Offaly golfers chase British Open qualification

TWO Offaly golfers are chasing qualification for the British Open on Tuesday, July 4.

Daingean man Brian McCormack and Tullamore's Stuart Grehan have come through an initial regional qualifier for the British Open and will be attempting to come through the final qualifying round in Scotland.

McCormack and Grehan both got one of the seven places on offer with rounds of -3 69 in the regional qualifier at Louth as they finished joint second. The final qualifying rounds take place in Scotland on Tuesday with Grehan and McCormack both out in Dundonald Links. They will play two rounds and 19 golfers will qualify.

Stuart Grehan had a fantastic amateur career, winning the East and South of Ireland Championships and the Irish Youth Championship before turning professional some years ago.

Qualification for the British Open will be ferociously fought. It takes place in Royal Liverpool from July 20 to 23 and Offaly is assured of having one golfer in the field as Clara's Shane Lowry will be bidding to recapture the Claret Jug he won so sensationally in 2019.

Brian McCormack's confidence was boosted last week when he took the big prize at the Mount Juliet pro-am in Kilkenny.

Brian McCormack performed very well as he held off the challengers to win on -5, two strokes ahead of the runner up, Sean O'Donoghue of Mount Wolseley.

McCormack had birdies on the first, fourth, fifth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and thirteenth and bogeys on the second and seventh as he powered to a very impressive win. With victory in sight, he played very steady golf as he parred his way in from 14 to 18.

McCormack developed his game at the Daingean based Castle Barna Golf before turning professional. Castle Barna closed some years ago and is now farmland.

McCormack now competes under his own banner, McCormack Golf Ltd. He owns a golf shop on Tullamore's William Street and has had a number of wins on European subsidiary tours as well as the Irish PGA pro-am circuit.