Fresh winds out of the north-west posed no serious problem for Gary Maybin in what has already become an auspicious debut in the Golsure-sponsored Irish Close Championship at Rosses Point. With a second round of 70 yesterday, the 20-yearold from Ballyclare became leading qualifier with a 36-hole total of 137 - five under par.
But at the other end of the qualifying process, Noel Fox and reigning West of Ireland champion Michael McDermott had cause for concern before both of them scraped through on 149: two players on 150 failed to survive. Interestingly, Fox was actually the third-last qualifier at Royal Portrush last year, before progressing to the semi-finals.
His conqueror on that occasion, Graeme McDowell, went on to capture the title. Now, the richly-gifted Rathmore player is having his first experience of another links course where the celebrated architect, Harry Colt, has left his formidable mark. With a 69 yesterday, McDowell got through comfortably on 142.
"I never seem to play well in qualifying events, so this makes a pleasant change," said the 22-year-old, who was 11 strokes behind leading qualifier Michael Hoey at Portrush 12 months ago. "But I like the way this course rewards aggression with the driver."
By way of emphasising the point, McDowell carded two of his four birdies at the 386-yard 10th, where he drove within 40 yards of the green downwind, and at the 369-yard 18th, where he attempted to drive the green downwind and eventually got up and down from rough on the left. "This is a lot more straightforward than the humps and bumps of Prestwick," he said, recalling a first-round exit from the British Amateur two weeks ago.
Qualifying also became a comfortable challenge for the remarkable Hugh Mackeown, who added a solid 72 to Saturday's 75. The 59-year-old company chairman is the oldest player in the field, by some distance, but he believes his aspirations are appropriate for his age. "My target this year is the British Seniors at Royal Portrush in August and if I'm to do well there, I know I must be competitive," said the two-handicap member of Portmarnock, who last got through qualifying in the West in 1997.
Declan Branigan, the 1981 champion here, failed to get through on 152, as did another veteran, Paddy Martin of Balmoral. But Martin's 24-year-old son, Peter, kept the family flag flying with some distinction, when a 70 left him joint second leading qualifier on 138.
Maybin arrived here brimming with confidence, having shot a course-record 66 in his final round at Hollystown last Tuesday to win the Leinster Youths' Championship by eight strokes. And on Saturday, he came within a stroke of equalling the Co Sligo record of 66, set by Stuart Paul in the "West" last Easter.
As it happened, a four-under-par 67 was his first competitive round without a bogey. And the UUJ student followed it with a 70 in which he dropped his first stroke of the championship at the seventh, which he three-putted.
Indeed, there were two further bogeys in the round, but generally tidy play reflected his acknowledged strength as a stroke-player. "My target was to make the top-10 and I'm now hoping to keep it going for a few days," he said.
