Cork Golf

Impressive US Debut for Cain

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Mark Healy pictured with Morgan Cain after their win.

Cork duo Morgan Cain and Mark Healy were part of a win in the US last week when their college team Tusculum Pioneers won the King University Invitational.  Healy is in his first year as Director of Golf Operations while Cain joined the Pioneers as a student freshman in August.

Morgan Cain was playing in his first NCAA event and he led the competition after day one thanks to a four under par round.  Cain posted five birdies on the opening round including three on his outward nine for a 32.  He moved his score to -4 with a birdie on the 13th before surrendering a bogey on the 16th. He bounced back with a birdie on 17 and would end the day with a par on the final hole for his opening 66.  He got off to a rocky start in the second round as he went out with a 38, but shot three-under par 32 for his final nine holes of Continue reading →

No joy for Cork clubs at inter-club finals

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The final weekend of AIG Inter-Club All-Ireland finals took place in Westport over the week with five competitions down for decision.  It was the third weekend of events and it saw Cork clubs still looking for their first green pennant of the 2023 campaign.  Quarter-finals had taken place already in these events, and that meant the there were just two Cork teams in action from the five competitions.  Lee Valley had qualified from Munster East in the Women’s Minor Cup, the Cork club have a good record in the ladies cups events and they saw off the challenge from Rockmount in the semi-final on Thursday.  Impressive wins for Emma O’Halloran, Dinah O’Mahony and Joesphine Martin saw them through to the final on Continue reading →

Douglas Senior Scratch Cup set for Saturday

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2022 winner Morgan Cain

The Douglas Senior Scratch Cup takes place on Saturday and it marks one of the last opportunities for a major title in Cork this season.  The 36 hole competition is set to attract a strong field for is usually a very competitive event.  Holder Morgan Cain is not around to defend his title.  The Cork member is the US now having moved to Tusculum University in Tennessee last month to start his first year with Pioneers golf programme.

2021 winner Peter O’Keeffe will be among the favourites for the event.  After finishing in second place on five occasions he finally won his home scratch cup two years ago.  He’ll be hoping to add a second title this Continue reading →

Poucher wins Kinsale Scratch Cup

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Partin Poucher receiving the Kinsale Senior Scratch Cup from Tim Smyth from sponsors ODG Advisory.

Martin Poucher claimed his first scratch cup in almost a decade when he won in Kinsale on Saturday.  The Limerick native was the only one to get around Farrangalway in level par in what was a very testing morning for golf.  The winner found himself three over par after 12 holes, but a massive 40 foot birdie putt dropped to start a charge to the finish.  Three more pars and two birdies followed, he birdied the last to get to level and that proved to be the winning score.

West Waterford’s Mark Shanahan was one behind the winner on +1 and Cork’s Jonathan O’Sullivan took third place with a 74.  James Walsh rounded off the prize winners in fourth place, he also shot a two over Continue reading →

Grant wins Douglas PGA Open Series

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Douglas Golf Club hosted it’s first fully professional tournament in a few decades last week when the Irish Region PGA Open Series took place.  This was the only event to take place in Cork in 2023 and was the 35th event in a packed schedule of tournaments.  The tournament was played from the challenging par 70 Black Course, and with Douglas in great condition for the event, there was some very positive feedback from the players.

Despite playing 36 holes over two days there was a tie at the top.  Nicky Grant shot a second round 66 to get to -7 but Ryan Gribben had a six under par round for 64 to also get to -7.  Unlike most Irish Region events, there was no sharing of the win and Continue reading →

Byrne ready for KPMG Women’s Irish Open

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Sara Byrne 

Sara Byrne is bringing her summer in Ireland to a close in style this week, she’s playing in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open in Dromoland. Her invitation to play came as a result of her win in the Irish Women’s Close back in June, and she will tee it up in today’s first round alongside some of Europe’s leading professionals.
Dromoland has been working hard all summer for the LET event and the course is in great condition. With an enhanced spectator village, bigger grandstands and some fine weather forecast, it should be a great weekend at the Clare resort. A large number of Cork supporters are expected to travel Continue reading →

Monkstown Houour Long & Barrett

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Jim Long, President Golf Ireland and Greg Barrett, President IRFU pictured with Monkstown Officers Jane O’Hagan, Martin Walsh and Anthony O’Sullivan after they received a presentation from the club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Monkstown had a special celebration last week when they honoured two longstanding members.  Jim Long and Greg Barrett are members who are both serving as president of national sporting bodies.  Long is Golf Ireland President while Barrett was recently appointed as President of the IRFU.

Both Long and Barrett have distinguished records when it comes to supporting their sports from the administrative side.  Long was involved at a provincial level for over two decades, holding delegate and officer positions on the Munster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland.  He was elected Chairman of the Munster Branch in 2016 and became the Chair of the Munster Regional Executive in 2021 after Golf Ireland was Continue reading →

Castletroy set for TEG Senior Scratch Cup

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Eimear Costelloe of Trade Electric Group and Derek Sheahan, Men’s Club Captain, Castletroy Golf Club officially launch of the 2023 Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup kindly sponsored by Trade Electric Group.

Castletroy Golf Club has announced details of the 2023 Senior Scratch Cup, kindly sponsored by Trade Electric Group.  The competition takes place on Saturday, 2nd September.

First competed for in 1948, the Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup (the Major HK Murray trophy) is one of the oldest and most prestigious scratch cups in the country and attracts many of Ireland’s best amateur golfers each year.  The course, currently ranked in the top 100 in Ireland and measuring almost 7,000 yards off the back tees, consistently offers a stiff challenge to any player on the senior scratch cup or championship circuit.

The 2022 winner was, Connaught Interprovincial golfer, Simon Continue reading →

Entries open for 2023 Bruen Youths

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Muskerry will hold the annual Bruen Youths Trophy on Monday next 21st August, and there will be plenty of golfers hoping to add their name to the list of famous winners.  The competition provides young golfers with one of very few opportunities to play medal golf over 36 holes.

The event started started to mark the 50th anniversary of Jimmy Bruen’s famous win in the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale.  The cup itself has its own legacy, it was won by Jimmy Bruen himself in 1944 when it was presented to him when he won the Muskerry Captain’s Prize.  The Bruen family donated the cup to Muskerry in 1986 when the club wanted to honour the 50th anniversary of Bruen’s win in the British Boys at Royal Birkdale.  While Bruen is also Continue reading →