British Amateur Championsip:Simon Ward became the top Irish qualifier in the British Amateur Championship on the Lancashire coast yesterday and then relaxed by going on the roller-coaster at the famous Blackpool Pleasure Park. The 20-year-old from Co Louth fired a 66 over the St Annes Old Links to add to his 68 the previous day at Royal Lytham and declared himself "pretty happy" and feeling like a rest last night.
Ward, second in the East of Ireland championship, led an eight-strong group of Irish players into the knockout phase.
Niall Turner, who had led the Irish on Monday with a 66 at St Annes, missed a few putts at Royal Lytham yesterday but still managed a 73 and comfortably qualified on 139, the same score as that recorded by the talented Royal Dublin performer Niall Kearney.
Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye) and Shane Lowry from Esker Hills, both considered strong contenders so far in the championship, qualified with plenty to spare on 137.
The Irish and European champion Rory McIlroy, the one member of the group who is a Walker Cup certainty, squeezed in with a stroke to spare after rounds of 69 and 71. But he was relieved to do so after hearing that three Walker Cup veterans, Gary Wolstenholme, Nigel Edwards and Stuart Wilson, had all fallen by the wayside.
Completing the Irish qualifiers were Lurgan's Gareth Shaw and Peter O'Keeffe from Douglas.
Stephen Grant from Birr, who looked set to make it after a 67 at St Annes on Monday, found Royal Lytham too tough and slipped to a 75, missing out by one stroke. Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick failed by two strokes to qualify. The qualifiers were led by Cheshire's David Horsey on 132 - 11 under par.
