Peter O’Keeffe has struggled to hit top gear this season but he picked the right day to step on the gas and beat international team-mates Marc Boucher and Alex Maguire to cruise into the last-16 of the Pierse Motors-sponsored South of Ireland at Lahinch.
After beating Boucher by two holes in the morning, O’Keeffe (40) saw off East of Ireland champion Maguire 3&2 to set up a third round clash with the in-form Tramore man Jack Hearn.
“I was five-under and bogey-free,” said the reigning AIG Irish Close champion, who is looking for his fourth major win. “We were both three-under after nine and hadn’t missed a shot to be all square.”
O’Keeffe hit a six-iron to 15 feet at the 11th and made the putt to go one up, then birdied the par-five 12th and claimed the 15th in par to go 3-up.
Six championship winners made the last 16 but there was no place for leading qualifier Joshua Hill, who fell 3&2 to Westport’s Harry Gillivan in the first round.
Defending champion TJ Ford from Co Sligo also went out at the 20th to Malahide teenager Gavin O’Neill, who lost by two holes to Nenagh’s David Reddan Jnr who now faces Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy.
Gillivan now faces former winner Robbie Cannon in the last-16 with the winner to face Galway international Liam Nolan or Carton House’s Jack Doherty, who beat Charlie Denvir at the 20th.
Keith Egan, Hugh Foley and Colm Campbell also survived the day as did Naas’ Robert Brazill, who faces Lahinch’s Aaron McNulty after the local man dumped out 2018 winner Caolan Rafferty 2-up and Senior Cup team-mate Stephen Loftus 4&3.
North of Ireland champion Foley came from 2-down to beat Roganstown’s Joshua McCabe 2&1, Irish Amateur Open champion Campbell eased to a 7&6 win over Faithlegg’s Alex King as Co Sligo’s Seán Flanagan beat Fermoy’s Dean O’Riordan at the 22nd.
