Cork Golf

Bornemann claims 3rd Irish Title

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Karl Bornemann in action at the Irish Seniors Mens Close at Nenagh last week. Bornemann retained his Irish Veterans title, beating John O’Brien in the final.
Credit ©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Karl Bornemann claimed another national title last week, he won his third Irish title when he retained his Irish Veterans title in Nenagh.  The Douglas golfer set his intention early when he posted a one under par 71 for the opening round.  He finished the 36 hole qualifier stage in the leading position with Castlemartyr’s John O’Brien two shots behind in second place.

As it happened the top two finishers both reached the final with Bornemann getting the better of O’Brien to in his second Irish Continue reading →

Monkstown Celebrate PGA Success

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Monkstown Golf Club came in for lots of praise last week after their successful hosting of the Irish PGA Championship. One of the oldest professional championships in the world, the 115th staging is the showpiece event of the PGA Irish Region tour, and it returned to Cork for the first time since 1997 when Fota Island hosted the event.
With the course in great condition, Monkstown put on a show from start to finish. The action started on Monday with a sold out ProAm where Neil O’Briain, Dick Dunlea, Dan Cronin and Continue reading →

Blarney Senior Scratch Cup set for Saturday

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There’s less than a week to go to Blarney’s second senior scratch cup and it’s looking like it will be another great event.  The field is almost full but anyone interested in playing has until Wednesday to contact the club to enter.

Darren Kelleher is one of the organisers and he’s really looking forward to the event that remembers one of Blarney’s leading members.  “The scratch cup is called after our past member Mr Christy Horgan. Christy was a brilliant clubman and he was always there to help others. The scratch cup is a 36 hole event with refreshments after 18.  The prize money is exceptionally good for amateur golf in Ireland and we are nearly full with just a few spaces left.”

“Last year was our first year having our first senior scratch cup in Blarney, all the players that took Continue reading →

Howard earns Ireland call up following South performance

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David Howard had another good week on Golf Ireland’s Bridgestone Tour.  He reached the final 16 of the South of Ireland on Saturday, and in doing he looks to have earned selection on the Irish team for the upcoming Home Internationals.

Howard, who won his first major event in Baltray last month at the East of Ireland, backed up his impressive stroke play performance with six positive rounds in Lahinch.  The 26 year old opened with a lack lustre 75, the three over par round put him outside the top 80 with a second 18 holes to come.  The round could have been worse – after 10 holes Howard was five over but two late birdies gave him something to fight for.

Howard returned on Thursday afternoon and things didn’t improve when he was one over after nine.  The back nine again proved critical as Continue reading →

Kinsale delivers for Irish Seniors Championships

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Kinsale Captain Gavin Farrissey pictured with club officers and the winners from the Irish Seniors Championships.
Picture: Kinsale Golf Club.

Kinsale Golf Club hosted two major competitions last week and the mature parkland course at Farrangalway was in pristine condition for the Irish Seniors Championships.  Close to 150 Ladies and Men teed it up on over three days.  Kinsale was in great condition for the event, it was clear that the greenkeeping team had left nothing to chance as plenty of competitors commented on the quality of the course and in particular the greens.

The only negative to the week was that there wasn’t a home winner.  Shane Kenneally was the holder coming into the event but couldn’t match last year’s feat.  He battled all the way and finished in 17th place.  Fellow Kinsale golfer Kieran McCarthy was also in the mix, trading shots with Bandon’s Dave McCarthy in the final round.  The Bandon golfer shot a Continue reading →

Byrne set for Irish pro debut

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Sara Byrne 

Sara Byrne will tee it up for the first time as a professional in Ireland this week as she takes part in her second KPMG Irish woman’s open the Douglas golfer is in her first year in the professional ranks having turned pro after the Curtis cup last Sept.  Sara is one of nine professionals and seven amateurs playing in Carton House this week, a record number of Irish golfers to feature at the event.

The event attracted over 34,000 spectators last year in it’s first visit to Carton House and this year’s numbers are likely to be bigger, especially if any of the Irish are still in contention going into the weekend.  Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are just €25 and under 16’s are free with a paying adult.  The KPMG Women’s Irish Open returned in 2022 after a ten year gap, with Continue reading →

Return to form for Sara Byrne

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Sara Byrne 
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Sara Byrne has a welcome return to form last week as she finished in the top 15 on the Ladies European Tour in France.  After an opening 74, Byrne rose steadily through the leaderboard with rounds of 68, 70 and a closing 72.  Byrne, who is splitting her time between the LET and the Epson Tour in the US.

Playing on both sides of the Atlantic is a logistical challenge but Byrne is making the most of both cards.  She has earned over €16,000 in Europe and $6,000 in the US.  Byrne is back in action in Europe again this week in the Czech Continue reading →

Lee Valley set for Senior Cup

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Golf Ireland’s Inter-Club events have been running since the end of April with every club in Cork competing in several different grades in Men’s and Women’s competitions.  This weekend the Men’s Irish Senior Cup takes place in Lee Valley with 16 teams heading to Ovens for 12 matches that will take place over Saturday and Sunday.

The Saturday/Sunday format was a feature for almost all Men’s competitions but an increase in the number of events and the limited availability of host courses meant that matches in most competitions are played on a home Continue reading →

Ahern banishes 2024 loss to claim Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy

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Adam Ahern

Adam Ahern is the latest winner of the Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy.  From an original entry list of well over 200 golfers, Adam qualified in the top 64 to qualify for the matchplay stage and the Muskerry man was the last undefeated golfer after six grueling rounds of match play golf over the three days.

The winner was overjoyed to claim one of the most valued trophies in Cork golf, fulfilling a longstanding family quest.  “To be honest I was very relieved to win I guess.  It’s something that maybe my grandfather would always have loved to have won” said Ahern after his win.  “my uncle would have tried a couple of times to win it as well so yeah it’s something that I kind of always want to win as well, especially growing up as a juvenile being a Musk Continue reading →