Irish Amateur Strokeplay Championship: Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell survived the vagaries of the Irish weather and a double bogey at the 18th to snatch the first-round lead at Portmarnock yesterday.
The 21-year-old Ulster Youths champion, a sports management student at the University of South Alabama, signed for a three-under-par 69 to lead by a stroke from England's Adam Wainwright on a day that began in scorching sunshine and ended with thunder and lightning forcing two stoppages in play in the afternoon.
With the GUI's SkyScan system indicating the thunderstorm was between three and eight miles west of the course, a total of 75 minutes was lost to the weather on an opening day that ended in disappointment for championship favourites Rory McIlroy and Nigel Edwards of Wales.
McIlroy looked likely to challenge for the lead when he reached the turn in two under par. But poor driving, errant putting and a couple of visits to Portmarnock's infamous pot bunkers saw him come home in 39 for a disappointing 73.
Edwards finished two shots further back after a 75 he described as "rubbish" while last week's Lytham Trophy runner-up, George Murray of Scotland, also finished on three over after a poor day on the greens.
Caldwell only got into the event as a reserve on Thursday, but he birdied the first, second, fifth and 10th to get to four under par before two putting the 565-yard 13th to go five under.
He was still five under when the hooter halted play for the first time as he prepared to hit his approach to the long 16th. He returned to leave himself a 10-footer to go six under but two putts there and a fine par save at the 17th left him needing a four at the last for a 67.
A poor drive into the clinging left rough meant he could only advance the ball 80 yards and he had to settle for a double bogey six after missing the green with his third.
"It was a pity to finish that way but the weather delay didn't bother me because they happen all the time in America and I am well used to it," he said. "Overall it was a pretty good day. I only got into this as a reserve on Thursday so it's nice to play well and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week."
McIlroy was disappointed with his back nine. "I didn't drive it very well and missed a few wee putts here and there. I was two under after nine, missed a chance to go three under at the 10th and walked off with a 73."
Galway's Joe Lyons, North West's Garrett Mallon, Rory Leonard of Banbridge and Mullingar's John Morris were the best of the Irish on level par.
