Sport

Portrush forced to wait for Open day

BRITISH OPEN: Royal Portrush, the venue for next week’s Irish Open, will have to wait until at least 2017 to host the British…

Thu Jun 21 2012 - 01:00

BRITISH OPEN:Royal Portrush, the venue for next week's Irish Open, will have to wait until at least 2017 to host the British equivalent after Royal Troon, on Scotland's Ayrshire coast, was announced yesterday as the venue for the 2016 tournament.

It will be the ninth time the championship has been held over the famous links, most recently in 2004 when American Todd Hamilton held off Ernie Els in a play-off.

This year’s event takes place at Royal Lytham St Annes; Muirfield will host in 2013, while Royal Liverpool will be the venue in 2014 and St Andrews has been chosen for the 2015 instalment.

BRITISH AMATEUR: Rory MacNamara produced a Houdini act to edge into the third round at Royal Troon yesterday. The 23-year-old from Headfort seemed to be heading for the exit when he lost the first three holes to Finland's Tapio Pulkkanen.

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And the former Irish boys and youths international was still three behind after seven holes but he then moved into top gear and won the next two with birdies and took the 10th also to square the match.

Birdies at 11 and 13 put McNamara two up, a lead he maintained until losing the 17th. He closed out the match in style, winning the 18th when he put his second to within four feet of the pin to claim a two-hole success.

He now plays German Stephan Jaeger, one of 22 overseas players in the last 32 of this competition, whose winner gets automatic entry to the British Open, US Masters and US Open.

Kevin Phelan, who plays out of Waterford Castle but lives in Florida, was impressive in overcoming American Kramer Hickok 4 and 3. He now faces Australian Nathan Holman.

Rathmore’s Walker Cup man Alan Dunbar had his work cut out to see off the challenge of Spaniard Borja Virto, but eventually booked a meeting this morning with Denmark’s Patrick Winther, while Dubliner Richard O’Donovan put up a tremendous battle before going down 2 and 1 to England’s Nathan Kimsey.

US TOUR:World number one amateur Patrick Cantlay has turned professional – but his decision means he is no longer exempt for next month's British Open. The 20-year-old American plays for money for the first time in this week's Travelers Championship, where his second round 60 last year was the lowest score ever recorded by an amateur in a PGA Tour event.

Cantlay was given a place at Royal Lytham because of his amateur ranking at the end of last season, but had to stay amateur to take it up.