CZECH MATE AS SCOTS FLOOD TOP

TWENTY IN IRISH STROKE-PLAY

AT ROYAL DUBLIN

Unheralded Continental player Marek Novy from the Czech Republic carded a one under par 71 to lead the field on day one of the AIB sponsored Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin Golf Club.
The 22-year-old shot four birdies and dropped only three shots in difficult conditions as high winds and rain swept across the Bull Island.Novy leads by one stroke from a group of four who shot level par rounds including Scottish Walker Cup hopefuls Lloyd Saltman and Keir McNicholl, Rhys Enoch from Wales and Finn Joonas Granberg.
All in all it was a good day for the Scots in the field with plenty of them in the top 20.
On 73 and in joint sixth position was US amateur champion Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), pictured, a former winner of the Irish event, and Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), the reigning Scottish amateur match-play champion.
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie, a past Scottish champion was on 74 alongside Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) and youngster Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), one shot ahead of Bryan Fotheringham from Forres and Robert McKnight of Kilmarnock Barassie.
Lloyd Saltman's younger brother Zack, Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan), just flown back from the University of Missippi, and Scott Henry (Cardross) were on 76.
Scottish youth cap Philip McLean from Peterhead was on 77.
Steven McEwan (Caprington) had a 79.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Players from Ireland unless stated.
71 M Novy (Czech Rep).
72 R Enoch (Wal), J Granberg (Fin), L Saltman (Sco), K McNicoll (Sco).
73 R Zwahlen (Fra), K McAlpine (Sco), J Morris, R Ramsay (Sco), R McIlroy.
74 L Lennox, R McCarthy, N Edwards (Wa), P Figueiredo (Porl), R Bechu (Fra), R Kilpatrick, J Caldwell, B Walton, P O'Hara (Sco), C Geraghty (Eng), S McAllister (Sco), G Campbell (Sco), C Doran.
75 N Grant, P Cutler, K Le Sager (Fra), R Thuillier (Fra), B Fotheringham (Sco), P Murray, R McKnight (Sco).
76 C Macaulay (Sco), S Henry (Sco, G Cambis (Fra), Z Gould (Wal), B Evans (Eng), X Poncelet (Fra), E Richardson (Eng), Z Saltman (Sco), M Veijalainen (Fin), B Grace (SAf), L Allen (Eng), A McCloy.
77 R Thomas (Wal), A Hogan, D Leathem, A Rosado (Por), R Cannon, J Carvill, J Savolampi (Fin), A Ross (Can), G Lawlor, J McGinn, M Gaynor (US), P McLean (Sco), N Kearney, B Westgate (Eng).
78 G O'Neill (Jer), E O'Sullivan, M Armitage (Eng), A Runcie (Wal), M Sinclair, R McNamara, T Ortner (Aut), S Ward, D Lernihan, J Lyons.
79 B Norton (US), S McEwan (Sco), S Doherty, J Smedley (Eng), E McAnoy, J Pernaa (Fin), S Lowry, J Guillet (Fra), M Thistleton (Eng), D Morgan, W Rieder (Aut).
80 C Cousins (Wal), S Kindsted (Fin), N Henriques (Por), B Jones (Eng), J Haglund (Fin), M McCoy (US), E O'Connell, L Matthews (Wal), R Kellett (Sco), C Vance (Eng).
81 M O'Sullivan, R Leonard, S Archibald (Eng, T Sistonen (Fin, G Carey, E Mercadier (Fra), M Barbosa (US), J Dale (Eng), T Halpen (Can).
82 S O'Brien (US), M Salminen (Fin), S Grant, P Nelson (SAf), P O'Hanlon.
83 N Catesson (Fra), J Vickery (Wal), E Saxel (Eng), N Kirchner (Aut), C Mivis (Bel).
84 K Hammer (US), R Boal.
85 A G Wenne (Swe), B Kosmin (Fra).
86 C Scotto (Fra), A Fadel (US), W McCully.
87 T Wyatt (US).
88 T McGowan, N Tyry (Fin).
89 J Shufflebotham (Wal), R Merchant (Wal).
90 C Levitte (Fra).
93 R Maunder (Eng)