A top class field assembled in Cork Golf Club on Saturday, all hoping to take home the Cork Scratch Cup as the winner of the Munster Strokeplay Championship.  First played for in 1923, the cup has gone through a few different formats, and 72 holes would separate the field in this staging.  Cork was in great condition for the prestigious Munster Championship recovering quickly from the wet spring.

Holder Jason Law got the competition underway at 7.30 on Saturday as he was out I the first group.  The centenary winner took the winter off from golf and while he opened with a disappointing 79, he followed that with a 71 but missed the cut by two.

Two-time winner Peter O’Keeffe led the Cork charge with a five under par 67 to open, although he was disappointed with a two over par score for the second round.  That left him on -3 and that was good enough to get into the final threeball for Sunday’s two rounds.  He was again partnered with West of Ireland winner Keith Egan who was in second place on -5.  The leader after 36 holes was Darragh Flynn who shot rounds of 66 and 70 to lead the pace on -8.

Also in the mix were Jordan Boles, Dean O’Riordan, Jonathan O’Sullivan, James Walsh and Morgan Cain, the Cork Golf Club member who only returned from the US on Thursday.

It was Carton House golfer Darragh Flynn who held the lead at the halfway stage, he finished on 8 under had had a three shot over Keith Egan.

Once play started on Sunday O’Flynn’s lead was short lived as he struggled to get going in the morning session singing for a 75.  Paul Coughlan hunted him down in round three carding a bogey-free 67 including an excellent par save on 18 to set up an exciting afternoon.  “The weather was pretty good as well. There is chances out here. There are certain holes that you still make pars on but there is a lot of birdie chances out there” said Coughlan of his morning round.  “I kind of had a target of eight in my head, I kind of said eight and have a chance and I started off pretty well this morning, so I just kept it going”.

Coughlan set that target for the day and surpassed it as the early morning sun made way for more breezy and wet conditions during the final session.  Despite the chance I the weather, Coughlan continued to shine, teeing off with a two-shot lead over Flynn and picking up where he left off in round three.  He went out in -1 and marched onto the tenth tee with a three-shot advantage.

The Westmeath man continued his fine form throughout the back nine, his accuracy and aggressive play off the tee leading to four more birdies and two bogeys, closing out with a par on 18 to seal a four-shot victory with a -3 round of 69.

“After the West and a couple of other events I really needed to get one over the line for my own headspace. I just went, stay aggressive even when I got into the lead going into the last round, I said just play it as if you are trailing, make birdies where you can just keep the foot down,” said Coughlan.

While Coughlan expertly plotted his way around the Little Island course, he was pushed all the way by two of the Carton House contingent, reigning West of Ireland champion and Bridgestone Order of Merit leader, Keith Egan, and Flynn. Flynn carded a +3 round of 75 and Egan a +2, 74 in Round 3. They both battled back however in the final round with Flynn finishing the best of the two, signing for a closing round 72 to finish third.

The Cork Scratch Cup Winners, (Munster Strokeplay 2006-2024)

The Carr Bruen Trophy for the best Under 25 went to James Walsh.  The Douglas member shot one under for his final 36 holes to win by two.  That included impressive birdies on 16 and 18 to close out his tournament.

The action moves to Co Sligo this week for the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.  There’s a strong Cork challenge with ten golfers competing at Rosses Point.

Robbie Walsh, Jordan Boles, Morgan Cain, Peter O’Keeffe, Sean Reddy, James Walsh, Dean O’Riordan, David Howard, John Doyle and Joe O’Neill are all in action in today’s first round.  132 golfers will tee it up today and play another 36 holes.  The top 50 go forward for Sunday’s final round.  Locally the 36 hole Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup takes place on Sunday.  The Tommy Corridan Scratch Cup takes place on Ballybunion on Saturday.