Tom McKibbin
Holywood’s Tom McKibbin proved his credentials in Blarney yesterday when he shot a 69 to win the Munster Boys Under 16 Championship. McKibbin finished on 141, three shots clear of the field. The two handicapper was the only golfer to break par on day two, and that was thanks to three birdies at the start of the back nine. With no one else threatening, McKibbin know he had the control over the competition heading into the final three holes. McKibbin showed maturity coming down the last, with water and out of bounds surrounding the green, he chose to lay up. What resulted was his second bogey of the day but even with that he still finished three shots clear of the field. Overnight leader Jack Brown (The Heath) finished day two with a 77 to claim second place (144) and Eoin McGrath (Athlone) was third, he had the best of three scores on 146. Scott Miller (Clandeboye) was fourth and Keaton Morrison (Holywood) was fifth, both finishing on 146. Muskerry’s Fionn Hickey was the best of the Munster Continue reading
The first round of the Irish Junior Foursomes gets underway next week with Macroom, Cobh and Fermoy hosting the strokeplay qualifying rounds. Two teams from each venue will qualify for the second round.
John Murphy rued a disappointing front nine in St Andrews today as dropped one spot to finish second at the R&A Scholars Tournament. After 36 holes on the Eden Course in St Andrew’s on Monday, Murphy led the field by two shots. By doing so he started the third round in the final grouping on the famous Old Course. Scoring was difficult on the normally manageable links, tough winds meant that there were several returns in the high seventies and eighties. Murphy suffered on the greens on the way out, with an uncharacteristic number of three putts and a rare double bogey. He turned on +5 for the day to drop himself back into the field and two more bogies followed on the 11th and 12th holes. To his credit, Murphy bounced back with three birdies on his last seven holes and the turn-around in form meant that he finished in a tie for second place. John’s Maynooth teammate Stuart Grehan carded a very tidy level par 72 to win the tournament by three shots.
John Murphy (Kinsale, Maynooth University) continued his good form as he produced to rounds of 68 and 64 to lead the R&A Scholars Tournament in St Andrews. Both of today’s rounds were played on The Eden Course and Murphy bagged no less than 12 birdies in his 36 holes. Murphy (-8) shot the low round of the afternoon and holds a one shot lead as he goes into tomorrow’s final round. The final round takes place on the fabled Old Course, and Murphy will have the honour of playing in the final group. Murphy will be joined by Cloe Ryan (UCD) who won the ladies section in 2016. Sinead Sexton and Molly Dowling are in the top five and in the mens section Stuart Grehan is three of the lead and Robin Dawson is a further to shots back. Murphy won the Munster Students Championship in Cork Golf Club last week, posting the best score over the first 36 holes in the weather affected tournament.
David Ryan and David Higgins came out on top on a glorious day in Monkstown today as the annual Morgan O’Donovan Perpetual Trophy competition took place. Both players shot an impressive 67 and although the sun was out the combination of a hard wind blowing and fast greens meant that only a few golfers managed to break par. The competition is now in it’s fifth year and commemorates Morgan O’Donovan who was Head Professional in Monkstown before his death in 2012. The competition today was sponsored by Ping and the pro-am format saw plenty of Munster PGA Professionals take the opportunity to get out and play with an amateur partner.
Cork Golf News 