Amateur golfBrian KeoghMay 15, 2018NCAA Tournament, Paul McBride, Conor Purcell, Oisin Devereux, John Murphy, Eoin Leonard, Devin Morley

Slow start for the Irish in NCAA Regionals

Amateur golfBrian KeoghMay 15, 2018NCAA Tournament, Paul McBride, Conor Purcell, Oisin Devereux, John Murphy, Eoin Leonard, Devin Morley

Paul McBride in action at the 2017 Walker Cup in Los Angeles ©  USGA/Chris Keane — Paul McBride in action at the 2017 Walker Cup in Los Angeles © USGA/Chris Keane

Ireland's six hopefuls got off to a slow starts in the NCAA Regionals in the US.

The top five teams and the top individual not on those teams from each Regional advance to the National Finals at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma from May 25–30.

After the first round, Oughterard's Devin Morley is the best of the six Irish competing in two of the Regional events in Ohio and North Carolina.

He's tied for 30th for Louisville after an opening 75 at Ohio State's Scarlet Course in Columbus where teammate John Murphy from Kinsale shot a 79 to share 61st with Yale's Eoin Leonard.

The Island's Paul McBride shot a five-over 76 for Wake Forest who are tied seventh with Louisville tied eighth and Yale 13th.

In the Raleigh Regional at North Carolina State, Carton House's Oisin Devereux is tied 61st for Iona (13th) after a four-over 75 with Portmarnock's Conor Purcell, who is competing as an individual out of Charlotte, tied 72nd after a 79.