LEVEL par qualifying score of 141 tossed Chris Selfridge's name into the matchplay draw for the Amateur Championship on the north coast last night, but further success could give the big Moyola Park player a major problem.
Should he reach the closing stages, whenever they take place, he will have a major decision to make as a clash of big dates will pose a question and one date will have to be unkept. However, he knows what he will do.
"I'm due to fly out on Saturday to the World Universities' Championship in Switzerland and my progression, or otherwise, in this competition will define what happens. If I should make the closing stages here I will pull out of the Unies' Championship," he suggested, after posting a two-over par 72 from Dunluce yesterday.
On Monday, he carded a two-under 69 at Portstewart but, like all others, it took him two days to complete his second round at Royal Portrush. Sea mist cancelled most of Tuesday's play at both courses with only 18 players having finished their 36 holes strokeplay qualifying.
Despite his two-over yesterday, North of Ireland champion Selfridge is happy with his game but, after having lunch, he headed to the practice ground to sort out a few problems.
Former Ulster Boys' champion and current West of Ireland titleholder Jack Hume (Naas) matched Selfridge's 141 with rounds of 69 on Dunluce and 72 at Portstewart. There he made birdie threes at eight and 11 and bogeys at five, 10 and 14.
Better than both Selfridge and Hume are Rory McNamara, Richard Bridges and Ardglass's Cormac Sharvin. The latter carded a 70 on both courses and yesterday had a rare mixture of an eagle, four birdies, eight pars and five bogeys.
Headfort's McNamara won the North title in 2012 and yesterday carded three birdies in his one-under 69 on Dunluce for his qualifying score of 140. The birdies flew in at the long second and par three holes 12 and 18 with the dropped shots at par fours eight and 10.
Bridges was a late finisher but the Stackstown 27-year-old produced the front nine of the day, He stormed to an amazing six-under par after eight holes with an eagle at the second, birdie threes at one, three and eight and a two at six. However, the gallop didn't last as he made bogeys at nine, 10 and 11 before finishing with seven pars for 68.
"I have been playing a lot of golf lately and I was very tired coming up here. The day off because of the mist was a great help to me and I felt really great on the practice ground this morning," smiled the Dubliner.
The cut fell at 145 ( 4) with 70 players going through to matchplay.
* Results p69