Heineken Continue Irish Open Support

The European Tour announced Heineken as an Official Sponsor to the Irish Open, to be played at Royal Portrush Golf Club from June 28 – July 1.

Heineken owns and manages one of the world’s leading portfolios of beer brands and is recognised and respected for its high profiled and valued sponsorship portfolios: The Heineken Cup/Rugby World Cup/UEFA Champions League. 

Nearer home, it is the Official Beer Partner to Ulster Rugby and Ravenhill Stadium.

The company reinforces its relationship with professional golf in Ireland further committing its partnership with The Irish Open Championships for the staging in 2013 and 2014.

Pat Maher, National Sponsorship & Events Manger for Heineken Ireland, said: “We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to present Heineken at this prestigious sporting event. The Irish Open is respected throughout Europe by the professional golfers and spectators alike.

“The special significance of Royal Portrush, its world-renowned links and unique beauty will enhance the staging of the tournament. Last years event was truly special – and who can forget the images shown across the world from that most treasured location.”

James Finnigan of The European Tour, Commercial Director for the Irish Open, said: “The European Tour is pleased to secure Heineken’s multi-year commitment as an Official Sponsor of the Irish Open. Given their support of the Heineken Cup and the UEFA Champions’ League, we are delighted that a leading global brand such as Heineken has added the Irish Open to their sponsorship portfolio.”

McGeady Leads Home Talent

Derryman Michael McGeady is top Irishman on five under with Tim Rice but Paul Cutler missed the cut.

McGeady fired a flawless 67 which included five birdies and no dropped shots.

However last year's Walker Cup star Cutler dropped a combined five shots at two of the easier holes on the course.

Cutler, after his opening 72, carded a triple bogey at the second and also double bogeyed the 15th as he signed for a 75 which proved three too many.

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell, who played alongside Rory McIlroy on the 2007 Walker Cup team, missed the cut by one shot after a second-round 74.

Gareth Shaw of the Lurgan club, who had been level with Caldwell after the first round, is safely though as the top Northern Ireland man at two under par.

Ballyliffen club man Damien Mooney is on one under for the tournament but Carrickfergus professional Ross Oliver exited in disappointing fashion as he added a 76 to his impressive opening 70.

Neil O'Briain is in contention on four under ahead of the Friday's final round.

Leader Fallon started his round on Friday with a bogey but responded with a birdie on two and eagle at the third as he went on to shoot a 69.

Reed, whose seventh-placed finish at Galgorm last year was immediately followed by victory at Fota Island, carded a seven-birdie 66 while 2010 winner Hepworth is among those nicely positioned three off the pace.

Fallon Holds Narrow Galgorm Lead

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Scott Fallon’s lead at the top of the Ulster Bank Open leaderboard has been cut to one shot following the second day of play in the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event at Galgorm Castle.

The overnight leader briefly held a six-shot lead thanks to an early tee time which he took full advantage of to put pressure on the rest of the field.

However, Paul Reed (Bristol & Clifton Golf Club) and Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) both responded with day-best rounds of 66 to conclude Thursday second and third respectively.

Fallon started with a bogey five at the first but immediately made up for it with a three at the par-four second.

An eagle at the third extended Fallon’s lead and he moved to 11 under par with a birdie three at the fourth. The Londoner completed the rest of the front nine to par before bogeying the 11th, a 477-yard dog-leg par four. A four on the final hole improved Fallon’s card by a further shot.

Reed hit seven birdies to make inroads on the leaderboard and his impressive 66 leaves him just one shot behind Fallon. Reed tied for seventh at Galgorm last summer and was victorious at Fota Island in County Cork the following week, helping see him finish the season seventh in the Order of Merit.

Doherty, who matched Reed’s second-round score, is two shots behind Fallen in third. The Scotsman made five birdies through seven holes from the ninth and also gained shots at two and four, both par fours. A bogey at the par-three fifth was the only stain on Doherty’s card.

Three players go into Friday’s Final Round within three shots of Fallon. James Hepworth (Ilkley Golf Club) was victorious in a play off at Galgorm two years and a Second Round 69 took his tournament score to eight under.

Level with Hepworth are Alex Belt (The De Vere Club) and George Woolgar (Capitalservices/F Ball). Belt has shot two rounds of 68 while Woolgar climbed the leaderboard with a second-round 67.

Ahead of the Final Round a cut of the top 50 plus ties has been made with all those who are level par or better through to Friday’s play.

The Final Round gets underway at 8am on Friday with the leading pair due out at 12:03pm. 

Entry is FREE to all spectators at Galgorm Castle.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

Click here for Final Round tee times.

Fernández-Castaño Recaptures Form

Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño is finally recapturing the form that saw him almost topple Tiger Woods three months ago.

The Spaniard, who took Woods to the final green at the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson, resumes the ISPS Handa Wales Open on Friday two shots behind leader Lee Slattery at Celtic Manor.

And having come so close to a shock win the Madrid golfer admits it has taken him time to regain his confidence.

"I had a great opportunity to beat him, which would have been great," he said. "But I hit some awkward shots and I think my confidence went down a little bit.

"Since then I've kind of lost my swing, but hopefully this will be the turning point of the season."

Dizzy

Fernández-Castaño has played only four times since that Woods duel and has not had a top-50 finish in any of them.

But on a tough opening day at the 2010 Ryder Cup venue his two under par 69 yesterday was good enough for a share of fourth place.

Slattery, whose week began with him qualifying for a US Open debut, had German Marcel Siel and Dutchman Tim Sluiter right on his heels overnight.

Conditions were tough. Over 20 players did not break 80 and one, Singapore's Zhiqun Lam shot 92.

England's Gary Boyd had two sextuple bogey 10s in an 88, then quit, complaining of feeling "sick and dizzy".

Defending champion Alex Noren and Welsh hope Jamie Donaldson withdrew as well with back trouble after scoring 81s.

At the 2010 3 Irish Open Fernández-Castaño finished in third place, played at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, behind winner Ross Fisher and second placed, Padraig Harrington.. 

But last year the Madrid born golfer missed the cut on the same course after an opening round of 78.

Rory Recovers from Rocky Start

Rory McIlroy recovered from a terrible start at the Memorial Tournament to card a one-under 71 that keeps him in touch with the first-round pacesetters.

The Northern Irishman shot a quadruple-bogey seven on the 12th - his third hole, having started on the 10th - at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

But four birdies and an eagle on the fifth moved McIlroy to one under - two behind the clubhouse leaders.

World number one Luke Donald also shot a 71, while Tiger Woods carded a 70.

McIlroy, who defends his US Open title next month, will be determined to put in a good performance following two consecutive missed cuts at the The Players Championship and the BMW PGA Championship.

The world number two made par in his first two holes before sending his tee shot into the bunker behind the green on the par-three 12th.

McIlroy's next shot sailed into a pond for a penalty stroke before his fourth landed in a bunker. After reaching the green, he then two-putted from 15 feet.

It was a demoralising start to the round but the 23-year-old recovered well, making birdies on the 14th and 15th.

He dropped a shot on the 17th but a birdie and an eagle coming home meant the danger of a third consecutive missed cut receded.

"It wasn't the start that I wanted to get off to, being four over through three holes, especially after the last few weeks," said McIlroy.

"I was just like, 'Here we go again'. But I hung in there well, and I'm proud of myself for the way I fought back. To finish the round under par I thought was a really good effort."

Woods, who has won the tournament four times before, shot a double-bogey six on the 18th - his ninth - but that was the only blemish on his scorecard as four birdies saw him back in the clubhouse on two under.

"It certainly could have been a lot lower, but I'm pleased with the way I hit the golf ball," he said. "I didn't do anything great and I didn't do anything poorly."

Donald, winner of the BMW PGA Championship last time out, also ran up a double bogey on the 18th but three birdies in his round keeps him in contention.

"There are some tougher pins out there and overall I'll take one under and try and play better the next three days," said the Englishman.

With half the field still to head out onto the course, South African Rory Sabbatini, Australian Aaron Baddeley, Argentina's Andres Romero and Blake Adams of the United States are the clubhouse leaders on three under.