The wind can play dastardly tricks, and, when it is augmented by a totally unforgiving course, then even the most accomplished golfer can be made to suffer. Yesterday's play in the West of Ireland Amateur Championship, sponsored by Ulster Bank, at Enniscrone proved the point as a number of prime contenders became victims of the relentless elements and were forced to make premature departures from the season's opening "major".
Ken Kearney, the Irish Close champion and leading strokeplay qualifier, was among the casualties. So, too, were Bryan Omelia, David Dunne, Paddy Gribben and Andrew McCormick, all current internationals. Indeed, a number of other big names brushed with disaster but survived into a last 16 comprising young lions, old hands and some who deem themselves to be mere "social golfers".
Mullingar's Colin Cunningham, who inflicted the biggest shock of all, jokingly attached such a tag to himself. But his golf suggested otherwise, demonstrating a serious intent in beating Kearney - who'd been three up with six holes left - at the first hole in sudden-death. The win gave him a third round encounter, and a local derby of sorts, against Johnny Brady, of Edenderry, who produced a magnificent fightback of his own to remain in the championship.
It was an eventful day, as the matchplay stages were held in the now customary bitingly cold winds which at times were accompanied by either rain or sleet or hailstones. Then, there was the role played by the 16th hole, a dog-leg par four innocently called "The Garden" but known more as a graveyard for the ambitions of many players, among them Kearney.
The Irish champion didn't appear to be in any real trouble in his second round match with Cunningham, a 26-year-old official with the NIB Treasury Division. Kearney was three up standing on the 13th tee-box - but Cunningham contrived to win the 13th, and then sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 15th to cause some concern to the contingent of Co Sligo members who had travelled along the coast to support their man.
Their anxieties proved to be well-founded. Cunningham levelled the match at the 16th, the start of the famous loop around the clubhouse which has ruined many a card, where a bogey five was sufficient. The next two holes were halved in pars, forcing the pair to retrace their steps up the 16th, the first tie hole. With the hail stinging their cheeks, the green wasn't on in two and the hollow in front was like a magnet. Disastrously, Kearney's first pitch hit the top of the bank and came back down the slope; and his next effort was similarly sucked back down into the gully. He finally made the back of the green in five, missed a long putt and, basically, that was it as Cunningham had safely negotiated his pitch onto the green in three and, so, had three unrequired putts for the win.
Kearney wasn't alone in licking his wounds, however. McCormick's exit came at the hands of Hermitage's Stephen Browne in the first round, and Browne followed up with a win over Justin Kehoe to book his place in the last 16. Dunne also capitulated in the first round, losing to Cork's seasoned campaigner Pat Lyons who subsequently defeated Liam Brady. Then, later in the evening, Omelia was a shock casualty to Ulsterman Chris Brown, while Gribben was beaten by Pat Killeen who has the benefit of being coached by local professional Charlie McGoldrick.
Elsewhere, the holder Jody Fanagan safely avoided any problems to reach the third round - with a 3 and 2 win over Pat Dooley - while Noel Fox eked out a one hole win over Hilary Armstrong to maintain his progress. "It was a real test of endurance," professed Fox, "and I really felt my legs going at one stage."
The international dimension continues too, with Finland's Henri Salonen winning his two matches yesterday.
