Golfers aiming to surpass G-Mac at North of Ireland Open

Not even recent US Open champion McDowell managed to land the prestigious North of Ireland Open Championship during his amateur career - his best was runner-up in 2001.

And despite producing some excellent golfers, no-one from the Ballymena area has ever managed to land the crown in its 63-year history.

The closest the title ever came to coming to Ballymena was in 1972 when the late John McAleese - arguably the area's greatest amateur player - was beaten in the final.

Four players from the area's two golf clubs will be aiming to claim their place in Ballymena's sporting history when the Magners-sponsored event tees off next Monday at Royal Portrush.

The Championship starts with two rounds of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday with each player playing one round over the unforgiving contours of the Dunluce and Valley Courses.

The top 64 players then qualify for the Matchplay Stage where two rounds are played every day until the final on Friday, July 16.

This year's handicap 'cut' was set at three, ensuring that it will be the cream of amateur golfers from Northern Ireland and further afield taking part.

The earliest local starter on Monday will be Galgorm Castle's Liam Reilly, who tees off on the Valley course at 7.30am.

His Galgorm clubmate David Kernohan has a 1.30pm start while Ballymena Golf Club's Dermot McElroy - who became the youngest competitor in the tournament's history in 2008 - starts at 2.50pm, also at the Valley.

The other half of the draw sees Galgorm's Jonathan McNeill begin his quest on the imposing Dunluce course on Monday at 1.40pm.

Ballymena's Adam Brady is on the waiting list, hoping for his opportunity to take part.