GOLF | Murphy right in the mix at the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship

*Dundalk Golf Club’s Eoin Murphy pictured with his father John (right) at the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Rosses Point in Sligo.* ***PICTURE:*** **@2017woig**

Local golfer Eoin Murphy is making a big impression at the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Rosses Point in Sligo.

The 17-year-old from Dundalk Golf Club was due to tee off round two at 7am on Saturday morning, sitting nicely in second place after carding a fine score of 68 on Friday, leaving him just two shots behind leader Conor O’Rourke from Naas.

Eoin — who came through a pre-qualifier for the tournament earlier in the week — started his round in convincing fashion, recording six pars, before hitting a birdie at the seventh.

Hole nine and 11 caused him some difficulties but he bounced back with birdies at the 12th, 13th and 15th and he finished his round off in some style, holing his second shot at the 18th for a closing eagle two and a promising three-under par 68.

“It was a nice way to finish,” Murphy told IrishGolfDesk.com. “It’s my first men’s championship and to be able to compete with these boys is great.

“It was a good solid round of golf — I hit lots of greens and didn’t do anything too mad until the 18th. Hopefully, I can do something solid on Saturday and get into the matchplay.”

Ardee’s Evan Farrell is in third place after a return of 69 while two other Dundalk players still in the mix include Caolan Rafferty (72) and Aaron Grant (73).

The West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship has been held in Rosses Point since August 1923 and has been won by the likes of Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy — the youngest ever winner at the age of 15 — and Shane Lowry.