Mel Deasy launched his season in style today – with a three under par 68 to win the qualifier at the West of Ireland.  Mel, who is just 16, was in a field of 90 golfers hoping to claim one of the nine spots in the championship proper.  The Lee Valley golfer was off early this morning and made the most of the round.  Despite two birdies on his front nine, a double meant he turned on level par.  He came back in three under though with birdies on the 12^th, 14^th and 15^th holes.  He was the only golfer to break par and finished three shots ahead of the field.  It was a 1-2 for Cork golfers, Cork’s Kieran Murphy finished as runner up on level par.  Murphy was a bit unfortunate, he was two under through 16 before he had a double on the 17^th.  Still, he was safely through to the championship which is starting on Thursday.  There was good news too for Kinsale’s Eric Rumley who shot a 73 to finish in tied 7^th place and qualify.  Mark Healy lost out, his 77 was outside the qualifying mark which fell at 74.

Deasy, Murphy and Rumley now join the eight Cork golfers already confirmed.  Muskerry winner Peter O’Keeffe (+3.7) along with fellow Irish international James Sugrue (+3.6) are both in the top ten of entries, the Irish squad members had some very impressive performances at national and international level in 2018 and both will be hoping to add another championship to their resume at the first opportunity this year.  Kinsale trio Cathal Butler, Gary Ward and Keith Fitzpatrick will be joined by Sean Desmond (Monkstown), Greg O’Mahony (Fota Island) and Padraig O’Connor (Macroom).

This year the event has a different format, the traditional 36/64 has been replaced by a 72 hole strokeplay event.  The reason behind the change is that Co Sligo is also hosting the Flogas Irish Amateur Open this year.  It’s the first time in 96 years that the event will not be run as a match play competition with a new date also adding to the changes.  With the Irish Open taking place in Mid May, the decision made to move the West from the traditional Easter date.

 

West of Ireland Stroke Play Qualifier, Co. Sligo Golf Club 

68	M Deasy (Lee Valley)
71	K Murphy (Cork Golf Club)
72	T Higgins (Roscommon); J Cleary (Elm Park); J Stothers (Tandragee); D REIDY (Co. Sligo)
73	T Plunkett (Crover House); E Rumley (Kinsale); E O’Brien (Clontarf)
74	S Irwin (Killeen); D Flynn (Carton House); A Collins (Laytown & Bettystown) Did not Qualify: J Hadnett (Castletroy)
75	K Howard (Dromoland); E Sullivan (Carton House); R Galligan (Elm Park); E GAUGHAN (Co. Sligo); S Carter (Mountrath); C BYRNE (Woodbrook); J Mackin (Dundalk); S WALKER (Roscommon)
76	D Keating (Seapoint); D Walshe (Castletroy); K Morrison (Holywood); C Ruddy (Enniscrone); K McCormack (Portarlington); J Hewitt (Tandragee)
77	L O’Dwyer (Forrest Little); S O’HARA (Co. Sligo); T Hackett (Royal Dublin); B Loftus (Lahinch); P Conroy (Enniscorthy); C Murtagh (Balcarrick); T Kelly  (Royal Dublin); S Downes (Royal Dublin); S Hughes (Killymoon); J McLynn (Galway Bay); D BRADY (Co. Sligo); T Finnegan (Co. Sligo); A Naughton (Grange Castle); P Hennessy (Lahinch); C Nolan (Galway); J Hyland (Omagh)
78	L ABOM (Edmondstown); E Shipp (Headfort); M HEALY (Kinsale); A Hickey (Ballyhaunis); P Naughton (Limerick); A GAYNOR (Co. Sligo); C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown); S O’Connor (Castlebar)
79	S BRADY (Galway); S O’Brien (Nenagh); A BARR (Ballymena); E McGrath (Athlone); T Dowdall (Woodbrook); N Mackell (Dundalk); J Rooney (Co. Armagh); M ROONEY (Strandhill); K O’Meara (Grange); J Hayden (Royal Dublin)
80	B Shally (Dromoland); R Nelson (Belvoir Park); T Flanagan (Co. Sligo); A WYNNE (Strandhill); M Burke (Galway); K Fitzsimons (Citywest Resort)
81	S Kavanagh (St Annes); S Montgomery (Holywood); S Whelan (Royal Tara); A Considine (Lahinch)
82	L Bresnahan (Omagh); R Hynes (Oughterard); J McGrath (Dun Laoghaire ); D O’Leary (Dromoland); C McGoldrick (Enniscrone)
83	E Cantwell (Kilkenny); J Kiely (Slievenamon)
84	M Stapleton (St. Margarets); L Keyes (Dun Laoghaire); C Stone (Carton House); S CLANCY (Hermitage)
85	S HEAVEY (Co. Sligo); G Wade (Seapoint); D Cunningham (Tuam)
88	I Witherspoon (Ballyclare); N Sexton (Lahinch)
91	D O’Malley (Black Bush)
NR	M McKenna (Donaghadee); P Carey (Nenagh) Par = 71; SSS = 74; CSS = 74