O'Briain's hellish long drive; Carey leads in Egypt; Hoey shines on ECCO Tour
Neil O'Briain
Team Ireland's Neil O'Briain put a nightmarish 1,200 km drive behind him to qualify for this week's Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Sunshine Tour.
The Dubliner (31) and his local caddie Patrick drove more than 12 hours overnight from Johannesburg to the outskirts of George straight after finishing tied 36th in last week's Eye of Africa PGA Championship, where he was also a qualifier.
"It was hell," O'Briain said after shooting a three-under 69 at Fancourt's Montagu course to tie for second in a race for 15 spots in this week's event. Scores
"We had all doors closed and locked but we had this beeping noise for the entire journey. I nearly lost my mind!
"It's been a long few weeks on the road between the pre-qualifiers, practice rounds and tournaments and arriving in last week from California. But it's all part and parcel of professional golf, I suppose."
David Carey and Italians Michele Ortolani and Filippo Bergamaschi started well in Egypt. Picture: Alps Tour
On the Alps Tour, Castleknock's David Carey fired a six-under 66 to share the first round lead with Italians Michele Ortolani and Filippo Bergamaschi in the Ein Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club in Egypt.
Galgorm Castle's Michael Dallat is joint ninth after a 70 with Naas' Conor O'Rourke 34th after a 73 and The Island's Kevin Le Blanc last with an 83.
Five-time European Tour winner Michael Hoey is tied fourth after opening with a five-under 67 on the Stadium Course in the ECCO Tour's €50,000 Mediter Real Estate Masters at PGA Catalunya.
Naas' Jack Hume is 46th after a one-over 73 with Ardglass Cormac Sharvin 71st after a 75 and Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge 101st after a 78.
Sweden's Jesper Kennegard made two eagles, five birdies and a bogey in an eight-under 62 on the Tour Course to lead by a stroke from compatriot Martin Granstad and Finn Miro Veijalainen.
Alps Tour - 2018 Ein Bay Open, Sokhna GC (Par 72)
- 1, M Ortolani (Ita), F Bergamaschi (Ita), David Carey (Irl) 66;
- T9 Michael Dallat (NIr) 70;
- T34 Conor O’Rourke (Ire) 73;
- T70 Justin Brink (Ire) 76;
- 101, Kevin Le Blanc (Ire) 83.
ECCO Tour - Mediter Real Estate Masters - PGA Catalunya, Tour Course (T, Par 70)/Stadium Course (S, Par 72)
- 1 J Jennegard (Swe) 62 (T)
- T4 Michael Hoey (Nir) 67 (S)
- T46 Jack Hume (Ire) 73 (S)
- T71 Cormac Sharvin (NIr) 75 (S)
- T101 Chris Selfridge (Nir) 78 (S).
