Carton House golfer Keith Egan says he will go with the same game plan for the weekend after a strong showing on the opening day of the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close in Malone.

Egan was outstanding all day, particularly on the back nine, where four birdies helped him to a stunning, four-under 66.

Scores

It was enough to give Egan a two-shot lead over the pair of Rob Moran (Castle) and Simon Ward (Belvoir Park), who both shot 68 at opposite sides of the day.

It was difficult conditions all day in Belfast and with Storm Betty hitting land on Friday afternoon, it will likely cause more problems through Saturday, but Egan is confident he can keep his game on track.

“Unreal, that's the plan anyways (to win),” said Egan. “That’s always the plan when you come to these things but it’s a long road. Just need another good score tomorrow and then try leave myself in a good spot.

“You just need to play well no matter what the conditions are so it's the same game plan. If the wind gets a little stronger I might change certain shots on certain tees but overall, you just have to hit it good tee to green here.

“I had four birdies on the back nine. I kind of just got it going, I played very nice all day. I had a sloppy bogey on ten and then I got it going after that. It was a nice bounce back and overall I played lovely.”

Moran made much of the early ground on Friday morning, he was in the same group as Liam Nolan (Galway) and reigning champion Quentin Carew (Castleknock) who both finished on level par.

Only seven golfers managed to shoot under par on the day, with Adam Cromwell (Co Armagh), Jordan Boles (Charleville), David Howard (Fota Island) and Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) also in the red.

However, Carew is poised for another big weekend and he says the pressure is off after his success last year.

“It went pretty well, happy enough. Today, standing on the first tee, you’re thinking obviously just stay in it, don’t play yourself out of it,” said Carew.

“Wind, rain, it was pretty cold as well, so the course was playing long, I’m just happy to have got a decent score there and keep myself with the pace anyway. 

“This is one where I feel more relaxed about it. I don’t know it is because I’ve won it, I’ve won it so just go out and enjoy it this week. That’s what I’m trying to do, just attack.

“I won it last year but that means nothing to me. It’s a brand new tournament, just try and shoot some scores and put in a good week.”

AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close, Malone GC (Par 70)

Detailed scores

66 Keith Egan (Carton House)

68 Robert Moran (Castle), Simon Ward (Belvoir Park)

69 Adam Cromwell (Co Armagh), Jordan Boles (Charleville), David Howard (Fota island, Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little)

70 Jack Hearn (Tramore), Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park), Quentin Carew (Castleknock), Liam Nolan (Galway)

71 Marc Norton (Belvoir Park), Simon Walker (Roscommon), Cialan Burke (Straffan), David Muldowney (Naas), David Kitt (Athenry), Gerard Dunne (Co Louth), Ross McCormack (Palmerstown House)

72 Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire), Brandon St John (Portmarnock), Conor Murtagh (The Island), Jamie Butler (Killeen), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Jake Rowe (Belvoir Park), Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), Josh McCabe (Roganstown Golf & CC), Adam Kelly

(New Forest), Robert Brazill (Naas)

73 Darragh Flynn (Carton House), Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint), Annraoi Collins (Portmarnock), Rory Milne (Faithlegg), John Cunningham (Carton House), Jack Blake (The Island), Jake Foley (Elm Park), Seán McLoughlin

(Co Sligo), Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint), Luke Harris (Hermitage), Dylan Keating (Seapoint), Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock), Daniel Vaughan (Ardglass), Sean Reddy (Douglas), Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle), Gavan Keogh (Galway), Cian O’Connor (Roscommon), Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), Mel Deasy (Douglas)

74 Cian Harkin (Letterkenny), Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden), Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park), Adam Smith (Mullingar), Morgan O’Sullivan (Ballyneety), Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas), Dean O’Riordan (Fermoy), Lewis Gowdy (Bangor), Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell), Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little), James Hewitt (Tandragee). Marc Boucher (Carton House), Shane McGlynn (Portmarnock), David Shiel (Enniscrone), Scott Jones (Belvoir Park)

75 Robert Galligan (Elm Park), Thomas Abom (Edmondstown), Scott Montgomery (Holywood), Adam Buchanan (Royal Portrush), Calum Ward (Carton House), Niall Carroll (Dunmurry), Cathal Mac Canna (Carton House), Conor Hickey (Dooks), (Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock), Evan Farrell (Co Louth), Ryan Symington (Lisburn), James Fox (Portmarnock), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Samuel Gammell (Naas)

76 Cathal Butler (Kinsale), Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin), Conor Clarke (Balmoral), Liam Abom (Edmondstown), Noah Bickerstaff (Massereene), Oscar Murphy (Royal Portrush), Charlie Mooney (Ballinasloe), Sean Deasy (Douglas), Patrick Dallat (Galgorm Castle), Gary Collins (Rosslare), Ben Best (Rathmore), Luke O’Neill (Connemara Golf Links)

77 Jude Devlin (Bangor), Chris Moulds (Lisburn), Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park), Robert Walsh (Douglas), Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle), Charlie Smyth (PGA National Slieve Russell), Luke Kelly (Dunfanaghy), Matthew Lynch (Greenore), Stephen Barker (Mourne) 

78 Matt Murphy (Clandeboye), Ruairi O’Connor (Co Sligo), TJ Ford (Co Sligo), Tom Cafferky (Ballinasloe), Thomas Beaumont (Bangor), Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan), Eoin Freeman (Tulfarris), David O’Malley (Black Bush), David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown), Eoin Murphy (Dundalk), Nicholas McClay (Cairndhu), Luke Lynch (Naas), Mark Doogue (Baltinglass)

79 Kevin Gallagher (Strabane), Paddy Quill (Cork), Aaron McNulty (Lahinch), David Marshall (Naas), Ciaran Smyth (Ballinasloe), Eoin Magill (East Clare)

80 Mark O’Rourke(Royal Tara), Charlie McDonnell (Concra Wood)

81 Karl Murray (Arklow), Dylan Harbourne (Grange), Ted Harman (Balmoral), Jake Adler (Nenagh), James Mitten (Castleknock), Ciaran Mahon (Kilcock), Ryan Murray (Balmoral), John Dillon (Lahinch), Seán Desmond (Monkstown), David Boden

(Belvoir Park)

82 Rory Williamson (Holywood), Matthew Wylie (Woodhall Spa), Stephen Cunningham (Esker Hills), James Maginn (Mourne)