Irish Amateur Open first round ends in nine-way tie for lead

Perhaps it was the surreal, dawn presence of a lone saxophonist, clearly dispatched to the farthest reaches of the Bull Island to practise his skills, that heralded such an unusual start to the Irish Amateur Open at The Royal Dublin.

As an official went about checking pin positions and tee makers around 6am, he was stunned to hear the strains of a wandering minstrel going through the scales as he sat on the boot of his car near the boundary wall that separates the par-three ninth from a public road beyond.

He hit few sweet notes, we’re told, before he wandered off and it was a similar story on the links as just 25 players broke par in what were, by local standards, benign first-round conditions.

Nine players tied

As the sun went down, the top 40 on the leaderboard were covered by just three strokes with nine players tied for the lead on three-under par.

Up and coming Co Louth teenager Thomas Mulligan, East of Ireland champion Colm Campbell Jnr, 2012 champion and Walker Cup player Gavin Moynihan, big-hitting Knock player Colin Fairweather, Walker Cup hopeful Jack Hume from Naas and four overseas players in Scotland's Alexander Culverwell, Welsh pair Evan Griffiths and Richard James and South Africa's Luke Trocado ended the day one stroke clear of the rest.

West of Ireland champion Dermot McElroy, Irish Close winner John Ross Galbraith, Faithlegg's Robin Dawson and Rosslare's Gary Collins were among those posting two-under 70s while Gary Hurley shot a solid 71 and Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin brilliantly came back from three over with six to go to card a level par 72.

Hume and Moynihan, who both missed the cut in the Lytham Trophy last week, were delighted with their 69s and share of the lead.

Moynihan was particularly pleased to rediscover some form after a tough recent spell with the highlight of his round coming at the par-five 14th, where he hit a stunning, 268-yard three wood to four feet to set up an eagle three.

“It’s definitely the best shot of the year so far,” said Moynihan, who birdied the 16th and parred his way home for his 69. “It’s the best I’ve played in a while.