Portmarnock's Noel Fox produced a stunning display of power hitting to card a course record 68 in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at wind lashed Royal Dublin.

The 29 year old Dubliner hit an eagle, three birdies and just one bogey to carve out a three shot lead on a day of high winds and squalls that saw scores soar into the 80s.

With the redesigned par three ninth coming into play for the first time, Fox's round counts as a new course record, although he has twice shot rounds of 66 at the Bull Island links.

Welshman Stuart Manley, one of eight Walker Cup panellists in action, is his nearest challenger after a one under par 71 that included six birdies.

Englishmen Jamie Moul and Jamie Donaldson, Scot Jamie McLeary and South Africans Ross Wellington and Albert Kruger are a shot further back after rounds of 72.

Athlone's Colm Moriarty carded a two over par 74 that leaves him well in touch while Ireland's third Walker Cup panellist, Justin Kehoe of Birr, failed to make a birdie in an eight over par 80.

The day belonged to Fox who played the four par fives in five under par to put himself in a great position for a repeat of his victory in this event four years ago.

"I'm delighted that I didn't leave any shots out there for once," he said. "But I never expected to shoot as low. I have had a couple of 66s here but never in weather like this. Usually I shoot 70 or 71 when I'm playing this well and end up kicking myself for leaving shots out there."

Fox reduced the 486 yard par five second to a drive, a nine iron and two foot putt to go two under par and never looked back.

He two putted the par five eighth for birdie to turn in three under and although he dropped a shot at the 10th where his second shot finished in a footprint in a bunker, he was soon back on track.

Playing into the teeth of the wind on the back nine, he punched a six iron third shot to six feet to get back to three under for the day at the long 11th.

Then he made another birdie at the 497 yard 14th where he hit a three wood to 20 feet and two putted again.

"I didn't hole any long putts but I was very solid on the greens which is nice after struggling early in the year. Hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow."

AIB Irish Amateur Open, Royal Dublin
First round scores

68  N Fox (Portmarnock)

71  S Manley (Mountain Ash)

72  N Edwards (Whitchurch), J Moul (Stoke by Nayland), R Wellington (Kyalami), J Donaldson (West Sussex), A Kruger (Krugersdorp), J McLeary (Leven)

73  S Moloney (Castletroy), D Morgan (Mullingar), M Mulryan (Athenry), M McGeady (City of Derry), E McCormack (Slieve Russell), G Evans (Ealing)

74  G Wardlow (Shandon Park), C Moriarty (Athlone), R McCarthy (The Island), D Morris (Limerick), G Bowden (Hermitage), T Cruz (Estoril), A O'Callaghan (Douglas), R Leonard (Banbridge)

75  P Ring (Boycehill), R Caldwell (Sunningdale), J Foster (Ballyclare), N Campino (Ardeira), R Kakko (Finnish Golf Union)

76  F Illouz (Morfontaine), G Massey (Hermitage), A McCormick (Scrabo), E Vernon (Burton on Trent), C McNamara (Limerick), M Korhonen (Finnish Golf Union), E Ramsay (Carnoustie)

77  L Corfield (Burnham & Berrow), J Evans (Guildford), H Hanley (Grange), E Arthurs (Forrest Little), P Hendriksen (Churston), D Ryan (Grange), M Sinclair (Knock), S McParland (Greenore), A Ulivo (Finnish Golf Union), D Berry (West Bradford), F Flynn (L'town & B'town), C Montgomery (Malone), K Moore (Douglas Isle of Man)

78  S Wallace (Preswick St. Cuthbert), S Caul (Malahide), A McAllister (Portmarnock), B Bunny (Southern), M Campbell (Stackstown), M Ryan (Grange), H Santos (Vilamoura), J Moore (Laytown & Bettystown), P Bradshaw (Gainsborough), A Dowling (Hermitage), D Gleeson (Old Conna)

79  N Lavin (Royal Dublin), F Whelan (L'town & B'town), A Morrow (Portmarnock), J Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), L Owens (Royal Dublin), V Karhu (Finnish Golf Union), G Hall (Edenderry), D Crowe (Dunmurry), M Collins (Sutton), S Franklin (Athenry), M McDermott (Stackstown), C Housden (Channels), N Beggs (Bryanston)

80  B Ugeux (Desert Willow), L Harpin (North Wales), J Kehoe (Birr), J Cunliffe (Dainfern), B McElhinney (North West), P Relecom (Royal Waterloo), R Forsythe (Hilton Templepatrick), M O'Sullivan (Galway), K Bornemann (Douglas), G Lynas (Shandon Park), P Erofeieff (Finnish Golf Union), P O'Keeffe (Douglas)

81  T Sundstrom (Finnish Golf Union), L Ryan (Stackstown), R Santos (Vilamoura), T Kogler (Frauenthal), D Rawluk (The Island), C Cassidy (Portmarnock), M Murphy (Waterville), J McGinn (Greenore), R Cronin (Sussex), T Laitto (Finnish Golf Union), R Boal (Scrabo), S McVey (Banbridge), P Murray (Limerick), K Canty (Douglas)

82  D Dunne (Royal Dublin), N Vowles (Burton-on-Trent), G O'Flaherty (Cork), J Lyons (Galway), P Purdy (Shandon Park)

83  E Barton (Grange), R Williams (Baltinglass), S Crowe (Dunmurry), C Conaty (Royal Dublin), A Smith (The Island), B Trainor (Warrenpoint)

84  J Mooney (Laytown & Bettystown), C Martin (Nenagh), D Moran (The Island)

85  P Spargo (Victoria), T O'Mahony (Mallow), P McLaughlin (Ballyliffin), B Christie (Skerries)

86  W Fox (Waterton Park)

87  P Roos (Finnish Golf Union), R Maher (Nenagh)
   
DQ:  E O'Sullivan (The Island), C Doran (Banbridge)

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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