MATCHPLAY RESULTS:PORTMARNOCK'S JAMES Fox clinched one of the most significant victories of his career by reaching the third round of the 115th British Amateur Championship at Muirfield yesterday.
The 27-year-old “genuine” amateur, the younger brother of former Irish star Noel, overcame Scotland’s Paul Shields by 2 and 1, and declared his thrill at making progress.
“It is just great to be here at one of the finest courses and I am taking every game as it comes,” said Fox, who admitted his achievements in the game have been few and far between.
The financial adviser who came 15th in the Welsh Open stroke- play championship and 20th in the recent East of Ireland was never down against Shields.
He planted a seven-iron 15 feet from the pin at the opening hole and canned the putt for a birdie three to take an immediate lead.
Fox, who has been to tour school three times without success, was still one ahead at the turn, but dropped a stroke at the 10th to be brought back to level.
But he rifled a four-iron into 12 feet at the 13th and slotted the putt to regain the advantage, and finished off the game when Shield lost a ball in thick rough at 17th.
Unfortunately from an Irish perspective, this morning Fox, who failed to qualify at Formby last year, faces Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar in an all-Irish dual after Dunbar also recorded a 2 and 1 triumph over American challenger Michael Buttacavoli.
Dunbar, the reigning Irish strokeplay champion, also won the opening hole by canning a 15-footer for par, but was pegged back when he missed the green on the left at the short fourth.
He immediately regained the initiative at the next – a monster of a hole measuring 559 yards – when he got up and down.
One up at the turn, Dunbar, the leading Irishman in the qualifying phase, increased his lead at the 12th, lost the 15th by three-putting, but went two up again the 16th when he blasted a seven-iron to within eight feet.
Halves at the next saw him through to the last 32.
Paul Cutler, the Lytham Trophy winner from Portstewart, also made it into round three when he romped to a 4 and 3 victory over Royal Blackheath’s Jonathan Bell.
In a high-quality match, Cutler won three of the first four holes to open a useful lead and remained four ahead at the turn.
After that he kept up the pressure and several halves and a couple of exchanged holes meant he wrapped up the proceedings on the 15th. The Derry man was five under par at the conclusion.
This morning he clashes with 20-year-old former Scottish Boys champion Michael Stewart in what should be a cracking match.
Neither new East of Ireland champion Cian Curley nor Andrew Hogan had byes into the second round, and both fell at the first hurdle, each going out to players from Portugal, Tiago Rodrigues and Jose Maria Joia respectively.
Top qualifier Tommy Fleetwood and British Boys champion Tom Lewis both made progress into round three.
Muirfield, Scotland
FIRST ROUND: Tiago Rodrigues (Por) bt Cian Curley (Newlands) 3 and 2, Leonardo Motta (Ita) bt Patricio Salem (Per) 4 and 3, Scott Crichton (Aberdour) bt Amir Habibi (Rochester and Cobham Park) 4 and 3, Mattia Miloro (Ita) bt Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 4 and 3, Toby Burden (Hayling) bt Andy Sullivan (Nuneaton) 4 and 3, Morten Orum Madsen (Den) bt Adam Carson (Long Ashton) 4 and 3, Elias Bertheussen (Nor) bt Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 3 and 2, Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) bt Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 1 hole, Jose Maria Joia (Por) bt Andrew Hogan (Newlands) 4 and 3.
SECOND ROUND: Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall) bt Andrew Shakespear (Five Lakes) 2 and 1, Rasmus Lykke-Kjeldsen (Den) bt Xavier Feyaerts (Bel) 1 hole, Peter Baunsoe (Den) bt Laurie Canter (Saltford) 1 hole, Matthew Nixon (Ashton-Under-Lyne) bt Clement Berardo (Fra) 4 and 2, Sebastian Maclean (Bol) bt Ben Campbell (Nzl) 2 and 1, Henrik Norlander (Swe) bt Clement Sordet (Fra) 5 and 3, Rhys Enoch (Truro) bt Philip Mclean (Peterhead) 2 and 1, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) bt James White (Lundin) 2 and 1, Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City) bt Alex Ching (USA) 3 and 2, Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) bt Mervin Rocchi (Fra) 4 and 3, Jin Jeong (Kor) bt Toni Hakula (Fin) 2 holes, Romain Wattel (Fra) bt Trent Whitekiller (USA) 1 hole, Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) bt Philipp Westermann (Ger) 4 and 3, Paul Cutler (Portstewart) bt Jonathan Bell (Royal Blackheath) 4 and 3, Kieran Pratt (Aus) bt Emilio Cuartero (Spa) 2 holes, Yuki Usami (Jpn) bt Leo Lespinasse (Fra) 5 and 4, James Fox (Portmarnock) bt Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 2 and 1, Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) bt Michael Buttacavoli (US) 2 and 1, Edouard Espana (Fra) bt Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall) 19th hole, Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale) bt Tom Boys (Royal Liverpool) 4 and 3, Alex Christie (Tyrrells Wood) bt Olivier Rozner (Fra) 1 hole, Alexis Szappanos (Ger) bt Mu Hu (Chn) 1 hole, Stephan Jaeger (Ger) bt Oliver Farr (Ludlow) 5 and 4, James Byrne (Banchory) bt Tiago Rodrigues (Por) 5 and 4, Are Friestad (Nor) bt Leonardo Motta (Ita) 4 and 2, Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth) bt Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 3 and 2, Chris Paisley (Stocksfield) bt Mattia Miloro (Ita) 3 and 2, Toby Burden (Hayling) bt Charlie Cossins (Bath) 1 hole, Morten Orum Madsen (Den) bt Nino Bertasio (Ita) 2 and 1, Andrea Pavan (Ita) bt Elias Bertheussen (Nor) 1 hole, Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) bt Warren Harmston (Wentworth) 4 and 3, Jose Maria Joia (Por) bt Ian Winstanley (Formby) 1 hole.
