Malone’s Matthew McClean has taken over at the top of the men’s Bridgestone Order of Merit following his impressive victory at the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship at County Sligo Golf Club.
The weekend of one of the biggest events on the amateur calendar began with Munster Men’s champion Paul Coughlan (Castleknock) and West of Ireland champion Keith Egan (Carton House) tied at the top of the Order of Merit, 140 points clear of the chasing pack but with 500 points on offer to the winner, there was scope for change on the leaderboard.
McClean was at the top of his game in Rosses Point, carding a quartet of under par rounds of 66, 68, 70 and 69 on his way to a two-shot victory over Irish teammate Liam Nolan (Galway). The win not only handed McClean his first Irish championship but also shot him right to the top of the leaderboard, leaving a gap of 173 points to Egan.
Nolan’s fine performance on the west coast earned him a second-place finish and a first appearance on this year’s Order of Merit, moving straight into the number three spot, just 12 points shy of Egan.
Gavin Tiernan (County Louth) was also a big mover this week following his T6 finish in Sligo. The 18-year-old moved himself up 34 spots to eighth.
The men and women will both have opportunities to make up ground on their respective leaderboards at the Ulster Men’s and Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship, which gets underway in Clandeboye on 27th May.
Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) takes a narrow 19-point lead into the women’s event.
View the latest rankings here