Big guns silenced at Lahinch as South is blown wide open

Sean Desmond (Monkstown) pictured during the second round of the South of Ireland at Lahinch. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Lahinch rivalled the Battle of the Little Big Horn for the number of scalps taken on a day of carnage for the favourites in the Pierse Motors VW sponsored South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.

No fewer than nine of the leading contenders for the title made their exit of a day of 20mph southwest winds with Amateur champion James Sugrue, title holder Caolan Rafferty and their fellow Walker Cup panellists Conor Purcell and Mark Power also biting the dust.

Peter O'Keeffe (Douglas) dressed for all seasons during the second round of the South of Ireland at Lahinch. Picture: Niall O'Shea

With the likes of Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan, Naas’ Robert Brazill, Forrest Little’s Jack McDonnell and internationals Ronan Mullarney from Galway and Rowan Lester of Hermitage also beaten, the title race has been blown wide open.

The favourite’s tag will now fall on the likes of Kinsale’s John Murphy — the only Irish player dropped from the Walker Cup panel when it was reduced to 16 this week — or the in-form Peter O’Keeffe from Douglas, who was runner-up in the North of Ireland two weeks ago and now faces leading qualifier Hugh Foley.

Add to that group, the classy Waterford player Eanna Griffin, Massereene international Tiarnan McLarnon, former North of Ireland winner Sean Flanagan or promising Athenry star Alan Hill

“I am wrecked after the last few weeks,” said Sugrue, who played in The Open at Royal Portrush last week before heading to Royal Liverpool for Walker Cup practice.

“I didn’t putt badly but noting really went in for me and Jake’s a fine player. I came here to try and win but but such is life. I will have a rest now before the US Amateur.”

Whelan, 24, had not made a cut in a championship for 12 months until this week but having reached the semi-finals of the “Close" at Ballyliffin in 16 and the last four in the “West" in 2017, he’s a dangerous customer if he’s finding fairways.

Jake Whelan (Newlands) chipping onto the 18th in Lahinch during the second round of the South of Ireland. Picture: Niall O'Shea

“There was no pressure on me,” said Whelan, who chipped dead at the 18th for birdie before watching Sugrue’s eagle chip burn the hole to secure a one-up win having made a six footer at the 17th to remain in front.

“But I was very much up for it, playing the Amateur champion the week after he’s just played the British Open. It's been a full year of missing cuts in championships but I'd love to win one. That’s the goal."

Sugrue had two putts to get back to all square at the 14th but three-putted and Whelan, who last played for Leinster two years ago, did not give him more encouragement.

Defending champion Rafferty also bowed out in the afternoon, losing to a birdie four by 30-year old Enniscorthy left-hander Jason Rackard — the 6’ 7” grandson of the late Wexford hurling great Nicky — at the 20th.

After 2nd rd defeats for Amateur champion @JamesSugrue2 to Jake Whelan (1 h) and @MarkPower68 to Keith Egan (19), Enniscorthy’s Jason Rackard ousts defending champion @Raff_1992 with a birdie on the 20th in the South of Ireland @LahinchGolfClub pic.twitter.com/qdaqK3DwKP

— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) July 26, 2019

“It was great to get a scalp like that,” said said Rackard, whose Enniscorthy team mate Paul Conroy beat Lester 3&1 and now meets Co Sligo’s Sean Flanagan for a place in the quarter-finals. “I had nothing to lose today playing Caolan.”

Keith Egan (Carton House) pictured during the second round of the South of Ireland at Lahinch. Picture: Niall O'Shea

All square playing the 18th, Rafferty drove into sand and lost the hole to a par five but after making a slippery 10 footer for a half in par at the 19th (where he had dodged a bullet in the morning by making a 12 footer for birdie to edge out Portmarnock’s James Temple), he found sand from the tee at the 20th and then missed the green with his third.

“Jason played good golf and made a lot of crucial putts towards the end,” Rafferty said. “That's the way it goes. I was blessed to get through this morning and I have a niggle in my hip so I may have to get that sorted — unless I get the call for Barton Shield in the morning!”

Rackard’s putter was red-hot when it counted. One down after 13 holes, he got up and down from 80 yards to halve the 15th after a poor tee shot, made a 10 footer to save par on the 16th and then took advantage of Rafferty’s bogey at the 18th.

After the Dundalk man made his 10 footer at the 19th to save par, Rackard nervelessly slotted home a three footer to match him, then chipped to four feet from just short of the second green to set up a match winning birdie on the hole where the defending champion beat Lester in sudden-death last year despite driving into the same bunker.

Power also lost in extra holes, falling to a par from beaten 2015 semi-finalist Keith Egan from Carton House at the 19th, flying the green long left before fellow international Purcell lost on the 18th to Monkstown talent Sean Desmond (21).

"Conor is just a class player,” said recently crowned Munster Students champion Desmond, who took the lead after 11 holes and held on. “But matchplay is fickle.”

South of Ireland Amateur Open, sponsored by Pierse Motors VW, Lahinch

Today - Round three

(08:00) J Whelan v M McClean;

(08:10) P O'Keeffe v H Foley;

(08:20) K Egan v K McCormack;

(08:30) J Murphy v A Hill;

(08:40) J Rackard v E Griffin;

(08:50) P Conroy v S Flanagan;

(09:00) S Desmond v P Coughlan;

(09:10) C Butler v T McLarnon.

Round two

J Whelan bt J Sugrue 1 h;

M McClean bt G Dunne 1 h;

P O'Keeffe bt P Buckley 3&2;

H Foley bt P McKeever 1 h;

K Egan bt M Power 19th;

K McCormack bt C Nolan 2 h;

J Murphy bt D O'Sullivan 7&5;

A Hill bt S Barker 3&1;

J Rackard bt C Rafferty 20th;

E Griffin bt D Morley 3&2;

P Conroy bt L Grehan 3&2;

S Flanagan bt G O'Mahony 19th;

S Desmond bt C Purcell 1 h;

P Coughlan bt H Duggan 4&3;

C Butler bt TJ Ford 2 h;

T McLarnon bt S Hogan 1h.

Round One

J Sugrue (Mallow) bt J Doherty (Carton House) 6&5;

J Whelan (Newlands) bt H O'Hare (Fortwilliam) 19th;

M McClean (Malone) bt G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 4&3;

G Dunne (Co Louth) bt D McMahon (Castletroy) 2&1;

P O'Keeffe (Douglas) bt J Fox (Portmarnock) 3&2;

P Buckley (Memorial Golf Club, USA) bt S O'Connor (Castlebar) 5&3;

H Foley (Royal Dublin) bt A Doran (Co Louth) 3&2;

P McKeever (Castle) bt J Lyons (Galway) 4&3;

M Power (Kilkenny) bt M McKinstry (Cairndhu) 1 hole;

K Egan (Carton House) bt R Moran (Castle) 4&2;

K McCormack (Portarlington) bt J McDonnell (Forrest Little) 2&1;

C Nolan (Galway) bt D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh) 19th;

J Murphy (Kinsale) bt A Ryan (Thurles) 6&5;

D O'Sullivan (Tralee) bt S Dickey (UNM North USA) 3&2;

S Barker (Mourne) bt R Brazill (Naas) 5&4;

A Hill (Athenry) bt J Hewitt (Tandragee) 19th;

C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt J Temple (Portmarnock) 19th;

J Rackard (Enniscorthy) bt R McKeever (Castle) 1 h;

E Griffin (Waterford) bt D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) 1 h.;

D Morley (Oughterard) bt M Horan (Birr) 3&2;

P Conroy (Enniscorthy) bt R Lester (Hermitage) 3&1;

L Grehan (Mullingar) bt K Murphy (Dun Laoghaire) 4&2;

G O'Mahony (Fota Island) bt E Farrell (Ardee) 5&4;

S Flanagan (Portmarnock) bt P Murphy (Rosslare) 3&2;

C Purcell (Portmarnock) bt R O'Doherty (Enniscrone) 2&1;

S Desmond (Monkstown) bt J Ryan (Castletroy) 5&4;

H Duggan (Kilkenny) bt M Boucher (Carton House) 4&3;

P Coughlan (Castleknock) bt B Doran (Baltinglass) 1 h;

C Butler (Kinsale) bt R Mullarney (Galway) 19th;

TJ Ford (Co Sligo) bt G O'Flaherty (Cork) 3&2;

T McLarnon (Massereene) bt M Reddan (Limerick) 2&1;

S Hogan (Nenagh) bt R Clarke (The Island) 5&4