Newton five ahead in Flogas Irish Amateur Open
James Newton (England) driving at the first in the third round of the 2019 Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship at County Sligo Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
England's James Newton carded a two-under 69 to take a commanding five-stroke lead into the final round of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at County Sligo.
The 24-year-old from Macclesfield leads on 120under par from Galway's Ronan Mullarney, who shot a second successive 72.
"It was another solid round," said Newton, who is chasing his first major honour. "They were much harder conditions today. I hit the shots that I knew I could hit. It got easier as it went on. I holed a few putts when I needed to."
Mullarney (23) knows he will need an excellent final round to have a chance of capturing his first major senior amateur championship.
"I didn't play great on the front nine but I don't think it was quite as bad as it looked," said Mullarney, who opened with a course record 62. "I have somewhat of a chance but it'll have to be a good score.”
Arron Edwards Hill who shared second with Conor Purcell at the West of Ireland, is third on six under with Purcell (69) joint fourth alongside England's Charlie Strickland, on five under.
"They were the toughest conditions we had all week," said Purcell. "It was one of those days when you have loads of putts from four to eight feet - some for par, some for birdie.
"I felt very present and calm about everything. I didn't think about anything other than the shot I was going to have. Standing on every tee I was thinking par would be a good score. Being used to links conditions was a help."
The low round of the day belonged to Kilkenny's Mark Power, who chipped in for an eagle at the last to card a 68 and make the cut by three shots.
"It was really tough," said the 18 year old Ireland international. "I was thinking, 'If I can plug away, you never know what's going to happen.' I said I'd plug away and see where it left me."
The cut mark fell at three over par with 57 players progressing.
Flogas Irish Amateur Open, County Sligo (Par 71)
After 54 holes
201 J Newton (Eng) 66 66 69
206 R Mullarney (Galway) 62 72 72
207 A Edwards-Hill (Eng) 67 69 71
208 C Purcell (Portmarnock) 70 69 69, C Strickland (Eng) 67 69 72
209 M Hammer (Ger) 71 64 74, K Egan (Carton House) 70 66 73
210 K Kouwenaar (Ned) 67 69 74
211 E Murphy (Dundalk) 71 68 72, M Roberts (Wal) 71 68 72, R Moran (Castle) 68 68 75
212 E Walker (Sco) 66 72 74
213 D Langley (Eng) 74 68 71, J Wilson (Sco) 73 67 73, M Hirmer (Ger) 73 67 73, J McMahon (Eng) 72 65 76, J Johnston (Sco) 69 72 72, G Cullen (The Links Portmarnock) 69 70 74, J Wright (Sco) 69 69 75
214 A McCormack (Castletroy) 71 71 72, M Boucher (Carton House) 71 70 73, K Cantley (Sco) 68 72 74, J Bolton (Eng) 67 70 77
215 L Sanges (Wal) 72 68 75, O Huggins (Eng) 71 70 74, R Brazill (Naas) 71 69 75, B Firth (Eng) 69 71 75
216 C Knipes (Eng) 74 70 72, M Power (Kilkenny) 73 75 68, M Lamb (Eng) 70 74 72, H Foley (Royal Dublin) 70 73 73, A Herrmann (Ger) 70 71 75, B Chamberlain (Wal) 69 70 77, J Burnage (Eng) 69 70 77
217 M Scowsill (Eng) 73 72 72, J Cass (Eng) 71 73 73, P Coughlan (Castleknock) 71 72 74, H Byers (Eng) 71 70 76, R Cannon (Balbriggan) 70 71 76, L Moolman (RSA) 69 71 77
218 R Foley (Sui) 74 68 76, T Vahlenkamp (Ger) 73 69 76, J Sugrue (Mallow) 70 73 75, M Kennedy (Royal Dublin) 70 71 77, L O'Neill (Connemara) 67 78 73, J Hull (Eng) 67 73 78
219 J Biggs (Eng) 77 69 73, A Marshall (Lisburn) 74 71 74, J Walsh (Castle) 74 71 74, E McIntosh (Sco) 73 71 75, P McKeever (Castle) 73 69 77, H Goddard (Eng) 72 75 72, M Deasy (Lee Valley) 72 74 73, M Naysmith (Sco) 71 72 76, B Dietzel (Ger) 70 70 79, T McLarnon (Massereene) 67 75 77
Missed Cut
220 J Davies (Wal) 77 69 74, C Campbell (Warrenpoint) 77 68 75, E Smith (The Links Portmarnock) 74 74 72, G Dunne (Co. Louth) 73 73 74, C Thornton (Eng) 73 72 75, J Cooper (Eng) 73 72 75, S Doyle (Black Bush) 73 71 76, J McDonnell (Forrest Little) 73 70 77, D Howie (Sco) 72 75 73, S Roger (Sco) 72 68 80, A Hietala (Fin) 71 68 81, G Burns (Sco) 70 73 77, R McNelis (Fintona) 68 75 77, R Muir (Sco) 66 75 79,
221 M McKinstry (Cairndhu) 75 73 73, C Butler (Kinsale) 75 65 81, M McClean (Malone Golf Club) 73 72 76, H Islam (Eng) 73 70 78, J Whelan (Newlands) 71 78 72, A Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) 71 73 77, E McCormack (Galway) 71 72 78, O Brown (Wal) 70 73 78,
222 J Stokes (Eng) 78 75 69, J Temple (Portmarnock) 77 75 70, P O'Keeffe (Douglas) 76 72 74, W Porter (Sco) 73 69 80, S MacPherson (Sco) 70 72 80,
223 C Salter (Eng) 78 71 74, C Wilson (Sco) 76 74 73, W Dodds (Eng) 76 70 77, L Hinton (Eng) 74 76 73, M Essam (Eng) 74 72 77, D Kitt (Athenry) 70 74 79, D Antonisse (Ned) 69 77 77,
224 R Lyons (Olympic) 77 71 76, S Walsh (Portmarnock) 73 72 79, M Markovits (Ned) 73 71 80, C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 72 73 79, M Nolan (Dun Laoghaire) 71 77 76, M Farr (Eng) 69 79 76,
225 J Hapgood (Wal) 75 76 74, S Flanagan (Co. Sligo) 74 71 80, I Lynch (Rosslare) 73 77 75, L Owen (Eng) 72 77 76,
226 L Irvine (Sco) 72 77 77, R Williamson (Holywood) 71 71 84,
227 J Fox (Portmarnock) 80 77 70, M Norton (Belvoir Park) 76 75 76, J Byrne (Baltinglass) 74 73 80,
228 D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh) 76 71 81, P Poate (USA) 71 74 83, G Collins (Rosslare) 71 73 84,
229 T Tetak (Slo) 77 76 76, J Hawksby (Eng) 74 75 80, J Rowe (Tandragee) 73 73 83, M Honkala (Fin) 71 70 88,
230 J McCarthy (Grange) 75 75 80, F O'Sullivan (Tralee) 75 75 80, C Woollam (RSA) 71 73 86,
231 M Harris (Wal) 78 70 83, C Morris (Wal) 77 76 78, P Connolly (Killeen Castle) 74 78 79,
232 R Latimer (Knock) 75 76 81,
233 C Wilson (Can) 77 76 80, F van Dijk (Ned) 76 71 86, R O'Connor (Co. Sligo) 74 79 80,
234 T O'Connor (Athlone) 79 76 79, Z Karkaletsos (Eng) 78 75 81, M Herrmann (Ger) 75 77 82,
235 K Murphy (Dun Laoghaire) 79 78 78, C Otten (Ger) 77 82 76, S Desmond (Monkstown) 71 82 82,
236 W Small (Tandragee) 82 77 77,
240 S Turner (Eng) 73 80 87
NS D West (Eng) 77 82
RTD C Barrow (Eng) 75 78, M McCormack (The Island) 85, R Dutton (Tandragee) 76, R Black (Hilton Templepatrick) 72