2017 winners Skibbereen’s Rhona O’Donoghue and John McNamara receiving the Munster Mixed Foursomes Cup from Jim Hornibrook, Captain Muskerry Golf Club.
Entries for the AIB Munster Mixed Foursomes at Muskerry are filling up, it takes place on Sunday 26th August. The competition is open to all clubs in Munster, and has a new title sponsor in the form of AIB. The holders are Skibbereen, Rhona O’Donoghue and John McNamara won last year. The Munster Mixed Foursomes started in 1937 as the Munster Open Mixed Foursomes Cup. It was originally played for during Open Week where after a qualifying round there were 16 qualifiers who played Matchplay in the evenings of Open week. The original cup is still presented to the winners and holds the names of many famous Munster golfers. Previous winners include Jimmy Bruen, who partnered Miss G Horgan to win in 1940. Miss M Rehehan was a three-time winner of the event, she first won it in 1944 and repeated the feat in 1954. In 1955 she won it again and went on to marry her 1955 playing partner, Loyal Goulding of Cork Golf Club. In 1988 The Irish Examiner took over sponsorship of the event and the competition changed to the current format where each club in Munster is invited to send a team to compete in the final. AIB Bank have come on board as sponsors this year and over 30 clubs are expected to enter. Any club who have not yet confirmed their place should contact Muskerry Golf Club without delay.
Rachel Thompson put on a great display of golf in Mount Julliet last week to win the Faldo Series qualifier. Played over three days on the testing championship course, Thompson was trailing by two shots after the opening round. She went on to fine an impressive one over par round on the second day, that was eight shots better than the field and gave her a six shot lead. Thompson had a solid final day, holding her big cushion and claiming the win. The Cork golfer now qualifies for the Faldo Series final which takes place in Dubai in November. It promises to be an exciting few weeks for the Cork golfer. She will be moving to Scotland in September to take up a golf scholarship in the University of Sterling. Before that she’ll tee it up in the English Womens Strokeplay and she’s heading to Yale in October in a college tournament. There was disappointment for Kinsale’s Gary Ward, he was within two shots of the lead after two rounds. Opening rounds of 71 and 72 had him on -1, just two behind Rosslare’s Paul Murphy. Unfortunately for Ward he had a disappointing final day, he dropped to fifth overall after a final round 79. Cathal Butler and Mark Healy were also in action, Butler also finished tied for fifth and Healy was in the top ten. It was another positive week for Kinsale considering they are preparing for the Munster finals of the Barton Shield.
