Jack Murphy (Douglas), receiving the Leinster U16 Trophy from Siobhan O’Donnell Murphy (Golf Ireland) Fran Caffrey – Golffile

Jack Murphy is the 2022 Leinster Under-16 Boys Open Champion after winning a three-hole play-off at Tullamore GC.  The Douglas golfer defeated Massereene’s Michael Wilson by a shot, after the pair finished on level par for their two rounds.  It was a great result for Murphy, as he retained the title he won last year in Delganey.
Murphy held a two shot lead after the opening round, but he opened with a bogey as he started his second round.  Two birdies on the front nine (4th & 8th) got him back on track and the teenager had a three shot lead heading into the back nine.  He was motoring nicely but bogies on the 16th and 17th meant that he finished in a tie with Wilson.  The Ulster golfer shot a 67 including birdies on the 16th and 17th to get himself in a position for the playoff.

Jack Murphy pitching in the final round of the Munster Strokeplay in October.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The opening hole of the play-off proved crucial with Murphy’s birdie on the par-5 15th, giving him a three-shot lead.  He went on to win by one, despite a double-bogey on the 18th.  Murphy is the second Cork golfer to come home with silverware from Tullamore.  Peter O’Keeffe won the AIG Irish Close title there in August.

Fota Island’s Matthew Kelleher finished in 8th place after a level par 70, and Sean Reddy, Frankie Walsh and Barry O’Connell were all in the top thirty.  Sean Deasy and Ronan O’Keeffe made the cut for the second round but finished down the field.