Laytown and Bettystown provides ideal ‘West’ test
IRELAND’S top amateurs tee it up in the West of Ireland at Rosses Point tomorrow with many of the leading students destined for the R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament at St Andrews.
As indicators of form go, Sunday’s Laytown and Bettystown Senior Scratch Cup was a good barometer with Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty finishing with three birdies to win the 36-hole event for the second time.
The 25-year-old Maynooth University star triumphed by one shot from college teammate Ronan Mullarney on six-under 136 thanks to rounds of 70 and 66.
But while that would normally make the Maynooth men two of the leading contenders for the “West” at County Sligo over the Easter holidays, the Paddy Harrington Scholarship students must play the 54-hole R&A Scholars Tournament at St Andrews instead.
It’s one of the biggest events on the collegiate golf schedule with the top male golfer earning a place on the Rest of the World team to face the USA in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Evian Resort in July.
“To win in Laytown is a nice boost heading to St Andrews,” said Rafferty, who first won the event at the Co Meath club in 2013.
A shotgun start saw Rafferty tee off both rounds on the second hole and he admitted he was surprised to find himself only one shot off the lead after an opening 70.
“It was a cold morning and there was a bit of a breeze but I didn’t hit it that well and I just scrambled my way around with five birdies and four bogeys,” Rafferty said
“I couldn’t believe it when I found out I was only a shot behind a group on two under as I thought somebody would have posted a decent score.”
Relieved to be still in contention, Rafferty knuckled down in the second round and produced some excellent golf as he fired seven birdies in a five under par 66 thanks to those three closing birdies.