Rachel Thompson put on a great display of golf in Mount Julliet last week to win the Faldo Series qualifier. Played over three days on the testing championship course, Thompson was trailing by two shots after the opening round. She went on to fine an impressive one over par round on the second day, that was eight shots better than the field and gave her a six shot lead. Thompson had a solid final day, holding her big cushion and claiming the win. The Cork golfer now qualifies for the Faldo Series final which takes place in Dubai in November. It promises to be an exciting few weeks for the Cork golfer. She will be moving to Scotland in September to take up a golf scholarship in the University of Sterling. Before that she’ll tee it up in the English Womens Strokeplay and she’s heading to Yale in October in a college tournament. There was disappointment for Kinsale’s Gary Ward, he was within two shots of the lead after two rounds. Opening rounds of 71 and 72 had him on -1, just two behind Rosslare’s Paul Murphy. Unfortunately for Ward he had a disappointing final day, he dropped to fifth overall after a final round 79. Cathal Butler and Mark Healy were also in action, Butler also finished tied for fifth and Healy was in the top ten. It was another positive week for Kinsale considering they are preparing for the Munster finals of the Barton Shield.
Month: August 2018
Deasy wins Munster U15 Title
Mel Deasy (Bantry Bay) pictured with the Munster Under 15 Close trophy after winning the title in Roscrea.
Picture: Niall O’Shea
Mel Deasy scooped his first Munster title today when he won the Munster Under 15 Close title in Roscrea. The Cork man shot a one over par 72, three early birdies saw him reach -2 two at one stage but two late bogies meant he finished on +1. The bogies didn’t hurt Deasy as he had a four shot margin over second placed Alex Dineen from Cork. It was an all Cork podium as Jack Murphy (Douglas) took third place, after a countback with Dineen.
Rory Milne (Faithlegg) retained the Munster Boys Under 17 title after shooting a fine three under par 68. The Waterford golfer won the event last year in Kinsale and becomes the first golfer to win the age-grade event twice. Milne turned on level par but blazed through the back nine with three birdies in four holes. Milne parred his Continue reading
Gallery: Munster U15 & U17 Close Championships 2018
Pictures from Roscrea Golf Club: Continue reading
Murphy picked on Irish Team, World Amateur Golf Championships
Kinsale’s John Murphy was named on the three man Irish team to play in the World Amateur Team Championship in Carton House next month. Murphy is joined by Tramore’s Robin Dawson and Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell. The team, which is captained by Bandon’s John Carroll will play in the Eisenhower Trophy which is played over four rounds starting on Wednesday 5th September. Dawson, who is ranked number six in the world rankings, secured his place as the top Irish golfer in the WAGR rankings, the Tramore man played on the Irish team in European Championships last month and won the Irish Amateur Open in Royal County Down at the start of the season and he was runner up at the Amateur Championship last month. Murphy and Purcell were both selected on their form this season, it’s Purcell’s second year on the Irish Mens team, a former junior tennis champions he recorded five top ten finished this year is addition to reaching the semi-final at the AIG Irish Close this week.
Speaking after the announcement, John Murphy was in great form. “I’m obviously delighted to have made the team, it still hasn’t really sunk in. I remember when I was at a boys panel session and Continue reading
Trackman Roy still on Course
By any measure, Roy Clarke has had an interesting few years working in golf. Working for Trackman, the leading shot analysis system is a pretty cool job but it’s not even the most interesting job he’s had. Roy spent several years caddying on the LPGA tour, helping some of the biggest stars in the top ladies tour in the world. He’s now working with Trackman, the leading analysis tool used by professionals worldwide. Working off-course in the golf industry is limited to a small number of people and Roy covers all of Ireland and northern England in his current role. Like many golfers, it all started for Roy when he was young and he got his first taste for the game. “I started playing at 12, the folks bought me a full set of clubs from lifestyle sports worth €100 and a membership to Mahon Golf Club as a surprise one Christmas” said Roy. I couldn’t just look at them so I begged my mother to bring me down after the dinner. I was the only one out on the course. I’m sure it was closed, it was lashing, and I didn’t even know the rules. I played 36 holes a day once the summer hit, and I was golfing at a very good level by 18, playing off scratch.” It was clear that he was almost obsessive about the sport. A summer trip to the US would lead to the first stage of his golfing career. “I just had a love affair with golf and always knew it would be the industry I would work in” he continued. “The jigs and the reels would lead me to Bighorn Golf Club, Palm Springs for a Continue reading
Sugrue & O’Keeffe bow out of Close
Cork interest in the AIG Irish Close finished today as James Sugrue and Peter O’Keeffe lost in the third and fourth rounds respectively. Sugrue was up against Conor Purcell and the match went all the way to the 20th hole before it was settled. Unlike the result of extra holes in Lahinch, Sugrue came out on the wrong side when the match finished on the 2nd hole. Purcell went on to beat Eugene Smith this afternoon and will face Eoin Leonard in tomorrow’s semi-final.
Peter O’Keeffe had a good win this morning, beating Jack Walsh with two holes to spare. He faced Alex Gleeson in the quarter-final and unfortunately for O’Keeffe the 2016 winner from Castle won by a single hole. Gleeson will now face Robbie Cannon in the other semi-final.
O’Keeffe and Sugrue advance at the Close
Peter O’Keeffe in action in Lahinch at the South of Ireland. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Peter O’Keeffe and Jame Sugrue are through to the last 16 after a tough day at the AIG Irish Close Championship at the European Club. O’Keeffe, who had been struggling with illness yesterday, had a one hole win over Noel Crawford this morning, that was after being one down at the turn. In the afternoon he faced John Murphy in an all-Cork clash. Murphy wrapped up his first round match against Gary Cullen on the 12th signalling he was still the form player. It was O’Keeffe who started better, going two up after the first three holes. Murphy recovered quickly, levelling the match by the 6th, and he held a one shot lead at the turn. O’Keeffe had another purple patch on the back nine, he was one up through 15, and he won the 16th to double his lead. He won the match on the 17th, winning that hole to record a 3&1 win over Murphy. O’Keeffe will face Jack Walsh in tomorrow’s third round.
James Sugrue also Continue reading
Seven Cork Golfers through in AIG Close
Gary Ward
It was a good weekend for Cork golfers as seven have made it through to the matchplay stage of the AIG Irish Close Championship. The European Club in Co Wicklow is the venue for the final major of the year and the challenging Ruddy designed links saw the scores vary from 66 to 90+ over the opening two days.
The leader from day one, Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) finished in tied third place. Although he had a 76 today, his opening 66 from yesterday was always going to be enough to see him safely through to the matchplay phase. A few early bogies set the tone for his day and despite a recovery on his second nine, two late bogies meant he finished on +5 and level par for the 36 holes. Gary Ward (Kinsale) is just one shot behind in fifth place, tow rounds of 71 and 72 left the Kinsale golfer on +1.
Macroom’s Padraig O’Connor has reached the matchplay stage for the first time. He shot a one over par 72 today, and finished on +5 to take 16th place. John Hickey and Cathal Butler both made their second successive championship cut with solid play over the opening two days. Hickey carded rounds of 75 and 75 to finish in 33rd place and although he’ll be disappointed by the two late bogies, he’s safely through to Continue reading
Glen Rovers & St Nicks all set for Classic
Denis Cregan from Dino’s presents a sponsorship cheque for the St Nicks/Glen Rovers Golf Classic to Des Cullinane Chairman St Nicks, along with Noel Lynam President and Mary Newman PRO Glen Rovers. Also present were organisers Joe O’Shea James Galvin Pat Bourke and Finbarr Mc Carthy
Glen Rovers and St Nicks are all set for their fundraising golf classic on Friday with a full timesheet and host of great prizes. The event takes place in Monkstown Golf Club and is again sponsored by Dino’s This is the fourth year that Denis Creegan has sponsored the event, having supported it for many years. Anyone wishing to support the event should contact any of the organisers.
Irish call up for three Cork golfers
Zak Collins
Zak Collins and Eoghan Cassidy have been named on the Irish squads to play in the Reid Trophy (Under 14 English Championship) in Reading next week. Collins from Douglas and Cassidy from Kinsale have been playing well all season and both golfers featured on the successful Munster team who won the Under 14 interprovincial championship last week. The event is a great opportunity for the cork duo, it attracts a top quality field of English and international players whose playing handicap is 7.4 or better. The 54-hole stroke play championship is played over three days. The full field plays 18 holes on each of the first two days with the leading 70 competitors going on to play the final 18 holes on the third day. The Cork pair will be joined by two Limerick golfers, Ballyneety’s Morgan O’Sullivan and Iestyn Winn in a strong Munster line-up. Faithlegg’s Alex King Continue reading
Cork Golf News 