Pugh tames windy Monty to win European Amateur
Pugh, that was close! Welsh teen wins Irish Amateur in play-off
Welsh teenager Rhys Pugh took a giant step towards securing his Walker Cup place when he claimed the Irish Amateur Open after dramatic three-hole aggregate play-off at a wind-lashed Royal Dublin.
As Greystones’ Paul Dunne agonisingly missed out on the extra time action by a shot after lipping out at the last, the 17-year old international from Pontypridd grabbed the first senior win of his career when he beat 22-year old Scot Gordon Stevenson by four shots over the 16th, 17th and 18th in winds gusting over 30 mph.
Pugh leads as home brigade lurks in Irish Amateur Open
Welsh teenager Rhys Pugh will take a one-stroke lead over Scotland’s Gordon Stevenson into today’s final 36 holes of the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin.
The 17-year old Pontypridd schoolboy, considered a certainty to represent Great Britain and Ireland in September’s Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, followed a 72 in Friday’s gales with a two under par 70 in benign conditions yesterday (CSS 75) when he birdied the 18th from 12 feet to lead on two under par 142.
Carnage on Bull Island in Irish Amateur Open
Just 68 players in the elite 120-man field broke 80 and only one broke par as high winds and a relentless course set up led to carnage on the opening day of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.
A stiff south-east breeze, gusting well over 30 mph from late morning, whipped across the course for the rest of the day as scores soared into the 90s.
Holland’s Robin Kind might have learnt the game on a Harry Colt designed links course but while he didn’t feel quite at home he was still the only man to finish in red figures. But even that required him to hole out from 87 yards for an eagle two at the 16th and then get up and down for par at the last two holes.