Higgins and Howard keep Walker Cup dreams intact as Murphy joins them in South quarters
Thomas Higgins. Picture: Niall O’Shea
David Howard and Thomas Higgins hugely boosted their Walker Cup chances by battling their way into this afternoon’s quarter-finals of the 124th South of Ireland Championship at a rain-cloaked Lahinch.
Howard went two up at the 11th against Tralee’s Mark Gazi, but after losing the 13th and 17th to birdies, he made four at the 18th to progress and face Josh Hill, a 5&4 winner over Sam Easterbrook, in the quarter-finals.
Grange’s Ciaran Murphy, who is heading into his third year at Lipscomb University in Nashville, beat Bramhall’s Daniel Hayes 2&1 after going two up thanks to three wins in a row from the seventh.
Higgins beat the leading qualifier, Connor Graham, 2&1 in a key match for his Walker Cup hopes, winning the eighth with a birdie two to square the match before going two up thanks to a par at the 10th and a birdie at the 13th.
“Connor is a great player, so I knew it wasn't really easy today,” Higgins said after closing out a 2&1 win with an excellent two-putt on a morning where a misty rain enveloped the links from the west. ”Just delighted to come out the right side of it.
“I felt like that birdie on 13 was very important in the match and gave me nice momentum going into the last few holes.”
The win will have caught the attention of GB&I captain Dean Robertson.
“I was thinking that the last nine holes were a great opportunity and a great arena to be in,” Higgins said.
“They're the guys you want to play against and test yourself against. So yeah, it's great.”
Higgins plays 6’4” German Ben Gratzl (21), who eagled the 18th to beat Hoylake’s Matthew Dodd-Berry 1 up as Wales’ Sean David beat Max Hopkins to set up a quarter-final with Burnham and Berrow’s Freddie Turnell, who saw off Athenry’s David Kitt at the 21st.
“A teammate of mine at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma, Charlie Mooney, lives near Galway and he encouraged me to come and play,” the Munich native said.
“It's great. Awesome course. Awesome scenery, just like the landscape and everything.”
Kitt, who won the Connacht and Ulster Stroke Play titles this year, birdied the 18th from 12 feet to force extra holes before falling to Turnell’s birdie at the 21st.
124th South of Ireland, sponsored by Pierse Motor Group, Lahinch
Last 16
Josh Hill (Fox Den) bt Sam Easterbrook (Olton) 5/4;
David Howard (Fota Island) bt Mark Gazi (Tralee) 1up;
Tomi Bowen (Welshpool) bt Ben Bolton (Enville) 2 up;
Ciaran Murphy (Grange) bt Daniel Hayes (Bramhall) 2&1;
Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) bt Connor Graham (Blairgowrie) 2&1;
Ben Gratzl (St Leon Rot, Ger) bt Matthew Dodd-Berry (Royal Liverpool) 1 up;
Sean David (Pyle and Kenfig) bt Max Hopkins (Bishops Stortford) 2&1;
Freddie Turnell (Burnham & Berrow) bt D Kitt (Athenry) 21st
Quarter-finals
Josh Hill (Fox Den) v David Howard (Fota Island)
Tomi Bowen (Welshpool) v Ciaran Murphy (Grange)
Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) v Ben Gratzl (St Leon Rot, Ger)
Sean David (Pyle and Kenfig) v Freddie Turnell (Burnham & Berrow).
