McClean starts Flogas Irish Amateur Open defence with eight-under 64 at Seapoint
Matt McClean (Malone) following his win in the 2024 Flogas Irish Men's Amateur Open Championship at Co. Sligo Golf Club Picture: Fran Caffrey | Golffile
Malone’s Matthew McClean made a magnificent start to his defence of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at Seapoint.
The 31-year-old Walker Cup player made an eagle, seven birdies and just one bogey in an eight-under 64 to lead by a shot from Concra Wood’s Charlie McDonnell and by two from Co Louth‘s Stuart Grehan and Galway Bay’s Caelan Coleman.
It was just the start McClean wanted as he bids to become the first man to retain the title since Keith Nolan in 1997.
After birdies at the first, third and eighth, McClean bogeyed the ninth but made amends with an eagle three at the 10th before following a birdie at the 14th with three in a row to finish.
Baltray’s Gerard Dunne was lurking in a tie for fifth on five under 67 alongside two-time winner Colm Campbell from Warrenpoint and Royal Birkdale’s Greg Holmes.
Now fewer than 44 players broke par on a fair weather day on the links designed by Des Smyth and Declan Branigan.
Flogas Irish Amateur Open, Seapoint Golf Links
| 64 | Matthew McClean Malone, Ireland |
| 65 | Charlie McDonnell Concra Wood, Ireland |
| 66 | Caelan Coleman Galway Bay Golf Resort, Ireland |
| 66 | Stuart Grehan Co.Louth, Ireland |
| 67 | Gerard Dunne Co. Louth GC, Ireland |
| 67 | Greg Holmes Royal Birkdale, England |
| 67 | Colm Campbell Warrenpoint, Ireland |
| 68 | Rían Carvill Warrenpoint, Ireland |
| 68 | David Shiel Enniscrone, Ireland |
| 68 | Thomas Higgins Roscommon, Ireland |
| 68 | Matt Roberts Royal Porthcawl, Wales |
| 68 | James Walsh Douglas Golf Club, Ireland |
| 68 | Pietro Guido Fenoglio Golf Torino La Mandria, Italy |
| 69 | Alexander Brand Golf Club Bern, Switzerland |
| 69 | Caolan Rafferty Dundalk, Ireland |
| 69 | Ben Willis Hunstanton, England |
| 69 | Archie Davies Carlisle, Wales |
| 69 | Andrew Gavin Black Bush Golf Club, Ireland |
| 69 | Seán McLoughlin County Sligo, Ireland |
| 69 | John Doyle Fota Island, Ireland |
| 69 | Lewy Hayward Marlborough, England |
| 69 | TJ Ford County Sligo Golf Club, Ireland |
| 70 | Timothy Jordan Dungannon, Ireland |
| 70 | Louis Goodman Co. Louth, Ireland |
| 70 | James Wood Bathgate Golf Club, England |
| 70 | Sam Mukherjee Gullane, Scotland |
| 70 | David Howard Fota island, Ireland |
| 70 | Paul Coughlan Castleknock, Ireland |
| 70 | Keith Egan Carton House, Ireland |
| 70 | Simon Walker Roscommon, Ireland |
| 70 | Sean David Pyle and Kenfig, Wales |
| 71 | David Kitt Athenry, Ireland |
| 71 | Jordan Boles Charleville, Ireland |
| 71 | Frederik Dortmans Sunningdale Golf Club, England |
| 71 | Allan Kiernan Forrest little, Ireland |
| 71 | Ryan Williams Bargoed Golf Club, Wales |
| 71 | Alan Fahy Dun Laoghaire, Ireland |
| 71 | Richard Knightly Royal Dublin, Ireland |
| 71 | Lorcan O'Connor Edmondstown Golf Club, Ireland |
| 71 | Conor Stapleton Westport, Ireland |
| 71 | Dylan Keating Seapoint Golf Club, Ireland |
| 71 | Dominic McGlinchey The Renaissance Club, Scotland |
| 71 | Oliver Hausammann Limpachtal, Switzerland |
| 71 | Lauri Rosendahl Nokia River Golf, Finland |
| 72 | Kevin Robinson Castlewarden Golf Club, Ireland |
| 72 | Lewis Gowdy Bangor Golf Club, Ireland |
| 72 | Jamie Roberts London Golf Club, England |
| 72 | Kevin LeBlanc The Island, Ireland |
| 72 | Kieran Morris Rosslare, Ireland |
| 72 | Mark Cadden Roganstown Golf Club, Ireland |
| 72 | Brian Lane Muskerry, Ireland |
| 72 | Tom Matthews Oswestry, Wales |
| 72 | Neil Patterson Baltinglass, Ireland |
| 72 | Luke Kelly Dunfanaghy, Ireland |
| 72 | Liam Abom Edmondstown, Ireland |
| 72 | Jake Whelan Grange, Ireland |
| 73 | Conor Hickey Dooks, Ireland |
| 73 | Noe Kappeler Golfclub Bern, Switzerland |
| 73 | Thomas Beaumont Bangor Golf Club, Ireland |
| 73 | Eoin Murphy Dundalk Golf Club, Ireland |
| 73 | Michael Green Greenore, Ireland |
| 73 | David Reddan Castleknock, Ireland |
| 73 | Ryan Griffin Ballybofey & Stranorlar, Ireland |
| 73 | Joe O'Neill Berehaven, Ireland |
| 73 | Aodhagan Brady Co Sligo, Ireland |
| 73 | Adrien Conter Grange Aux Ormes, France |
| 73 | Dwayne Mallon Dungannon, Ireland |
| 74 | Harry Gillivan Portmarnock, Ireland |
| 74 | Evan Monaghan Tullamore, Ireland |
| 74 | Shane McDermott PGA National Slieve Russell, Ireland |
| 74 | Ruairi O'Connor Co Sligo, Ireland |
| 74 | Callum Davis Bray, Ireland |
| 74 | Michael Roche Harpenden Common Golf Club, England |
| 74 | Eugenio Bernardi Margara Golf Club, Italy |
| 74 | Brian Doran Millicent, Ireland |
| 74 | Conor Clarke Balmoral, Ireland |
| 74 | Timothy Chan Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China |
| 75 | Yves Koller Golf and Country Club Zürich, Switzerland |
| 75 | James Fox Portmarnock, Ireland |
| 75 | Darragh Flynn Carton House, Ireland |
| 75 | Eoin O'Carroll St Annes Golf Club, Ireland |
| 75 | Robert Abernethy Dun Laoghaire, Ireland |
| 75 | James Maginn Mourne, Ireland |
| 75 | William Beatty Royal Portrush Golf Club, Ireland |
| 75 | John Moran Portmarnock Golf Club, Ireland |
| 75 | George Holland Southport and Ainsdale, England |
| 75 | John William Burke Ballyhaunis, Ireland |
| 75 | Gregor Tait Aldeburgh GC, Scotland |
| 75 | Dylan Holmes Greystones, Ireland |
| 75 | Luke O'Neill Connemara Golf Links, Ireland |
| 75 | Thomas Abom Edmondstown, Ireland |
| 75 | Adam Fahey Portmarnock, Ireland |
| 76 | Oliver Morris Carrickmines Golf Club, Ireland |
| 76 | Ian O'Connell Castleknock, Ireland |
| 76 | James Temple Portmarnock, Ireland |
| 76 | Isaac Oliver Glasson Golf Club, Ireland |
| 76 | Ciaran Gregan Forrest Little, Ireland |
| 76 | Jack McDonnell The Royal Dublin Golf Club, Ireland |
| 76 | Shea Dorman Bangor golf club, Ireland |
| 76 | Darren McCormack Corrstown golf club, Ireland |
| 76 | Harry Watkins Royal Porthcawl, Wales |
| 76 | Patrick Curran Edmondstown Golf Club, Ireland |
| 77 | Oscar Murphy Royal Portrush, Ireland |
| 77 | Joseph Stevenson Portadown, Ireland |
| 77 | Charlie Smyth PGA National Slieve Russell, Ireland |
| 77 | Alex Timms Blairgowrie, England |
| 77 | Robert Galligan Elm Park GC, Ireland |
| 77 | Daniel Mc Kenna County Louth Golf Club, Ireland |
| 77 | Darragh Grehan Carton House Golf Club, Ireland |
| 77 | Ross McCormack Palmerstown House Estate, Ireland |
| 78 | Morgan O'Sullivan Ballyneety Golf Club, Ireland |
| 78 | Shane McGlynn Sutton, Ireland |
| 78 | Aaron Naughton Hermitage GC, Ireland |
| 78 | Conor McCarthy Headfort, Ireland |
| 78 | Bryn Thomas Cardigan Golf club, Wales |
| 78 | Donnacha Cleary Tipperary Golf Club, Ireland |
| 78 | Aaron Marshall Lisburn Golf Club, Ireland |
| 78 | Tóla Gormley Austin Golf Association, Ireland |
| 78 | Joshua Millington The Players Golf Club, England |
| 78 | Edward Reed Royal Birkdale Golf Club, England |
| 78 | Rory Gallagher Galway Bay, Ireland |
| 79 | Sean Gallagher Mangawhai golf club, Ireland |
| 79 | Eoin Sullivan Portmarnock, Ireland |
| 79 | Patrick Martin Carrick-On-Shannon, Ireland |
| 79 | Max Weaver Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, Wales |
| 79 | Quentin Carew Castleknock, Ireland |
| 80 | Adam Smith Mullingar golf club, Ireland |
| 80 | Sean Reddy Douglas Golf, Ireland |
| 80 | Donal O'Reilly Farnham Estate Golf Club, Ireland |
| 81 | Adam Allahbachani Powerscourt, Ireland |
| 82 | Jonny Hall Galgorm Castle, Ireland |
| 82 | Benjamin Doggett County Louth Golf Club, Ireland |
Brian Keogh
