Golfing Union of Ireland

O’Brien & Bornemann named on Irish Seniors Team

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John O'Brien

John O’Brien

John O’Brien and Karl Bornemann have been named on the Irish team that will take part in the European Senior Mens Championship next month.  It’s a first call up for O’Brien while Bornemann returns to the team after playing on the winning team in 2017.

Earlier this week, O’Brien got a call from Irish Seniors Captain Michael Coote and it was a a dream come true.  “It was the best feeling ever” said the Castlemartyr man.  “I worked so hard this year with Cian McNanara and put in a  lot of work to get down to my lowest handicap of +1.1.  I’ve been playing a lot of golf and it’s starting to pay off.  I can’t wait to play in Denmark representing Ireland in the European championships, it’s a dream come true for me I hope to do my family and club proud.”  O’Brien recently set the course record in Blarney where he is also a member, and he was runner up at the Ulster Seniors last week.  His consistent performances had caught the Continue reading →

Hickey, Byrne, Thompson, Cassidy & Murphy all in international action today

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Fionn Hickey

Fionn Hickey

Muskerry’s Fionn Hickey made his international debut this week, and the 16 year old did himself proud at the Boys Home Internationals.  The annual event took place in Ashburnham Golf Club in Wales and Ireland opened with a win over Scotland on Tuesday.  It was a disappointing start for Fionn as he narrowly lost his singles match.  There was better luck for the Muskerry man yesterday as Ireland beat Wales and Fionn won his singles match against Toby Bishop.  That win set Ireland up for a winner takes all match against England today.  Hickey partnered Dylan Keating for a half this morning with Ireland taking a lead, the score was 3.5 to 1.5 after the foursomes.  Fionn won his match this afternoon, but the wind was in the English sails.  They won six of the matches to win by a single point and take the title.  While the final result was a disappointment, England were the favourites and solid play from Hickey on his debut will spur him on for a strong end to the season.

Girls & Womens Home Internationals

Sara Byrne was also in action for the Irish Girls over the Continue reading →

Butler’s Ballyb run comes to an end

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South of Ireland 2019

Cathal Butler

Cathal Butler bowed out of the AIG Irish Close Championship this afternoon after the Kinsale man reached the last 8 of the domestic major in Ballybunion.  Of the six Cork golfers to make the top 64 matchplay stage, just Butler and Greg O’Mahony remained after two rounds of matchplay, and O’Mahony went out in the third round, losing to Charlie Denvir.  Butler came through this morning’s match against Stephen Walsh, beating the former South champion on the 17th.  In the quarter final he faced Robbie Brazill, the on form Irish international.

Brazill got off to a flier and Butler found himself four down after six.  He won the seventh to pull one back but Brazill got the lead back to five by the turn, snuffing out any chance Butler had.  The match was eventually settled on the 16th when the Naas man won 4&2.  Brazill will face Alan Fahy tomorrow morning while leading qualifier Ronan Mullarney will play Charlie Denvir in the other semi-final.

AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship at Ballybunion

Match Play – Round 3
R Mullarney (Galway) bt N Hearns (Mountrath) 5&4; S Flanagan (Portmarnock) bt TJ Ford (Co. Sligo) 2&1; E Stack (Ballybunion) bt R Knightly (Royal Dublin) 2&1; C Denvir (Elm Park) bt G O’Mahony (Fota Island) 6&5; C Butler (Kinsale) bt S Walsh (Portmarnock) 2&1; R Brazill (Naas) bt D Morley (Oughterard) 2 holes; E Murphy (Dundalk) bt C Campbell (Warrenpoint) 4&3; A Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) bt E Farrell (Ardee) 2 holes

Quarter Finals
R Mullarney bt S Flanagan 2 holes; C Denvir bt E Stack 19th; R Brazill bt C Butler 4&2; A Fahy bt E Murphy 3&1

Wednesday 7 August Semi Finals
0845 R Mullarney v C Denvir
0900 R Brazill v A Fahy
1400 Final

Greg O'Mahony

Greg O’Mahony

 

Butler & O’Mahony through to last 16 in AIG Irish Close

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South of Ireland 2019

Cathal Butler

Just two Cork golfers remain from the six that started in Ballybunion this morning.  Cathal Butler and Greg O’Mahony are through to the last 16 in the AIG Irish Close in Ballybunion.  Butler is on a good run of form at the moment, and he was delighted to come through the first two rounds considering the challenge that the Old Course put up.  “It was blowing an absolute gale, so there was serious ball control needed” said the Kinsale man. “Obviously I had some bad holes and plenty of bogies thrown in but managed to get over the line.  I just didn’t get down at all no matter what was thrown at me.”  Cathal had beat Jordan Hood on the 18th this morning, and he won 3&1 over Conor Ryan this afternoon.  Butler had plenty of home support in Ballybunion with all the lads staying on to support him.  “Shane O’Connell from Kinsale caddied for me at the end of my first match and in the afternoon and he was a huge help. John Murphy, Gary Ward, Robbie Walsh and Eric Rumley came out to support me and it was a huge help to get me over the line especially when conditions were so tough.  I love Ballybunion, it requires such precision with approach shots – it’s not easy though”

Butler will now face Portmarnock’s Continue reading →

Butler in second place at Irish Close in Ballybunion

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Cathal Butler

Cathal Butler

The AIG Irish Close Championship got underway this morning in Ballybunion, with Kinsale’s Cathal Butler posting the low score to hold the clubhouse lead for most of the day.  Despite delays due to a funeral and a nosebleed, over 130 golfers were out on the Old Course today.  They were completing the first of two rounds to determine the top 64 qualifiers to go through to the matchplay stages starting on Monday.

After a good performance in Lahinch, Butler made to most of his early start.  He had three birdies in a row from the 4th to the 6th, and added another on the 8th to turn on three under.  Butler got to -4 on the 16th, but a bogey on the last saw him sign for 68, goo enough to hold the clubhouse lead for much of the day.  The former Kerry Boys winner played very will in Lahinch last week, and he’ll be hoping that the good golf will continue as he aims to reach the final stages in Ballybunion.  Butler is three behind Ronan Mullarney who opened with a blistering 6 under.  Clubmate Gary Ward also finished in the red, he shot a one under par 70, thanks in part to a tasty eagle three Continue reading →

Deasy dialed in at McGregor, Byrne cruising at Irish Girls Close

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Mel Deasy

Mel Deasy

Lee Valley’s Mel Deasy is in the top ten at the McGregor Trophy, the English Under 16 Strokeplay Championship, and safely through to today’s final 36 holes.  Deasy opened on Tuesday with a level par 70 but it was a mixed round.  Starting on the 10th, Deasy was five under after 12 holes, but he was back to -1 after doubles on his 13th and 15th holes.  He closed out the round with a bogey to finish on level par, that was good enough for 17th place.  Mel’s second round was steadier, two birdies and two bogies along with 14 pars led to his second 70.  That saw him jump into the top ten, tied for 9th place at the halfway stage.  The Lee Valley man is now just five shots off the lead held by England’s Rohan Miah.  Galgorm’s Joshua Hill is in second place just one behind the leader.  The final 36 holes take place today with Deasy on the tee at 9.30m.  The event meant that Deasy missed out on a chance to retain his Munster U16 title which took place this week.  He’ll be back in Munster colours next week when the Boys Interprovincials take place on Athlone Golf Club.

Sara Byrne Fairhaven 2017

Sara Byrne had another good day in Galway at the Irish Girls Close.  The Douglas golfer recorded a 6&4 win over Evelyn Park.  That follows two good rounds on Tuesday when she shot 76 & 71 to finish just one off the lead.  This morning she will take on Emily Murray from Co Louth in the round of 16 match, with the quarter finals also taking place tomorrow.

Trojan effort from O’Keeffe just falls short

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Gameface; Peter O'Keeffe in action in the South of Ireland in Lahinch last year

Peter O’Keeffe in action in the South of Ireland in Lahinch last year

Peter O’Keeffe’s two week marathon is finally over, but after eight rounds of golf in five days the Douglas member came agonisingly close to claiming his second major amateur title.  This morning O’Keeffe dispatched Robert Brazill on the 17th green to reach the final of the North of Ireland in Portrush.  This afternoon he faced England’s Arron Edwards-Hill in the final.  Having spent last week in Lahinch caddying for Robin Dawson, O’Keeffe was onto day 11 of his golfing marathon.  He was heading into his 14th round this afternoon, and he was determined to give it his all in pursuit of the famous provincial title.

Gallery: Golffile’s North of Ireland Final Round Gallery

The final started with a few scrappy holes, Edwards-Hill won the first, Peter won the second, and Edwards-Hill won the third when O’Keeffe lost a ball.  But after that the golf improved with both Continue reading →

Top Four for Fionn in Leinster, Final Four for Peter in Portstewart

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Douglas Senior Senior Scratch Cup26th May 2019

Fionn Hickey

It was another positive day for Cork golfers, 16 year old Fionn Hickey was in the prizes a the Leinster Boys while Peter O’Keeffe dispatched another two challengers and is into the semi-final of the North of Ireland.

Muskerry’s Fionn Hickey continued his positive set of results this summer with a fourth place finish at the Leinster Boys.  Played in Waterford Golf Club over the past three days, Hickey close with a one under par 70.  Three birdies in his final five holes helped the Muskerry golfer move up one spot on the leaderboard, and he also won the best Under 17 prize.  Mel Deasy (Lee Valley) finished inside the top ten, two birdies on the back nine helped improve his position after going through the front nine in +3 today.  Keelan McCarthy and Robbie Walsh came home together in 14th position.  Both golfers shot identical rounds of 74,73,78 over the three days, while Mallow’s Daniel O’Sullivan was one shot back in 22nd place.

In Portstewart, Peter O’Keeffe claimed his fourth matchplay win in two day, closing out all four matches before he reached the 18th hole.  In the round of 32, O’Keeffe faced Jake Rowe from Tandragee, and he beat the Ulsterman 2&1.  This afternoon he faced Malone’s Matthew McClean in the quarter-final and closed out the match on the 16th after holding a solid lead throughout.

Douglas Senior Senior Scratch Cup26th May 2019

Peter O’Keeffe

Tomorrow morning the Douglas golfer will face the top qualifier and 2018 West of Ireland winner Rob Brazill from Naas.  Both golfers are currently on the Irish Senior Mens panel and it promises to be an interesting match.  In the second semi final, Liam Grehan will take on Arron Edwards-Hill.  O’Keeffe has been on the road for well over a week.  Last week he caddied for his friend Rob Dawson in the Irish Open in Lahinch, and when they finished up on Sunday, O’Keeffe made the long journey to the Northern coastline for Monday’s first round in the strokeplay qualifier.