PGA

5th win for Wayne in Spain

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Wayne O’Callaghan who won the Senior Golf Tour Europe event last week, pictured with his dad Brendan who caddied for him.

Wayne O’Callaghan rounded off a good year on the course last week in Spain, winning the Marbella Senior Open and claiming the Senior Golf Tour Europe Order of Merit.

O’Callaghan played in six of the tour events this year, and came away with an impressive haul of five wins.  The Senior Golf Tour is a competitive over 50’s event for professionals and amateurs, and features a season long schedule of 12 every across nine countries.

After finishing 10th in Valencia in his first event in April, O’Callaghan reeled off five straight wins thanks to some work on his putting in the studio.  Based in Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra, the Advanced PGA Professional has built up a reputation as a top class putting coach.  “I didn’t have a great start in Valencia, I putted poorly and came back and was contemplating giving it up” said O’Callaghan.  “But I came home and checked my putting on the SAM Puttlab and found a new putter that helped with my aim, because I found a big aim issue with the one I was using.”

The difference was clear, and O’Callaghan went back on tour with renewed confidence.  “I went from there to Italy and I played some really good golf.  I don’t think I had a bogey until the final round and shot four under and won by two shots.  I had a big result in Prague where I shot five under par for my last ten holes.  I finished on six under for the tournament and caught Continue reading →

Byrne Secures Tour Status for 2026

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Sara Byrne in action in the Curtis Cup in Sunningdale.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Sara Byrne rounded off her season on a positive note in Spain last weekend when she secured a top 70 finish on the Ladies European Tour.  That was enough the secure her playing status for her second year as a touring professional.

Byrne started the year with playing rights on the LET, but also had a full card for the Epsom Tour, the LPGA’s secondary tour.  She played seven events in the first half of the season, making three cuts and recording one top twenty finish.  She prioritised t Continue reading →

Fota Island hosts Munster PGA

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John Hickey

The Munster PGA Winter Series is enjoying a strong resurgence with over 30 members playing in the event which took place on Monday.  With a busy season behind them, PGA Professionals based in Munster are taking to the course, and on Monday they travelled to Fota Island.  The three-time Irish Open host venue was in great condition and the players were hosted by Fota’s Director of Golf Kevin Morris.

John Hickey took the spoils with a great score of 42 points on a day of great weather that defied 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 →

Brown & Brown to sponsor Irish PGA Championship

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Diarmuid Nolan, CEO of Brown & Brown Ireland, pictured (centre) with Cian McNamara, Head PGA Golf Professional at Monkstown Golf Club; Michael Doorley, Chairman of Monkstown Golf Club; Conor Dillon, Manager of The PGA in Ireland, and Ada O’Sullivan, Former Curtis Cup Captain, R&A Open Championship Committee Member, and Monkstown Golf Club member, at Monkstown Golf Club, Cork, as Brown & Brown (Ireland), one of the country’s leading insurance brokerages, announces that it is the new title sponsor of the 115th Irish PGA Championship, which returns to Munster for the first time since 1997. The Championship will take place from 4–7 August 2025 at Monkstown Golf Club.
Picture: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO

With the 2025 Irish PGA Championship set to take place in August, Monkstown Golf Club is making its final preparations to host the prestigious event for the first time in its history.  The club, which has undergone a large scale bunker redevelopment and significant upgrades to its practice facilities, is ensuring that players will experience championship-level conditions when competition begins on August 5th.

Last week the PGA announced Brown & Brown, one of the country’s leading insurance brokerages, has announced that it is the new title sponsor of the 115th Irish PGA Championship.  The tournament, now named The Brown & Brown Irish PGA Championship, marks the event’s return to Munster for the first time since 1997, bringing together Ireland’s top PGA club professionals in a battle for a large prize fund.

The tournament returns to Munster for the first time since 1997, when Paul McGinley claimed victory at Fota Island, and the former Ryder Cup Captain was delighted to see Brown & Brown getting involved.  “I’m thrilled to see Brown & Brown backing Irish golf. It’s a proud and exciting moment for the sport. Having met Diarmuid and the Brown & Brown team through Continue reading →

Ciaran McKenna teams up with Blarney Golf Club

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Ciaran McKenna pictured outside his  golf studio in Mourneabbey. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Ciaran McKenna is holding a clinic in Blarney on Saturday to launch his new role as teaching professional at the busy club.  McKenna has been based from his purpose build studio in Mourneabbey for the past two years, and his new appointment with Blarney will be a big addition for the club.  While we’re heading into the winter, Ciaran was delighted to kick off the new partnership with an on-course clinic for members this weekend.

“I’m really excited to host a short game clinic at the club on Saturday.  at 11am. It’ll be 1.5 hours long with a 30 min Q&A afterward – it’s a fantastic way to meet and greet the members and have a good chat about their Continue reading →

Sherwood & Eivers lead Munster PGA

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The Munster PGA held the third outing of their winter series last week, and there was another two way tie at the top in Douglas with Brady Sherwood and Paul Eivers both returning an impressive score of 43 points.  David Ryan continued his good form with 42 points to take third place and host Pro David Barry was next with 41 points.  There was a three way tie for fifth place with Padraig Dooley, Fraser Thompson and Gavin Young.  Close to 30 professionals played in the event.

It was the second event to take place in November, with Cork Golf Club hosting an event at the start of the month.  Home favourite John Hickey came out on top that day with a score of 41 points to finish Continue reading →

Byrne sails through LPGA Q Series

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Sara Byrne’s whirlwind 2024 is continuing, the Douglas star passed the latest test last week in Florida when she qualified for the final stage of the LPGA qualifying school.

Byrne was in a field of close to 200 golfers having made the cut at the initial stage in California back in August.  Sara needed to finish the 72 hole qualifier inside the top 35 to reach final qualifying, and the 22 years old came through in impressive form.

She opened with a five under par 67 that had her at the top of the leaderboard for most of the first day.  A second round 73 saw her drop back a few places but she bounced back in the third would with a three under par 69.  That had Sara in twelfth place going into the final round, with high hopes of finishing inside the cut mark.

Byrne went through the first nine on the final day in -1, but the best was yet to come as she dropped in another four birdies to finish on 68 (-4).  That took her to -11 for the tournament and up to sixth place.

“The week was very solid.  I got off to a flying start which I knew I needed a low one like that and to be Continue reading →

Top Thirty finish for Byrne in France

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Sara Byrne (Picture: Niall O’Shea)

Sara Byrne had another impressive week on the course when she finished in the top thirty at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.  Byrne was in Ladies European Tour action for the second time in two weeks, hoping to make the most of her playing opportunities before the end of the year.

The Douglas golfer opened with a level par 71 on the opening day of the 54 hole tournament, and a one over par 72 followed on the second day which saw her safely inside the cut mark of +5.  A final day 71 saw her finish in 28th place at Golf Barriere in northern France.

Byrne carded 11 birdies in the 54 holes, showing she has the game to stake a claim for a tour card on the professional circuit.  She won over Continue reading →