Keenan leads Irish Amateur in brutal conditions

England's Farren Keenan defied winds gusting up to 40 mph to take the clubhouse lead in the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

The 24 year old from Sunningdale carded a two-over par 74 in brutal conditions to lead by a stroke from Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney and Portmarock's James Fox.

Scottish Walker Cup prospect Wallace Booth is the next best after a four over par 76 on day when play was suspended for 80 minutes because of high winds.

Castle's Dara Lernihan and Portstewart's Paul Cutler posted six over 78's with Esker Hills' Shane Lowry five shots off the pace after a 79.

Irish Amateur Open - Royal Dublin (par 72)

Clubhouse scores (5.30 pm)
74:  F Keenan (England)
75:  J Fox (Portmarnock), N Kearney (The Royal Dublin)
76:  W Booth (Scotland)
77:  T Hakula (Finland), G Dear (Scotland)
78:  S Moloney (Castletroy), D Whitnell (England), D Lernihan (Castle), P Cutler (Portstewart), A Runcie (Wales), S Hutsby (England)
79:  K McNicoll (Scotland), S Lowry (Esker Hills), T Pulkkanen (Finland), P Purdy (Shandon Park), R McNamara (Headfort)
80:  R Kellett (Scotland), A Dunbar (Rathmore), R Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown), J McGinn (Laytown & Bettystown), S Hodgson (England), A Hogan (Newlands)
81:  S McEwan (Scotland), P Croonquist (USA), T O' Flynn (Fota Island), C Curley (Newlands), L Goddard (England)
82:  J Carlota (Portugal), S Einhaus (Germany), L Lennox (Moyola Park), P McLean (Scotland), M Glauert (Germany)
83:  D O'Donovan (Muskerry), C Robb (Scotland), D Coyle (Co. Louth)
84:  P Murray (Limerick), T McGowan (Strandhill), G Yates (Scotland), H Bacher (Austria)
85:  M Brett (Portmarnock), P Figueiredo (Portugal), P O'Hara (Scotland)
86:  R McGee (Ireland), O Sharpe (England), B Campbell (Malone), S Wolters (Germany)
87:  K Samooja (Finland)
88:  A Llorente (Colombia)
89:  M Aurnhammer (Germany), F Illouz (France)
90:  G Perne (Slovenia), C Schroder (Germany)
91:  N Woods (East Clare)