Victory for Jake Whelan at the Connacht Men’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship in Portumna has pushed the Grange golfer up into a tie for fourth in this season’s race for the Bridgestone Men’s Order of Merit.
Picking up points in four of his six ranking appearances this year, Whelan’s win in Galway, along with a strong runner-up performance at the Ulster Men’s Amateur Stroke Play, have given the Dublin based golfer 437 points drawing him level with West of Ireland Amateur Open Champion Keith Egan (Carton House).
Malone golfer Matthew McClean remains top of the tree, 246 points clear of Paul Coughlan (Castleknock). Coughlan’s birdie on the final hole in Portumna handed the Munster Men’s champion a T5 finish, earning him 78 points and a move from fifth to second on the Order of Merit.
David Howard (Fota Island) is the biggest mover following his second place finish at the weekend. The Cork man’s length and accuracy from the tee on the Portumna parkland helped him on his way to 150 points and a leap from 22nd to ninth
There is potential for change in the Women’s standings this coming weekend as Anna Abom (Edmonstown) takes her narrow six-point lead at the summit of the Bridgestone Women’s Order of Merit into the Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open Championship. One of the biggest events on the calendar gets underway in Woodbrook on Saturday 15th June, with closest rivals Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) and the in-form Annabel Wilson (Castlerock) aiming to knock Abom off top spot.
The Men will have over a month to prepare for their next opportunity to add points to their tally. Next on their schedule is the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship in Lahinch on Wednesday July 26th.
View the latest rankings here