Moran takes early North of Ireland lead with six-under 65 at the Valley

Rob Moran took the lead after the first round at Royal Portrush. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile

AIG Irish Close champion Rob Moran said he is seeing better results from his game as he took the lead after the opening round of the North of Ireland.

The Castle golfer shot a brilliant six-under 65 on the Valley Course to take a one-shot overnight advantage ahead of the duo of James Fox (Portmarnock) and Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) at Royal Portrush.

It was a difficult day for golf on the Valley Links with strong gusts throughout but 18 players still managed to shoot under par in the final event of the Bridgestone Order of Merit series.

And the 24-year-old, who is tenth in the Order of Merit standings, says he is happy to see his performances trending in the right direction on the back of helping Castle to the AIG Men’s Senior Cup at Dun Laoghaire earlier this month.

“I’m pretty happy with where the golf is at. Just have to keep on looking at it because you are always not on top of something. It’s nice to be working at things and feeling good about it and seeing better results,” said Moran.

“It was fairly rotten out there today, it was just about keeping it straight because the rough was bad in a few spots especially when it was raining. So it was about keeping it as straight as possible. 

“It’s so far away now, have to play a completely different golf course the next two days. But yeah these are major championship courses, it would be nice to win.”

Moran had a bogey-free round with four birdies on the front nine and two more on the back nine, en route to his 65.

Fox was similarly impressive in second place, a bogey on the fourth cost him while Donohoe had his only bogey on the 13th hole.

Local Royal Portrush golfer Andrew Morris was the clubhouse leader for much of the early afternoon, after he carded a 69 for -2. And he was thrilled to be in contention following the first round although he knows there is still a long way to go.

“It came as a bit of a surprise,” said Morris.

“Looking out at it this morning and checking the weather app, 49 miles an hour for us hitting off wasn’t exactly what you would be looking for. But I got off to a good start, I birdied the sixth, the seventh, the eighth and held it together then. 

 “You can’t win it today but you can lose it, so I am delighted. To get that draw and come in shooting under par, I am over the moon.”

North of Ireland Amateur Open, Royal Portrush (Valley and Dunluce courses)

Detailed scores

	(* Dunluce today)
1	Robert Moran (Castle)	-6	9:00 AM	65
T2	James Fox (Portmarnock)	-5	8:00 AM*	66
T2	Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy)	-5	8:10 AM*	66
4	Gavin Tiernan (County Louth)	-3	8:40 AM	68
T5	Andrew Morris (Royal Portrush)	-2	1:40 PM	69
T5	David Shiel (Enniscrone)	-2	8:30 AM	69
T5	Adam Scott (Lochmaben)	-2	9:30 AM	69
T5	Ian Lynch (Rosslare)	-2	7:50 AM*	69
T5	Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint)	-2	9:30 AM*	69
T10	Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little)	-1	1:50 PM*	70
T10	Eliot Baker (Tiverton)	-1	8:50 AM	70
T10	Keith Egan (Carton House)	-1	9:10 AM	70
T10	Rory Williamson (Holywood)	-1	9:20 AM	70
T10	Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield)	-1	12:20 PM	70
T10	Max Berrisford (Ilkley)	-1	8:00 AM*	70
T10	Fionn Dobbin (Malone)	-1	8:20 AM*	70
T10	Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle)	-1	8:50 AM*	70
T10	Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden)	-1	8:50 AM*	70
T19	Ben Best (Rathmore)	E	1:40 PM	71
T19	Robert Galligan (Elm Park)	E	12:50 PM*	71
T19	Brandon St John (Portmarnock)	E	1:20 PM*	71
T19	Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore)	E	1:50 PM*	71
T19	David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown)	E	8:00 AM	71
T19	Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar)	E	8:10 AM	71
T19	Matthew Wilson (Forres)	E	8:30 AM	71
T19	Quentin Carew (Castleknock)	E	9:00 AM	71
T19	Mitchell Cowie (Dumfries and county)	E	9:10 AM	71
T19	Adam Smith (Mullingar)	E	12:20 PM	71
T19	Eoin Murphy (Dundalk)	E	7:50 AM*	71
T19	Evan Farrell (County Louth)	E	8:10 AM*	71
T19	Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock)	E	8:20 AM*	71
T19	Liam Abom (Edmondstown)	E	8:50 AM*	71
T33	Adam Buchanan (Royal Portrush)	1	1:50 PM	72
T33	Adam Cromwell (Co. Armagh)	1	2:00 PM	72
T33	David Kitt (Athenry)	1	12:20 PM*	72
T33	Luke Bradley (Northwest)	1	12:40 PM*	72
T33	James Hewitt (Tandragee)	1	1:00 PM*	72
T33	Cialan Burke (Straffan)	1	1:10 PM*	72
T33	Luke Harris (Hermitage)	1	1:20 PM*	72
T33	Oisin Reilly (Grange)	1	8:20 AM	72
T33	Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock)	1	9:00 AM	72
T33	Matthew Giles (Greenore)	1	12:20 PM	72
T33	Ben Brown (Romanby)	1	8:30 AM*	72
T33	Scott Jones (Belvoir Park)	1	8:40 AM*	72
T33	Samuel Gammell (Naas)	1	9:00 AM*	72
T33	Lorcan O'Connor (Edmondstown)	1	9:20 AM*	72
T47	Luke Lynch (Naas)	2	12:30 PM	73
T47	Adam Fahey (Portmarnock)	2	1:30 PM	73
T47	Evan Monaghan (Tullamore)	2	1:00 PM*	73
T47	Cian Harkin (Letterkenny)	2	2:00 PM*	73
T47	Gareth Johnson (Kirkistown Castle)	2	8:10 AM	73
T47	David Jones (Royal Portrush)	2	8:20 AM	73
T47	Hugh Foley (Royal Dublin)	2	8:30 AM	73
T47	Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park)	2	9:00 AM*	73
T47	Morgan O Sullivan (Ballyneety)	2	9:10 AM*	73
T56	Jake Rowe (Belvoir Park)	3	1:10 PM	74
T56	Harry Fanagan (Milltown)	3	1:10 PM	74
T56	Jamie Foley (Letterkenny)	3	1:20 PM	74
T56	Sam Allister (Belvoir Park)	3	1:40 PM*	74
T56	Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin)	3	8:40 AM	74
T56	Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock)	3	8:40 AM	74
T56	Jason Rackard (Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club)	3	8:50 AM	74
T56	Paul Coughlan (Castleknock)	3	9:30 AM	74
T56	Tom Matthews (Oswestry)	3	9:30 AM	74
T56	jack McDonald (Schloss Roxburghe)	3	8:00 AM*	74
T56	David Reddan (Nenagh)	3	8:10 AM*	74
T56	Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell)	3	8:30 AM*	74
T56	Donnacha Cleary (Tipperary)	3	9:00 AM*	74
T69	Eugene Smith (Co.Louth)	4	1:40 PM	75
T69	Chris Moulds (Lisburn)	4	12:40 PM*	75
T69	Jack Moffett (Fortwilliam)	4	12:40 PM*	75
T69	David Howard (Fota island)	4	1:00 PM*	75
T69	Matt Murphy (Clandeboye)	4	1:40 PM*	75
T69	Ross Mc Cormack (Palmerstown House)	4	8:00 AM	75
T69	Will Hopkins (Belton Park)	4	8:10 AM	75
T69	Aaron Marshall (Lisburn)	4	9:20 AM	75
T69	Thomas Abom (Edmondstown)	4	8:40 AM*	75
T69	Michael Auerbach (Bellport)	4	9:20 AM*	75
T79	Charlie Smyth (PGA National Slieve Russell)	5	1:00 PM	76
T79	Aidan Quigley (Woodbrook)	5	1:30 PM	76
T79	Cathal Gallagher (Gweedore)	5	1:30 PM	76
T79	Ross Nelson (Belvoir Park)	5	1:50 PM	76
T79	Jordan Boles (Charleville)	5	12:30 PM*	76
T79	Fraser Green (Balfron Golf Society)	5	12:50 PM*	76
T79	Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint)	5	1:50 PM*	76
T79	Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint)	5	2:00 PM*	76
T79	Michael Green (Greenore)	5	7:50 AM	76
T79	AJ McCabe (Malahide)	5	8:50 AM	76
T79	Patrick Greene (Holywood)	5	9:10 AM	76
T79	Christian Charles-Steel (San Roque Club)	5	7:50 AM*	76
T79	Ciaran Murphy (Grange)	5	8:30 AM*	76
T79	Patrick Curran (Edmondson)	5	8:40 AM*	76
T79	Kevin Connolly (Donegal)	5	9:10 AM*	76
T79	Ryan Symingto (Lisburn)	5	9:30 AM*	76
T79	Alex King (Faithlegg)	5	9:30 AM*	76
T96	Conal Keenan (Belvoir Park)	6	1:20 PM	77
T96	Annraoi Collins (Portmarnock)	6	1:50 PM	77
T96	Simon Walker (Roscommon)	6	12:50 PM*	77
T96	Harry Watkins (Royal Porthcawl)	6	1:10 PM*	77
T96	Jake Foley (Elm Park)	6	1:40 PM*	77
T96	Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt)	6	2:00 PM*	77
T96	Adam Barr (Ballymena)	6	9:10 AM*	77
T103	David Muldowney (Naas)	7	12:50 PM	78
T103	Luka Rogers (Royal Portrush)	7	1:10 PM	78
T103	Jack Patton (Portsalon)	7	12:20 PM*	78
T103	Seán McLoughlin (County Sligo)	7	12:30 PM*	78
T103	Rory Govan (The Island)	7	1:10 PM*	78
T103	Evan Shipp (Headfort)	7	8:00 AM	78
T103	Michael Meenan (Killymoon)	7	8:20 AM*	78
T110	Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park)	8	12:20 PM*	79
T110	Charlie Connell (Newlands)	8	7:50 AM	79
T110	Martin Kemp (Maridoe)	8	9:20 AM	79
T110	Robert Emerson (Lurgan)	8	9:20 AM*	79
T114	James Mcmaster (Holywood)	9	12:40 PM	80
T114	Conor McErlane (Fortwilliam)	9	12:40 PM	80
T114	Jack Mcilhatton (Massereene)	9	2:00 PM	80
T117	Sam Kelly (The Island)	10	12:30 PM	81
T117	James Mitten (Castleknock)	10	1:30 PM*	81
T117	Gordon Sillett (Ballykisteen)	10	1:30 PM*	81
T120	James Murray (Lee Valley)	11	12:40 PM	82
T120	William Beatty (Royal Portrush)	11	1:00 PM	82
T120	Chris Thewlis (Archerfield Links)	11	1:20 PM*	82
T123	Jonny Hall (Whitehead)	12	12:30 PM	83
T123	Rafael Poli (Helens Bay)	12	1:20 PM	83
T123	Benjamin Oberholzer (Holywood)	12	8:20 AM	83
T126	James Mulholland (Lisburn)	13	12:50 PM	84
T126	Nicholas McClay (Cairndhu)	13	1:00 PM	84
T126	Conor Clarke (Balmoral)	13	2:00 PM	84
129	James Marriott (West Surrey)	14	12:50 PM	85
130	Ian O Connell (Castleknock)	15	1:30 PM*	86
131	Ryan Murray (Balmoral)	16	12:30 PM*	87
132	Daniel Afghani (Holston Hills)	22	7:50 AM	93