 75, Michael Shiel (Athenry) 75 76 76 79, Mark Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 71 77 76 82
307 Kevin Power (Kilkenny Golf Club) 78 73 80 76, Joseph O Neill (Tralee Golf Club) 73 78 75 81
308 David McAleenon (Lisburn) 81 73 80 74, Aaron Ryan (Thurles) 74 79 80 75
309 Conor Rice (Athlone) 79 75 76 79
310 Barry Fitzpatrick (Castle) 80 73 77 80, Oisin Devereux (Carton House) 78 76 75 81, Benedict Cronin (Muskerry Golf Club) 74 76 77 83, T J Ford (Co. Sligo) 73 76 80 81
312 Sean Doyle (Athlone) 77 77 80 78
313 Jordan Logue (Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club) 76 77 78 82
314 Declan Kelly (Hermitage) 79 74 78 83
319 Paul Kelly (Glasson Golf Club) 79 72 84 84
