Author: niall@corkgolfnews.com

Cutting finish for Sugrue in Portrush

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The Amateur Championship 2019

James Sugrue

There was huge disappointment for James Sugrue today as he missed the cut in Royal Portrush by a single stroke.  The Amateur Champion was level par going into the second round and in with a great chance of qualifying for the weekend, but a triple bogey on the 14th cost the Mallow man as it put him one outside the cut mark.  Playing alongside Darren Clarke again, Sugrue started brightly with a birdie on the par 3 third hole which got him back into the red on one under.  He dropped a shot on the next par three but a birdie on the 8th had him back to -1 halfway around the course in Portrush.  Sugrue was playing some very steady golf until the 14th.  The most difficult hole on the course lived up to its billing when James found trouble and walked off with a seven.  That pushed him out to +2, one shot outside the projected cut.  Despite trying hard on each of the last four holes, Sugrue couldn’t find a birdie, missing by inches with good putts on the 16th and 18th.  Those near misses proved crucial as the cut mark hovered at +1 for most of the day.  It drifted to +2 in the worst of the wet weather but came back to +1 as the later starters coped well with the conditions.  Sugrue needed six golfers on +1 to drop a shot to advance to the weekend, but the lack of wind definitely helped the later starters, and the cut mark stayed at + Continue reading →

Byrne takes runners-up spot at Irish Girls Close

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Sara Byrne Jul 2019

Sara Byrne, Picture: Pat Cashman

Sara Byrne came up just short of winning her second Irish Championship today, she was runner-up at the Irish Girls Close at Galway Golf Club.  The Douglas golfer was in a fine vein of form, and had made the final day with relative ease.  On Tuesday she shot a second round 71 (-2) to take second place in the strokeplay qualifier.  That meant she was safely through to the matchplay phase.  On Wednesday she wrapped up her first round match on the 14th, and on Thursday she beat Emily Murray and Lucia Masding to book a place in this morning’s semi-final.

Byrne got off to a great start this morning in the semi-final, going three up against Aine Donegan.  But when the finished out on the 18th it was all square.  Donegan’s comback included a birdie on the 17th and a chip in birdie on the last hole, but on the 24th – the sixth tie hole – it was Byrne who had the rub of the green.  An eagle putt estimated at just over 30 feet dropped in to send the Douglas teenager into the final.

Sara faced leading qualifier Beth Coulter in the final and the 15 year old from Kirkistown Castle got off to a flier.  Coulter was four under for the front nine, continuing a great run of golf in Galway.  She was three up after six holes but Byrne birdied the 6th, eagled the 7th and birdied the 8th to Continue reading →

Deasy dialed in at McGregor, Byrne cruising at Irish Girls Close

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Mel Deasy

Mel Deasy

Lee Valley’s Mel Deasy is in the top ten at the McGregor Trophy, the English Under 16 Strokeplay Championship, and safely through to today’s final 36 holes.  Deasy opened on Tuesday with a level par 70 but it was a mixed round.  Starting on the 10th, Deasy was five under after 12 holes, but he was back to -1 after doubles on his 13th and 15th holes.  He closed out the round with a bogey to finish on level par, that was good enough for 17th place.  Mel’s second round was steadier, two birdies and two bogies along with 14 pars led to his second 70.  That saw him jump into the top ten, tied for 9th place at the halfway stage.  The Lee Valley man is now just five shots off the lead held by England’s Rohan Miah.  Galgorm’s Joshua Hill is in second place just one behind the leader.  The final 36 holes take place today with Deasy on the tee at 9.30m.  The event meant that Deasy missed out on a chance to retain his Munster U16 title which took place this week.  He’ll be back in Munster colours next week when the Boys Interprovincials take place on Athlone Golf Club.

Sara Byrne Fairhaven 2017

Sara Byrne had another good day in Galway at the Irish Girls Close.  The Douglas golfer recorded a 6&4 win over Evelyn Park.  That follows two good rounds on Tuesday when she shot 76 & 71 to finish just one off the lead.  This morning she will take on Emily Murray from Co Louth in the round of 16 match, with the quarter finals also taking place tomorrow.

Brian & Cian conquer Monkstown challenge

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Monkstown Golf Club 180 Hole Challenge

Brian & Cian still smiling after completing ten rounds of golf

Monkstown Golf Club was the place to be last Saturday, with warm sunshine, a members barbeque, chipping competitions for adults and kids, it was a really enjoyable atmosphere.  That wasn’t the case for everyone as there were two players out on the course completing their final round in a 180 hole challenge.  Monkstown PGA Professional Cian McNamara and General Manager Brian Hurley set themselves a pretty unique challenge of playing ten rounds of golf in one day.  Just after 9.30pm, Cian and Brian had their chance to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere and the hospitality.  Close on 17 hours after they started out, they putted out on the 18th green for the final tine after completing all 180 holes.

The day started at 4.30am – 28 minutes before dawn broke, when both golfers hit the first ball.  A crowd of members gathered at the first tee, including the Captain and President to cheer McNamara and Hurley as the set off on the Continue reading →

Trojan effort from O’Keeffe just falls short

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Gameface; Peter O'Keeffe in action in the South of Ireland in Lahinch last year

Peter O’Keeffe in action in the South of Ireland in Lahinch last year

Peter O’Keeffe’s two week marathon is finally over, but after eight rounds of golf in five days the Douglas member came agonisingly close to claiming his second major amateur title.  This morning O’Keeffe dispatched Robert Brazill on the 17th green to reach the final of the North of Ireland in Portrush.  This afternoon he faced England’s Arron Edwards-Hill in the final.  Having spent last week in Lahinch caddying for Robin Dawson, O’Keeffe was onto day 11 of his golfing marathon.  He was heading into his 14th round this afternoon, and he was determined to give it his all in pursuit of the famous provincial title.

Gallery: Golffile’s North of Ireland Final Round Gallery

The final started with a few scrappy holes, Edwards-Hill won the first, Peter won the second, and Edwards-Hill won the third when O’Keeffe lost a ball.  But after that the golf improved with both Continue reading →