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Hazel Kavanagh made history by becoming the first woman to make the cut at the Cassidy Golf 103rd Irish PGA Championship, at Roganstown.
The Spawell Golf Centre pro, and former LET member edged into the reminder of the tournament right on the mark of ten-over-par on 152, posting rounds of 78 and 74.
“It is nice to make a bit of history but I didn’t think that I would qualify after that first round 78.”
Overnight leader Michael McDermott, who opened with a course record 65, saw his dreams of a repeat score fade early after a bogeys on the first, second and fourth. The collapse continued however, the more trouble at 10 and 11 before birdies at 14 and 18 - to sign for a round of 73 and retain share of the lead.
Michael McGeady was another who failed to match his opening round with a double-bogey on the par four 11th, and then dropping shots at both the 13th and 16th holes. The Derry man then covered the front nine in regulation 35 to sign for a round of 72.
Mark Staunton, the Ballinasloe club pro, steadily climbed the leader board with a six-birdie 68 to be one-under-par and in mix as joint leader going into the final 36 holes. The former Ulster champion, began on the 10th tee but, despite three back nine birdies, was only one-under as he turned for home.
Staunton then laid the foundations with birdie threes at the first and third holes and a four at the long 5th to be five-under-par but a blip at the short ninth denied him of the outright halfway lead.
Niall Kearney posted a disappointing 74 on Thursday but carded an equal best-of-the-day 67 to lurch up the leader board, as did playing partner Peter Martin who also added a 67 to his first round 74.
They both started at the 10th tee with Kearney pencilling in eagle three with a drive and six iron to 10 feet. He added a birdie four at 18, despite driving into rough, to turn three-under.
“I got off to a bad start in the first round when I putt a ball out-of-bounds at the first hole and it’s not an easy course to get shots back from. Being favourite didn’t unease me,” said Ulster champion Kearney.
Martin’s putting was exceptionally good. For his birdie four at 10 he holed a 15 feet putt downhill and made birdie three at 13 uphill from 20 feet. Ironically, he three-stabbed the 14th green but got the shot back with another 20-footer on 16.
Again from 20 feet he made birdie three at the fifth hole, missed the green to drop a shot at seven before finishing birdie-birdie with putts of 15 and 30 feet.
“Yes, the putting was good and the iron play was not bad either. I missed the cut last year by a stroke so I’ve done better, so far, this time,” reflected the Belfast man who was out of golf for a month after cracking his ribs in a football game.
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