Local golfers target North of Ireland Open title

Dermot McElroy is one of a number of Ballymena golfers in action at the North of Ireland Open championship this week.

Despite producing some excellent golfers, no-one from this area has ever landed the prestigious North of Ireland Open Championship.

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, while Dermot McElroy was also pipped at the final hurdle in 2010.

A total of eight golfers representing Ballymena’s two golf clubs, along with a couple of others with strong Ballymena connections, already have a round under their belts at Royal Portrush yesterday (Monday).

Competitors play their second round of strokeplay today with the aim of reaching the matchplay stage.

The Ballymena assault will be spearheaded by Dermot McElroy who will be aiming for a strong showing as he bids to boost his chances of a Walker Cup call-up. He is joined in the field by Raceview club-mates Michael McGarry and Alex McCloy.

Galgorm Castle has five competitors in action - former Irish boys close champion Jordan Hood, Michael Reid, Alan Goodrich, Jamie Sutherland and Philip Graham.

Two other golfers from the Ballymena area - John Finnegan and John Robinson, who play their golf at Royal Portrush, are also in the list of competitors aiming to follow in the footsteps of the likes of past winners such as Darren Clarke and Alan Dunbar.