Cleary and Pierse head Irish challenge at Formby

Tom Cleary (Cork) during the 2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Ardee. Picture by Pat Cashman

Cork’s Tom Cleary and Tipperary’s Arthur Pierse are just three shots off the pace after the opening round of the Seniors Open Amateur Championship at Formby.

Irish champion Cleary had two birdies in his two over 74 as Pierse made three while Sweden’s Stefan Lindberg and American Randy Haag shot one under 71s to lead by one from Scotland John Fraser, England’s John Ambrose and Scotland’s Graham Bell.

Scoring

T9 CLEARY, Tom Cork + 2 74    
T9 PIERSE, Arthur Tipperary +2 74    
T24 HALPIN, Liam Westport+4 76    
T54 O’LEARY, Barry Greystones +6 78    
T65 KELLY, Maurice Naas +7 79    
T65 SMYTH, Hugh Mourne +7 79    
T110 HEYWOOD, Ernes City of Derry +10 82
T137 QUIRKE, Michael Doneraile + 14 86