Donegal man Ryan Griffin would love to play the Walker Cup at Lahinch in 2026 and he can stake an early claim this week after topping the qualifiers in the Pierse Motors-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.

The powerful Ballybofey and Stranorlar man (24) added a one-under 71 in demanding early conditions to his opening 66 to lead the 64 qualifiers for today’s matchplay stages on seven-under.

The winner of this season’s R&A Student Series and now set to do his Masters at Maynooth University, Griffin didn’t look out of his depth taking on some of the top Americans in the recent Arnold Palmer Cup match at Lahinch and he could be the man to beat this week.

“I’d have taken 71 before I went out,” he said after making five birdies in a stiff westerly breeze that got up for the later starters. “There are some difficult holes out there, and it’s playing quite tough, so I was delighted to make my pars and sprinkle in a few birdies and try to keep the mistakes off my card.”

The Walker Cup comes to Lahinch in 2026 and while it remains to be seen how many Irishmen will be in contention for a place on Dean Robertson’s team, Griffin knows it will be a special occasion though he admitted he has one eye on the professional ranks and may return to the LIV Promotions Event.

“After seeing how fantastic the Arnold Palmer Cup was at Lahinch last month, I know the Walker Cup would be even more unbelievable,” he said as he topped the qualifiers by four strokes American Patrick Adler and Castleknock’s Quentin Carew on seven-under-par.

“I try and play in all the events they look at for Walker Cup selection and I know Dean very well. He has my number anyway. Next year, the Walker Cup is at Cypress Point, but Lahinch would be fantastic.”

Chicago native Adler, who is an overseas member of Lahinch, made five birdies in a 69 to share second on three-under with former Irish Close champion Carew, who shot 70, while Ardee’s Evan Farrell, veteran Pat Murray (53) and Co Sligo's young gun Aodhagan Brady were joint fourth on two-under.

Castleknock’s Ian O’Connell, the joint first-round leader, crashed to an 81 but still made the six-over cut with three shots to spare, while the defending champion, Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell, cruised into the knockout stages on level par despite a 74.

Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington and Peter Lawrie opened with one-under 71s that left them tied for seventh, just three shots behind leader Stephen Ames, in the Senior Open at Carnoustie.

“I think 71 is fine; it's well in there,” said Harrington, runner-up for the past two years.

Lawrie (50) followed three birdies in his first five holes with three bogeys in the next four before making eight pars and a birdie on the back nine.

“I’m delighted with that start,” Lawrie said. “I was very nervous starting out; it’s a very tough course, and anything under par is very acceptable.”

Ames shot 68 to lead by a shot from KJ Choi, Peter Baker, Richard Green and Paul Broadhurst as Darren Clarke shot 74 and Paul McGinley an 80 in a rare tour appearance.

In the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, Seamus Power fought back from two over after four holes to open with a two-under 69 that left him six shots behind American Jacob Bridgeman, whose 63 gave him an early one-shot lead over Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes.

But it was a tougher day for Leona Maguire and her new caddie, Verner Tess, as her two-over 74 left her six shots behind early leader Lauren Coughlin in the LPGA’s CPKC Women’s Open  at Earl Grey in Calgary.

In the Challenge Tour’s Black Desert NI Open presented by Tom McKibbin, Conor Purcell was fifth after a four-under 66 and Gary Hurley ninth after a 67 as Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren shot 63 to head the field by two shots.