Tough test for Irish assistants

Conditions at Nuremore were tricky as players took to the course for the first round of the PGA Irish Assistants’ Championship.

None of the contestants managed to break par 71 at the Carrickmacross venue, with Brian McElhinney best of the day, as he posted a one-over-72. Five players finished just a stroke behind and ready to pounce in the second round.

Former tour player McElhinney, now at Foyle Golf Centre, was steady over the front nine with a birdie at the long second hole and a bogey at the par four eighth, leaving him out in regulation 35.

With bogeys four and five at the 11^th and 13^th holes, the Donegal man was three over but regained some lost ground by carding birdie three at 17. That birdie left McElhinney top of the leaderboard overnight.

Among the chasing pack on 73 is Dundalk assistant Conor Thornton who won Monday’s pipe-opening pro-am. He will, no doubt, regret making double bogey six at the third hole and a five at the par four 18^th.

Shaun Doherty (Ballyliffin) also pencilled in double bogey six at 13 when a par would have given him the overnight lead.