Sara Byrne (Douglas) during the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship, Enniscrone Golf Club, Picture: Golffile Fran Caffrey
Teenager Sara Byrne is the new Irish Women’s Close Champion. The Douglas golfer beat all before her in Enniscrone over the past three days to claim the prestigious national title. A 2&1 win over Louise Coffey this afternoon meant that another national title is headed back to Douglas Golf Club.
“This is just amazing, I knew I could do it” said a delighted Byrne. “When Louise won the 3rd I knew that it was better to be up at the end of the match than at the start, I knew that a one hole difference was nothing so I stayed patient. This is definitely my number one achievement to date, on the final few holes I got a bit nervous but I told myself that I had worked too hard to give this one away. This brings my golf career up a step and any event now I play in I can tell myself that I can win because I am Irish Champion!”
The Irish and GB&I capped golfer now joins an elite group, Continue reading
After 54 years, Anthony Gillis is finally handing over the keys at Cork Golf Club. The Head Greenkeeper is retiring this month after a lifetime on the famous Alister MacKenzie course in Little Island. After starting in a temporary role in 1965, Gillis became a full time green keeper soon after and in 1968 he became assistant greenkeeper. That started the labour of love for the Little Island native who lives no more than 300 yards from the Club. Having grown up on the other side of Island, not far from the eastern side of the course, he has memories of coming in over the quarry and chipping and playing “four-quarters” on the sixth green. Working under Francis Devane, Anthony quickly learned his trade and he went on to take over the head greenkeeper in the early 1970’s. After working with famous agronomist James Arthur in the 1970’s, Gillis went on to study in Bingley, Elmwood College and the National Botanic Gardens, giving him a formal background in greenkeeping which complimented his own passion and knowledge for the job. A lot has changed in six decades and Anthony doesn’t miss the hard physical work that was involved back in his early days. “The work isn’t as hard 
Liam Burns is a West Cork man by birth, but after 25 years in Youghal, he surely qualifies as an East Cork man. Liam is celebrating 25 years as the Club Professional at Youghal Golf Club and after taking up the game in his mid teens, he turned it into a career. It’s surprising to hear that Liam was a later comer to golf, but once he started he was bitten by the bug. “I only started playing golf at age 16 with my good friend school teacher Paddy Kehoe” explained the Bandon native. “Paddy thought me in Hamilton High School in Bandon and his son Mark was single handicap player at the time. They encouraged me to play golf as my parents didn’t play. Starting out I would play 36 holes a day sometimes. Whenever I got a chance I was on the golf 
John Murphy gave himself an early birthday present today when he won the St Andrew’s Links Trophy, and there was a little bit of a surprise too as he drained a 25 foot putt on first play-off hole to claim his first major title outside of Ireland. Murphy shot 66 on the Old Course yesterday to hold the 36 hole lead. A 71 this morning had him tied for the lead with one more round on the Old Course to come. John started well, birdies on the 3rd and 4th saw him jump into a two shot lead. He held that lead at the turn but when he dropped a shot on the 13th there was a three way tie for the lead. East of Ireland winner Christo Lamprecht was leading but a on the road hole took him out of contention. Germany’s Jannik de Bruyn shot a 68 to finish on -9. Murphy parred 14 to 17 and he 
Eoghan Long claimed his first scratch cup win on Sunday when he won the 36 hole Douglas Senior Scratch Cup. The Monkstown man posted the best score of the afternoon when he signed for a two under par 70. Added to his level par 72 from the morning, his total of 142 for the 36 holes was enough to win the title by one shot. Long had two challengers, both Peter O’Keeffe and Eric Rumley had shot 70’s in the first round, but they both finished with 73’s in the afternoon.
Cork Golf News 