Impressive Jonathan Yates leads Irish Amateur Close by two
Jonathan Yates (Naas) driving at the 6th tee during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
Naas' Jonathan Yates has been appearing regularly at the business end of high level events in recent years but after opening with a five under 67 in the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore it appears he has more than enough quality to lead the qualifiers and challenge for his maiden title.
Out in four under 32 with birdies at the second, sixth, seventh and ninth, he came home in one under 36 with one birdie, two bogeys and an eagle two at the 12th for a two-shot lead over triple=chasing East and South of Ireland champion Stuart Grehan (Tullamore), Gavin Smyth (Clonmel), Alex Gleeson (Castle), Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little.), Robin Dawson (Faithlegg) and Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick).
The leading 64 after today's second round qualify for the first round of matchplay on Thursday.
Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) driving at the 6th tee during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
Colin Fairweather (Knock) driving at the 6th tee during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
Jonathan Yates (Naas) reacts to his missed birdie putt at the 18th green during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
Robin Dawson (Faithlegg) holing his birdie putt on the 16th green during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) driving at the 6th tee during the opening strokeplay day at the 2015 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Tramore Golf Club (18/05/2015). Picture by Pat Cashman
AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship, Tramore Golf Club
18-22 August 2015
Round 1 Scores
67 Jonathan Yates (Naas)
69 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore), Gavin Smyth (Clonmel), Alex Gleeson (Castle), Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little.), Robin Dawson (Faithlegg), Gavin Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick)
70 Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park), Robert Cannon (Balbriggan), Shane Hogan (Nenagh)
71 Sean Barry (Fota Island), Gavin Young (Birr), Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint), Rory Keighery (Tramore), Rob Brazill (Naas)
72 David Reddan Jnr (Nenagh), Mark Morrissey (Mount Wolseley), Ian Spillane (Mallow), Robbie Pierse (Grange), Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin), Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr), Shane McGlynn (Carton House), Colm Crowley (Woodbrook)
73 Daniel Holland (Castle), Stefan Greenberg (Tandragee), Cian Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown), Brian Doran (Palmerstown Stud), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Alan Lowry (Esker Hills), Stephen Healy (Carton House), Michael Ryan (New Ross), Jack Mc Donnell (Forrest Little.), Kyle McCarron (North West), James Fox (Portmarnock), Eugene Smith (Ardee), Eddie Power (Kilkenny), Luke Robinson (Bundoran), Simon Bryan (Delgany)
74 Alan Thomas (Dungarvan), Kevin Power (Kilkenny), Colin Fairweather (Knock), Aaron Moore (Adare Manor Golf Club), Alan Fahy (Bray), Mark Mullen (Wexford), Theo Coffey (Slieve Russell), Colin Woodroofe (Blainroe), Niall O'Reilly (Clonmel), Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin), Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo), Robert Farrell (New Ross), Paul Flynn (Tramore), Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle), Pat Murray (Limerick Golf Club), Paul McCarthy (Mallow), Conor O'Rourke (Naas), Eanna Griffin (Waterford), Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth)
75 John Reynolds (Dungarvan), Evan Farrell (Ardee), Marc Nolan (Delgany), David Kiely (Tramore), Ronan Twomey (Muskerry), Rory Williamson (Holywood), Brian O'Reilly (Athenry), Paul Tobin (Cork), Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park), Jack Walsh (Castle)
76 Mark Timmins (Coollattin Golf Club), Ben Best (Rathmore), Cathal Nolan (Galway), Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock), Gary Collins (Rosslare), Anthony Feicks (Waterford), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), Ian Lynch (Rosslare), Aaron Grant (Dundalk)
77 Greg Mungovan (Headfort), Simon McConnell (Ballyclare), Derek Power (Goldcoast), Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene), Kevin Stack (Dungarvan), Ben Murray (Waterford Castle), Ted Collins (Dun Laoghaire), Ryan Berkeley (Dun Laoghaire)
78 Adam Doran (Ardee), Conor Ryan (Dun Laoghaire), Darragh Hogan (Killeen Castle), Joe Lyons (Galway), David Byrne (Athenry), Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu), Peter Meaney (Cahir Park), John Cleary (Elm Park), Eamonn O'Driscoll (Killarney), Sean Alley (Co. Tipperary)
79 Michael Young (Ireland), Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle), Declan King (Tramore), Ross Steedman (Balcarrick), Bill Murray (Waterford Castle), Sean Denny (Castleblayney), Colm Hughes (Galway), Martin O'Dwyer (Tramore), Jonathan Breen (Kirkistown Castle Golf Club), Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu), Louis O'Hara (Athenry), Jack Blake (The Island)
80 Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin), Peter McKeever (Castle), Keith Murphy (Charlesland), Christopher O'Connor (Corrstown), Liam Doran (Ardee), Gabriel Leacy (Dungarvan), Matthew Wylie (Belvoir Park), Stephen Egan (Castle Barna), Peter Mullaney (Dungarvan), Stephen Linehan (Tramore), Daniel Murphy (Portarlington), Marc Boucher (Carton House)
81 Niall Kennedy (Tramore), Jack Leacy (Dungarvan), Timmy Broderick (Kinsale), Stephen Brady (Co. Sligo), John McCarthy (Stackstown), Jake Whelan (Newlands)
82 Andrew Magee (Powerscourt), Shaun O'Connor (Carton House), Paul McGuigan (Foyle), John Mitchell (Tramore), Jasper Marken (Ireland), Danny Linehan (Tramore), Sean Walsh (Carton House), Barry Daly (Edmondstown)
83 Craig Melvin (Corrstown), Philip Spratt (West Waterford)
84 John Garvey (Seapoint), Eoin Cantwell (Kilkenny), Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin)
85 Damien Coyne (Tuam), Declan Kelly (Hermitage)
86 Adam Price (Delgany)
90 Ruairi O'Connor (Co. Sligo)
91 Andrew Montgomery (Old Conna)