GOLF/North of Ireland Championship: Senior international Darren Crowe ripped up the record books at Royal Portrush yesterday to set a qualifying low score of 11-under-par 131 in the Magners North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship.
The 22-year-old finance graduate from Dunmurry fired a super 66 on the Dunluce course for his 36-hole aggregate, after his opening 65 on the Valley, to clip two strokes off Padraig Harrington's two-round total in 1994.
The secret of Crowe's success was his short game as he took just 29 putts.
He posted a blemish-free card of six birdies and no bogeys. A 15-foot putt dropped on the fifth after his drive had been just 40 yards short, and a double two-iron approach to the long 10th left him 15 feet from the flag. The eagle putt shaved the hole.
At the 13th and 14th holes 10-footers rolled home, and he got down from 15 feet and 10 feet again on the 16th and 18th greens.
Randal Evans, who set a course record 64 on Dunluce last year and was leading qualifier then, looked as if he would catch the flying Crowe when nine-under-par for the championship at Calamity Corner. It didn't happen for the Moyola man as he bogeyed the last two holes for a 71 to finish four shots adrift of Crowe.
Banbridge youth international Connor Doran fired a sizzling 68 over the Dunluce links in the murky conditions for third qualifying place on 136. He eagled the long ninth hole where he was just eight feet from the flag with a drive and eight-iron. He pencilled in half-a-dozen birdies, also.
Defending champion and Walker Cup hopeful Gareth Maybin made just one mistake, and it was at the last hole where he failed to get up and down. He had half-a-dozen birdies in his 67 for fourth qualifying place on 137.
Teenager Clancy Bowes from Tramore shared 140 with Walker Cup captain Garth McGimpsey, who is aiming for a sixth win in the North.
The biggest casualty was Andrew McCormick. The senior international from Clandeboye carded a horrendous 80 on Dunluce for 149 - a shot too many for to get through to this morning's matchplay.
