Sunday, May 10, 2015

Ferguson shares third place behind Irish title 

winner Moynihan

Bearsden's Ewen Ferguson finished joint third behind Irish open amateur stroke-play championship winner Gavin Moynihan (The Island) at Royal Dublin Golf Club today.
Moynihan, winner last year of the Scottish open amateur stroke play championship at Panmure, regained the Irish title he won in 2012 years ago with an aggregate of four-under-par 284, good scoring in a weekend of mixed weather.
A 20-year-old student at the University of Alabama, Moynihan had rounds of 69, 76, 65 and 74 to book a  place in the GB and I team for the Walker Cup match against the United States at Royal Lytham St Annes later this year.
Moynihan, whose third-round 65 lowered Lloyd Saltman's course record by a stroke, won by three shots from Stirling University student Cormac Sharvin, a former Irish amateur champion, who scored 72, 71, 72 and 72 for 287.
Ferguson, winner of the Scottish Champion of Champions at Leven and the Craigmillar Park Open in Edinburgh last month, shot 76, 70, 71 and 71 for level par 288, the same mark as last year's R&A Junior Open winner,  17-year-old Kevin LeBlanc (The Island) who had scores of 71, 71, 68 and 78
Youngster LeBlanc and Moynihan were four shots clear of the field in joint leadership with a round to go.
Only three other Scots survived the third-round cut.
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) tied for 11th place on 290 (72-75-69-74).
Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) shared 13th palce on 291 (72-77-72-70) while Craig Ross (Kirkhill), the highest placed Scot with only 18 holes to play, had a nightmare last round of 81, after good earlier rounds of 71, 72 and 73. He finished in joint 29th place  on 297. 
A second Stirling Uni student among the leading finishers at Marco Iten from Switzerland. He tied for fifth place on 289, his closing 70 being one of the lowest rounds of the windy last day.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
284 Gavin Moynihan (Ire) 69 76 65 74
287 Cormac Sharvin (Ire) 72 71 72 72
288 Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) 76 70 71 71, Kevin LeBlanc (Ire) 71 71 68 78
289 Marco Iten (Swi) 72 76 71 70, Stuart Grehan (Ire) 72 74 72 71

OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
290 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 72 75 69 74 (T11)
291 Greig Marchbank (thornhill) 72 77 72 70 (T23)
297 Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 71 72 73 8 (T29).

 Moynihan books his place in Walker Cup team

FROM THE IRISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
As the wind whipped across the Dollymount strand, Gavin Moynihan stood tall and true, a champion astride Royal Dublin once more. Pictured with trophy by courtesy of Pat Cashman
Second time around, winning the Irish Amateur Open Championship was a sweeter success for the 20-year-old member of The Island Golf Club and second-year student at the University of Alabama as well as being the winner of the Scottish open amateur stroke-play title at Panmure GC last season..
In 2012 he came from the blind side to become the youngest ever champion. This time he led from the front.
"The first time I was just trying to make the cut. I wasn't even thinking about winning. This is definitely better, the last one was tougher to win but this felt tougher," said Moynihan, who finished with five straight pars to sign for a 74 that gave him a three-shot win on four under 284
Level with 17-year-old clubmate Kevin LeBlanc at the start of play, Moynihan began birdie-birdie to edge ahead. LeBlanc kept in touch until the seventh when a bogey put him two behind but it was to and fro throughout a fascinating finale

Both players faltered as the wind got over 25mph -- at one stage Moynihan had to back off a putt as gusts of up to 40mph swept across the links.
Moynihan dropped three shots in four holes at the start of his back nine and had to hole a 10-footer for bogey on the 10th. LeBlanc failed to capitalise, his putter going cold for the first time this week.
"If I held a few putts today it would have been the difference," said the 17-year-old, RandA Junior Open winner of 2013. who had good looks at birdie on 14 and 17 but couldn't convert. As Moynihan played smart, pars were enough to keep his closest challenger at bay. No one had emerged from the chasing pack either so he headed to 18 knowing a 4 would suffice.
"I told my caddy if he's (LeBlanc) not on the green, I'm winging it left, I don't care," said Moynihan, who was safely in the fairway with a three-wood while LeBlanc found rough on the right. His approach came up short so Moynihan played left of the green, leaving himself a 67-yard pitch for his third. While LeBlanc closed with a double bogey, a three-putt from close range dropped him into a tie for third, Moynihan coolly rolled in his par putt.
"I think it is a bit more special," Moynihan said of his second Irish Amateur Open victory. "I couldn't wait to get back here the start of the year. It was in my mind the whole year. I've played here four times, missed the cut once, won twice and lost in a playoff."
With this victory, Moynihan is a certainty for September's Walker Cup match and it gives him a licence to thrill for the rest of the summer. His next chance comes at the end of May when he tees it up alongside the professionals at the Irish Open in Royal Co Down. And he's predicting big things for LeBlanc.
"Kevin is going to win this, definitely, it suits him. He's playing way ahead of his years. Nothing fazes him," said Moynihan.
LeBlanc, who turned 17 last Wednesday, had plenty of positives to reflect upon.
"I played well all the week, I did everything I wanted to do," he said. "I'll learn a lot."
Apart from Moynihan, the biggest winner of the week was Stirling University student Cormac Sharvin. The rising star from Ardglass birdied the 18th to sneak into second place, which gives his Walker Cup credentials a huge boost.
"It doesn't do my Walker Cup selection any harm," said Sharvin, who birdied three of his last six holes to finish at one under.
"I got off to a slow start. I was three over through 11 so didn't have much going. The front nine was there to be taken, straight downwind. You needed to be two or three under and then hold onto it on the back nine. I did it in reverse which is nice I suppose."


ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) CSS 75 76 75 76
284: Gavin Moynihan (The Island) 69 76 65 74
287: Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass) 72 71 72 72
288: Ewen Ferguson (Scotland) 76 70 71 71, Kevin LeBlanc (The Island) 71 71 68 78
289: Marco Iten (Switzerland) 72 76 71 70, Stuart Grehan (Tullamore/MU) 72 74 72 71, Jonathan Yates (Naas) 72 71 71 75, Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin) 70 76 74 69, Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) 70 76 71 72, Evan Griffith (Wales) 69 72 75 73
290: Jack McDonald (Scotland) 72 75 69 74, Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 69 75 71 75
291: Greig Marchbank (Scotland) 72 77 72 70, Marco Penge (England) 71 73 73 74
292: Aaron Grant (Dundalk) 75 72 70 75, Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 74 76 73 69, Tom Gandy (Isle of Man) 71 72 72 77, Lukas Lipold (Austria) 70 73 73 76, Colm Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint) 69 77 70 76
293: James Allan (England) 74 72 73 74, Rowan Lester (Hermitage) 72 73 70 78, Gary Collins (Rosslare) 70 77 71 75, Jack Hume (Naas) 69 70 78 76
294: Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) 74 74 73 73
295: Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) 78 68 73 76, Gary Hurley (West Waterford/MU) 71 76 72 76
296: Richard Bridges (Stackstown) 73 77 71 75, Tomas Bessa (Portugal) 72 72 76 76
297: Michele Cea (Italy) 78 76 68 75, Axel Boasson (Iceland) 77 70 75 75, Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin) 73 77 71 76, Christian Braeunig (Germany) 72 75 76 74, Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) 71 74 76 76, Craig Ross (Scotland) 71 72 73 81
298: Nicholas Poppleton (England) 77 72 71 78, Damon Coulson (England) 75 72 75 76, Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 74 72 76 76, Luke Trocado (South Africa) 69 79 73 77, Richard James (Wales) 69 74 71 84
299: Declan Loftus (Castlebar/MU) 77 72 74 76, Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little.) 75 77 71 76
300: Jake Whelan (Newlands/MU) 76 72 69 83
301: Alex Gleeson (Castle) 76 73 74 78, Conor O'Rourke (Naas) 73 75 74 79
302: Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo/MU) 76 71 75 80, Tim Harry (Wales) 71 74 77 80
303: Matthew Jordan (England) 74 75 74 80
306: Eugene Smith (Ardee) 77 74 71 84


oynihan wins the Irish Amateur

​​As the wind whipped across the Dollymount strand, Gavin Moynihan stood tall and true, a champion astride Royal Dublin once more.
  • 10 May 2015
  • -
As the wind whipped across the Dollymount strand, Gavin Moynihan stood tall and true, a champion astride Royal Dublin once more.
Second time around, winning the Irish Amateur Open Championship was a sweeter success for the 20-year-old. In 2012 he came from the blind side to become the youngest ever champion. This time he led from the front.

Gavin Moynihan The Island-2.jpg"The first time I was just trying to make the cut. I wasn't even thinking about winning. This is definitely better, the last one was tougher to win but this felt tougher," said Moynihan, who finished with five straight pars to sign for a 74 that gave him a three shot win on four under.

Level with clubmate Kevin LeBlanc at the start of play, Moynihan began birdie-birdie to edge ahead. LeBlanc kept in touch until the seventh when a bogey put him two behind but it was to and fro throughout a fascinating finale. Both players faltered as the wind got over 25mph -- at one stage Moynihan had to back off a putt as gusts of up to 40mph swept across the links.

Moynihan dropped three shots in four holes at the start of his back nine and had to hole a 10-footer for bogey on the 10th. LeBlanc failed to capitalise, his putter going cold for the first time this week.

"If I held a few putts today it would have been the difference," said the 17-year-old, who had good looks at birdie on 14 and 17 but couldn't convert. As Moynihan played smart, pars were enough to keep his closest challenger at bay. No one had emerged from the chasing pack either so he headed to 18 knowing a four would suffice.

"I told my caddy if he's (LeBlanc) not on the green, I'm winging it left, I don't care," said Moynihan, who was safely in the fairway with a three-wood while LeBlanc found rough on the right. His approach came up short so Moynihan played left of the green, leaving himself a 67-yard pitch for his third. While LeBlanc closed with a double bogey, a three-putt from close range dropped him into a tie for third, Moynihan coolly rolled in his par putt.

"I think it is a bit more special," Moynihan said of his second Irish Amateur Open victory. "I couldn't wait to get back here the start of the year. It was in my mind the whole year. I've played here four times, missed the cut once, won twice and lost in a playoff."

With this victory, Moynihan is a certainty for September's Walker Cup and it gives him a licence to thrill for the rest of the summer. His next chance comes at the end of May when he tees it up alongside the professionals at the Irish Open in Royal Co Down. And he's predicting big things for LeBlanc.

"Kevin is going to win this, definitely, it suits him. He's playing way ahead of his years. Nothing fazes him," said Moynihan.

LeBlanc, who turned 17 last Wednesday, had plenty of positives to reflect upon.

"I played good all the week, I did everything I wanted to do," he said. "I'll learn a lot."

Kevin LeBlanc The Island.jpgApart from Moynihan, the biggest winner of the week was Cormac Sharvin. The rising star from Ardglass birdied the 18th to sneak into second place, which gives his Walker Cup credentials a huge boost.

"It doesn't do my Walker Cup selection any harm," said Sharvin, who birdied three of his last six holes to finish at one under.

"I got off to a slow start. I was three over through 11 so didn't have much going. The front nine was there to be taken, straight downwind. You needed to be two or three under and then hold onto it on the back nine. I did it in reverse which is nice I suppose."

Royal Dublin's Jeff Hopkins and Dundalk's Caolaon Rafferty both carded 69s, the best rounds on the final day. Hopkins finished in a tie for fifth at one over alongside Jonathan Yates (Naas), Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) and Stuart Grehan (Tullamore). Rafferty climbed into a share of 15th on four over. Co Louth teenager Thomas Mulligan finished in a tie for 11th on his championship debut. The 16-year-old carded a 75 to end the week at two over.

Tonight Gavin Moynihan is the king of Royal Dublin once more.

​Photos: Top and middle, Gavin Moynihan. Bottom, Kevin LeBlanc. Photos by Casman Photography



CSS: Rd 1 = 75; Rd 2 = 76; Rd 3 = 75; Rd 4 = 76

284: Gavin Moynihan (The Island) 69 76 65 74
287: Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass) 72 71 72 72
288: Ewen Ferguson (Scotland) 76 70 71 71, Kevin LeBlanc (The Island) 71 71 68 78
289: Marco Iten (Switzerland) 72 76 71 70, Stuart Grehan (Tullamore/MU) 72 74 72 71, Jonathan Yates (Naas) 72 71 71 75, Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin) 70 76 74 69, Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) 70 76 71 72, Evan Griffith (Wales) 69 72 75 73
290: Jack McDonald (Scotland) 72 75 69 74, Thomas Mulligan (Co. Louth) 69 75 71 75
291: Greig Marchbank (Scotland) 72 77 72 70, Marco Penge (England) 71 73 73 74
292: Aaron Grant (Dundalk) 75 72 70 75, Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 74 76 73 69, Tom Gandy (Isle of Man) 71 72 72 77, Lukas Lipold (Austria) 70 73 73 76, Colm Campbell Jnr (Warrenpoint) 69 77 70 76
293: James Allan (England) 74 72 73 74, Rowan Lester (Hermitage) 72 73 70 78, Gary Collins (Rosslare) 70 77 71 75, Jack Hume (Naas) 69 70 78 76
294: Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) 74 74 73 73
295: Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) 78 68 73 76, Gary Hurley (West Waterford/MU) 71 76 72 76
296: Richard Bridges (Stackstown) 73 77 71 75, Tomas Bessa (Portugal) 72 72 76 76
297: Michele Cea (Italy) 78 76 68 75, Axel Boasson (Iceland) 77 70 75 75, Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin) 73 77 71 76, Christian Braeunig (Germany) 72 75 76 74, Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) 71 74 76 76, Craig Ross (Scotland) 71 72 73 81
298: Nicholas Poppleton (England) 77 72 71 78, Damon Coulson (England) 75 72 75 76, Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) 74 72 76 76, Luke Trocado (South Africa) 69 79 73 77, Richard James (Wales) 69 74 71 84
299: Declan Loftus (Castlebar/MU) 77 72 74 76, Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little.) 75 77 71 76
300: Jake Whelan (Newlands/MU) 76 72 69 83
301: Alex Gleeson (Castle) 76 73 74 78, Conor O'Rourke (Naas) 73 75 74 79
302: Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo/MU) 76 71 75 80, Tim Harry (Wales) 71 74 77 80
303: Matthew Jordan (England) 74 75 74 80
306: Eugene Smith (Ardee) 77 74 71 84
- See more at: https://www.golfnet.ie/news/gui/269/Moynihan%20wins%20the%20Irish%20Amateur#sthash.urYm1u5b.dpuf

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