Irish interest in the British Amateur championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes came to a premature end today as the three players bidding for a last 16 berth failed to make it through.

Irish Close champion Shane Lowry fought back to force a playoff against Gary Boyd but came unstuck on the first extra hole, Shane Ward was beaten (2 holes) by Drew Weaver and Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell fell to Tom Gissmeyer.

Scottish teenager Ross Kellett, making his debut in the championship, claimed a notable scalp as he defeated Brabazon Trophy winner and former world amateur number one Jamie Moul in the afternoon matches.

In a tense tussle, the 19-year-old Scot moved to the cusp of victory when he drilled in a birdie putt from 20 feet at the 16th to edge into a two-hole advantage. A matchwinning chance from barely five feet at 17 was spurned but the youngster held on for a morale-boosting triumph.

Welshman Jason Shufflebotham, who beat number one qualifier David Horsey earlier in the day, continued his good progress with a three and two win over American Tom Glissmeyer.

But Walker Cup player Lloyd Saltman was another chief casualty as he lost to Bristol's Chris Wood on the final green. The Lytham Trophy winner had been two up through 12 but Wood covered the inward stretch in four-under to complete an excellent turnaround.

Third Round

Shufflebotham bt Glissmeyer 3&2, Kulacz bt Kerr 3&1, Weaver bt McAlpine 2&1, Wood bt Saltman 1 hole, Kellett bt Moul 1 hole, Macaulay bt Dodt at the 20th Campillo bt Sullivan 2&1, Stewart bt Boyd 1 hole
 
Second Round

J Shufflebotham (Prestatyn) bt D Horsey (Styal) 2 holes, T Glissmeyer (US) bt J Caldwell(Clandeboye) 3&2, M Kerr (Craigielaw) bt K Borsheim (Nor) 3&2, R Kulacz (Aus) bt F Fritsch (Ger) 2&1, D Weaver (US) bt S Ward(County Louth) 2 holes, K McAlpine (Alyth) bt D Willett (Rotherham) 2 holes, C Wood (Long Ashton) bt G Yates (Hilton Park) 2&1, L Saltman (Craigielaw) bt A Kaleka (Fr) 3&2, R Kellett (Colville Park) bt M Allen (North Hants) 3&2, J Moul (Stoke-by-Nayland) bt R Blizard (Aus) 3&1, K Le Sager (Fr) bt A Dodt (Aus) 5&4, C Macaulay (Tulliallan) bt R Enoch (Truro) 4&3, J Campillo (Sp) bt S Uzzell (Hornsea) 7&6, A Sullivan (Purley Chase) bt L Goddard (Hendon) 5&4, G Boyd (Cherwell Edge) bt S Lowry(Esker Hills) at the 19th, T Stewart (Aus) bt B Evans (Rye) 3&2