Golfing Union of Ireland

R & A Rule Change

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

For Immediate Publication

NEW LOCAL RULE ELIMINATES PENALTY FOR A PLAYER WHO ACCIDENTALLY CAUSES A BALL TO MOVE ON THE PUTTING GREEN

The R&A and the USGA announced the introduction of a new Local Rule that eliminates the penalty when a ball is accidentally moved on the putting green.  The Local Rule will be available for any committee in charge of a competition to use starting 1 January 2017. It will be adopted by The R&A and the USGA in all of their championships, qualifying competitions and international matches.

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “For the past several years, as part of The R&A and USGA’s Rules Modernisation initiative, we have considered the penalty for a ball Continue reading →

Hickey wins Intervarsity Championship at Lahinch

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Irish Intervarsity Championship

John Hickey (CIT) and Chloe Ryan (UCD) winners of the Irish Intervarsity Championship, Lahinch Golf Club, Clare, Ireland.  Picture: Golffile | Fran Caffrey 

John Hickey (CIT) captured the Irish Intervarsity Championship today after he put together a great six under par round.  After shooting a flawless 68 yesterday, the Cork Golf Club golfer went two better today.  Hickey had a steady front nine and turned on two under thanks to birdies on the 4th and 7th.  He parred the 10th and then had three consecutive birdies to get to five under for the day.  He added another birdie on the 18th to get to nine under for the tournament.  Hickey had to sit on the clubhouse lead while the last three groups played out the final holes.  Overnight leader Jack McDonnell was the closest challenger, nut he had a very mixed opening nine, and a bogey on the 15th dropped him back to -7.  He did birdie the last but that meant that the CIT golfer won his first national title by one stroke.  Cathal Butler (Maynooth) slumped to a 77 after a disappointing back nine, he finished in a tie for 9th place alongside James Sugrue (CIT) who shot a 72 in Continue reading →

Douglas CS & Davis College through in Irish Schools Senior Championship

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Davis College Mallow ensured that the north Cork town are in with a chance to make it three Munster titles in a row as they have qualified along with Douglas Community School for the the Munster Finals.  Davis College were the winners in 2015 while neighbours Patrician Academy won in 2016.  Davis College topped the West Munster qualifiers in Killarney last month  and last week they beat Hamilton High School Bandon in the area final.  Douglas CS and Kinsale CS matched each other closely when only one stoke separated their respective schools teams in the qualifier at Fermoy.  Douglas Community School topped the leaderboard by one stroke and Continue reading →

Walsh helps Ireland to win over England

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Munster Under 15/17 Close Championship, Carrick on Suir Golf Club, Thursday 4th August 2016Mallow’s Edward Walsh won his singles match yesterday as Ireland had a great win over England.  Castletown Golf Links on the Isle of Man was the venue for the Under 16 international match.  It was a dramatic final day on the Isle of Man as Ireland battled back from a 5-3 deficit.  Ian Halpin held his nerve at the last to seal a one hole win against Callum Macfie to tilt the match in Ireland’s favour.

England had taken control on the opening day thanks to a five-point return and a dominant display in the morning foursomes, which they won 3-1. Both sides claimed two points from the fourball matches in the afternoon leaving England leading 5-3 going into the singles session on Sunday.  Although Michael Gilbert increased England’s lead, taking the top match by one hole, Ireland under-16 champion spearheaded Ireland’s revival as the visitors dominated the middle order.  Sean Enright, Scott Jones, Edward Walsh and Halpin all came through for Ireland to secure an overall victory.

Continue reading →

Walsh and Egan named on Irish Boys Panels

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Munster Under 15/17 Close Championship, Carrick on Suir Golf Club, Thursday 4th August 2016Mallow’s Edward Walsh had more good news this today when he was confirmed as a member of the Irish Boys (Under 18) panel for 2018.  Walsh has moved on the Under 16 panel and is one of just two Cork golfers to make the national panels.  Muskerry’s Jack Egan has made the Under 16 panel.

Both Walsh and Egan were members of the Munster Under 16 team who won the Internprivincials earlier this year.
NATIONAL BOYS (U18) PANEL 2016-2017

Reece Black (Hilton Templepatrick), Jack Hearn (Tramore), Andrew Mullhall (Waterford Castle), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Cameron Raymond (Newlands), John Brady (Rosslare), Edward Walsh (Mallow), Robert Moran (Castle), Jack Madden (Dungannon), Sean Enright (Limerick), Jack Doherty (Carton House), Ross Kelly (Tuam)

 

NATIONAL BOYS U16 PANEL 2016-2017

Luke O’Neill (Connemara), Odhran Maguire (Slieve Russell), Sean Doyle (Black Bush), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Josh Black (Hilton Templepatrick), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), Keaton Morrison (Holywood), Sam Murphy (Portumna), Josh Mackin (Dundalk), Conor Byrne (Strabane), Jack Egan (Muskerry), Patrick Callaghan (Castle Dargan)

2016 Boys Interprovincial Championship at Tullamore Golf Club

Kevin Murray (Team Captain) and John Fennessy (Team Manager) with the victorious Munster Under16 boys team (from left) Ian Halpin, Fred Twomey (Provincial Coach), Jack Egan, Charlie Dawson, Jonathan Keane, Sean Enright and Edward Walsh at the 2016 Boys Interprovincial Championship matches at Tullamore Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL 2016-2017

Allan Hill (Athenry), Eoin Murphy (Dundalk), Liam Power (Galway), Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), David Kitt (Athenry), Scott Jones (Belvoir Park)

 

Smartphones Direct

Walsh named on Irish U16 Team to play England

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Edward Walsh

Mallow’s Edward Walsh

Mallow’s Edward Walsh got his due reward for a great Summer of golf today as he was named on an Irish Boys Under 16 team that will play England next week.  The Mallow golfer was the winner of the Munster Boys Under 17 Championship and he also featured on the winning Munster team at the Boys U16 Interprovincials.  This isn’t Walsh’s first trip abroad for golf as he featured in the Italian Under 16 Championship last month.

Ireland’s under-16s will play England at Castletown Links on the Isle of Man in an international match over two days from 7-8 October.  Irish Boys Champion Mark Power leads the eight players included in the Ireland team, which will play their English counterparts in a series of foursome, four ball and single matches.

Power is joined by Irish Under-16 champion John Brady as well as Jack Doherty, Sean Enright, Ian Halpin, Scott Jones, Luke O’Neill and Mallow’s Walsh. The teams will play foursome and four ball matches on the opening day with eight single matches to decide the outcome on the second day. Irish Boys Selectors Alasdair Gibson (Knock) and Kevin Raftery (Forrest Little) will accompany the team.

 

IRELAND U16 (v England, 7-8 October)
John Brady (Rosslare)
Jack Doherty (Carton House)
Sean Enright (Limerick)
Ian Halpin (Cahir Park)
Scott Jones (Belvoir Park)
Mark Power (Kilkenny)
Luke O Neill (Connemara)
Edward Walsh (Mallow)

Gallery: Munster U15/U17 Championship

Smartphones Direct

O’Keeffe Wins Kinsale Senior Scratch Cup, Murphy helps Ireland to European Boys Team Title

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Interpros 2016 Peter O'Keeffe

Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) 

Peter O’Keeffe won the Kinsale Senior Scratch Cup today with a four under pat 68.  O’Keeffe recovered after an interesting start, he put a three iron out of bounds on the first tee which meant he walked onto the second hole on +2.  He recovered however and started racking up the birdies.  He went under par on the 3rd, 6th and 8th before dropping a shot on the 9th.  O’Keeffe added four birdies and five pars on the back nine to set the clubhouse lead on -4.  The round could have been better, O’Keeffe missed a birdie putt on the 17th and an eagle putt on the 18th.  Still it was enough to give the Douglas and Munster golfer his first scratch cup of the year.  Kinsale’s Keith Fitzpatrick also finished with a 68 but had to settle for second place with O’Keeffe beating him on the back nine.  Cork’s John Hickey finished in third place.  Many of the golfers today will be in action again tomorrow in the Continue reading →

Long Read: Monkstown and Muskerry on All-Ireland Trail

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

 

AIG Senior Cup Munster Finals, Cork Golf Club, Saturday13th August 2016Monkstown and Muskerry travel to Carton House this week to play in Europe’s biggest golf competition and both have hopes of returning with an All-Ireland title.  Both clubs face All-Ireland semi-finals on Friday morning.  Muskerry are in action in the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield while Monkstown aim to win their first AIG Senior Cup title.  Both clubs have been busy preparing, on and off the course.  The cost of sending a team to compete in Carton House quickly runs into five figures when you take into account all of the costs associated.  Despite the costs, it’s a great opportunity for both clubs and one which all of their members are looking forward to.  Monkstown Captain Carl Toal has been involved in several teams himself and he has been busy over the past three weeks.  “The Club is on a high since winning the AIG Senior Cup Munster final in Cork Golf Club last month, it was a fantastic achievement to win after coming so close last year in Dungarvan” said the Captain who went on to explain the plan that was put into operation, “Winning the Munster final inevitably Continue reading →

Murphy leads Ireland to top spot in European Boys qualifying

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

John Murphy April 2016John Murphy eagled his second last hole of the day today to jump into the lead after two rounds of strokeplay qualifying at the European Boys Team Championships in Czech Republic.  After opening with a bogey, John added two birdies to turn on -1.   He played steady par golf all the way back until a great eagle on the par five 17th saw him move to -3 and jump into the lead.  It was another good day for Ireland as they took four of the first five spots, and finished 23 shots ahead of second placed.

Murphy’s second round 69 followed a level par opening round and his two rounds will put him in good stead for tomorrow’s opening matchplay phase.  Ireland face Switzerland in the morning with second place Iceland facing Slovakia in the other semi-final.

The winner and runner-up teams of Divison 2 will be promoted to the European Boys’ Team Championship, which will be played at La Manga Club, Spain, in 2017.  Murphy will partner Kilkenny’s Mark Power  in the first of the two foursomes pairs, and the afternoon will see five singles matches being played to decide who goes trough to the semi-final.

In Flight B, Estonia Continue reading →