Caldwell wins, Keeling brothers shine again

Patrick Keeling.

The talented Keeling brothers continued their hot start to 2023 in Spain and Portugal on Wednesday.

Patrick (18) lost at the third extra hole to DP World Tour winner Jonny Caldwell in the Lo Romero Open on the European Pro Golf Tour in Alicante.

The Roganstown talent shot rounds of 69, 66 and 68 to tie on 13-under 203 with Caldwell and Scottish professional Darren Howie before falling in sudden-death to the Clandeboye man.

He couldn’t quite match young brother Sean (16) who left the pros in his wake when he won the Hacienda del Alamo Masters on the same tour two weeks ago.

The younger sibling is across the border for the 93rd Portuguese International Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort, where he opened with a three-under 69 to share seventh with Douglas’ Jack Murphy, three shots behind Portugal’s Vasco Manuel Carreira Alves, whose 66 game him a two-stroke lead over a five-strong chasing group.

In South Africa, the African Amateur Open Strokeplay has been reduced to 54 holes after a weather affected third day.

Amateur champion Aldrich Potgieter was one-under through six holes and one clear of compatriot Fabrizio Abreu on nine-under with Matt McClean the best of the Irish in a tie for 15th on level par after playing 17 holes in two-under.

Robert Brazill was two-under through 15 holes and 17th on one-over while Joshua Hill was three-under through eight holes and up to tied 2 8th on five-over, one better than Richard Knightly, who had played 13 holes in one-over

Hugh Foley was 36th on seven-over, level through 12 holes with Robert Moran a shot further back.

Marc Boucher was 10-over (five over for 15 holes) and Jack McDonnell 12-over after playing 11 holes in one-over.