Hurley finishes strong in Lake Macquarie and New South Wales
Paddy Harrington Golf Scholar Hurley finishes strong in Lake Macquarie and New South Wales
Congratulations to Paddy Harrington golf scholar Gary Hurley on two excellent finishes in the Lake Macquarie Men’s Amateur Open Championship and New South Wales Amateur Open Championship in Australia.
Hurley finished in a tied for 8th place in the Lake Macquarie Amateur at Belmont Golf Club with rounds of 68, 76, 67, 74 to finish on a total of 285.
In the New South Wales Medal last week at Mona Vale Golf Club.
Hurley finished in an impressive tie for fourth place. The final 36 holes of the Tournament at Mona Vale where cancelled due to flooding, leaving a trio of Irish challengers left to wonder what might have been.
Hurley, along with his Irish teammates Reeve Whitson and Niall Gorey were all well inside the top-10 after two rounds and all looked forward to challenging the overnight leaders, England’s Neil Raymond and local player Brett Drewitt.
A playoff between Drewitt and Raymond saw the Englishman take the honours with a par at the first hole of sudden death.
Hurley who lay in a tie for third after a first round 70, had carded a 74 in difficult conditions on a demanding Mona Vale GC to consolidate his position, three shots off the pace in a tie for fourth.
He was joined on 144 by fellow Irish team mate Reeve Whitson, who added a second consecutive 72, and both players where one shot ahead of Niall Gorey who carded one of the best rounds of the day at Mona Vale, a one-under 71, to lie in a tie for eighth. The other Irish competitor, Dermot McElroy ground his way to a 76 to make the cut on the number, but due to the cancellation did not have a chance to improve his position and gain entry into the New South Wales Match play Championship in Elanora this week.
Hurley, Whitson and Gorey went on this week to compete in the New South Wales Match play Championship as they finished in the top-32 in Mona Vale. Reeve Whitson was best finisher of the Irish who eventually lost out to Australian Jake Higgenbottom in the last eight of the NSW Amateur Open Championship at Elanora by 4/3
Unfortunately, Hurley bowed out in the first round of the Match play to Australian, Matt Wittenberg being beaten by 2/1.
