The Munster PGA Winter Series is enjoying a strong resurgence with over 30 members playing in the event which took place on Monday.  With a busy season behind them, PGA Professionals based in Munster are taking to the course, and on Monday they travelled to Fota Island.  The three-time Irish Open host venue was in great condition and the players were hosted by Fota’s Director of Golf Kevin Morris.

John Hickey took the spoils with a great score of 42 points on a day of great weather that defied the forecast.  He was three points clear of the field – Tim Rice and Paul Eivers were next best with 39 points.  John Dooley took fourth place with 38 points and Shane Irwin was fifth with 36 points.

The first event of the Autumn took place in Cork Golf Club last month, again with close to 30 professionals teeing it up.  Cork’s Head Professional Peter Hickey was the host on the day, and ensured that everyone had a great day.  The winner on the day was Gary Howie from Castletroy with 38 points.  There was a three way tie for second place with David Ryan, Paul O’Neill and Conor Muir all returning 36 points.  John Sugrue and Padraig Dooley tied for fifth place with 35 points.

Next up was a trip to West Clare to Doonbeg where there was another full timesheet.  East Cork’s David Ryan went one better in the second event and claimed the win with 32 points in tough conditions.  He had to share the top prize Paul Eivers, with Tim Rice, Lucas Rhodes and Gavin Young sharing third place.  The hosts on the day were Brian Shaw, Paul O’Neill and the course in Doonbeg was in great condition.

The group have two more events scheduled for the remainder of 2025.  There’s a trip to Ceann Sibeal in Dingle coming up at the end of this month, and Blarney will host the final event of the year in December.

Sara Byrne will wrap up her rookie season on tour in Spain in two weeks’ time at the LET Andalucia Open De Espana.  Byrne has had a busy season, playing in 16 LET tournaments in over a dozen different countries.

Byrne’s biggest results came from two PIF team events, scooping over €10,000 in each event.  Her best individual finish was in the VP Bank Swiss Open where she finished in fifth place and too home another five figure cheque.  Byrne took home over €57,000 in prizemoney this season, and coupled with support from her sponsors, she will have more than covered her costs which no doubt add up during a long season of international travel.

Byrne made the cut in over half the events she entered, and she has seen her world ranking move from just outside the top 800 this time last year, to a spot inside the top 500 this month.

She is currently 66^th on the LET Order of Merit and will hold her full tour card for the 2026 season.  She will be looking to emulate the like of Lauren Walsh who is likely to finish in the top ten on the order of merit after the last event of the season.  Walsh turned pro a year ahead of Sara Byrne and has shown what’s possible on tour.  The Castlewarden member had ten top ten finishes this season and won over €245,000 proving what is possible on the LET.

Paddy Quill is the latest golfer to commit to moving to the US for college next year.  The Cork Golf Club member signed a commitment letter to join University of Central Askansas.  Quill has been a regular on the boys circuit over the past few years finished in 4^th place at the Irish Close in Westport.

In August the teenager tied the course record score of 62 from the white tees in Cork Golf Club, matching Kevin O’Connell’s feat from a number of years ago.  Quill eagled all three par fives and also eagled the par four 16^th on his way to the impressive -10 score.

While some golfers are putting the clubs away for the winter, one Muskerry golfer is setting a new standard.  The Muskerry Past Captain who is also the Munster Seniors manager is a contestant on the current series of RTE’s Ireland’s fittest family.   Diarmuid is joined by his teenage children Ruairi, Aoibhe and they were partnered with fellow Cork native Donncha O’Callaghan.