PGA

Monkstown’s McNamara has second bite at the Irish Open

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Monkstown’s McNamara has second bite at the Irish Open

Golf_Cian McNamara_Monkstown GC_June2014

By Niall O’Shea

A year ago Cian McNamara was facing a daunting trip to Carton House for his first appearance in the Irish Open.  12 months later the Monkstown PGA professional is relishing a return to the event that saw make headlines with four under par first round.  Naturally McNamara is delighted to be back playing in the big time, the Limerick man qualified last year thanks to his top eight finish on the PGA Ireland Order of Merit, and a similar finish in 2013 saw another invitation being issued. Continue reading →

Wayne heading for the US Masters of Junior Golf

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Wayne heading for the US Masters of Junior Golf

Golf_Wayne Whitley O'Callaghan_Jun2014

By Niall O’Shea

Nine year old Wayne Whitley O’Callaghan is about to take on the golfing world.  He’s heading to the US where he has qualified for two international junior golf events.  Wayne will be Ireland’s only representative at the World Masters of Junior Golf in Las Vegas in July and in September he has a date in Pinehurst for the US Kids Finals.  Wins in the Irish Junior Golf Tour last year saw Wayne qualify for Las Vegas, he won events in Munster, Ulster and Leinster in the under 8 category.  A few weeks ago Wayne won again in Dungarvan, this time in a US Kids qualifier and went forward to the Irish finals in Portmarnock Links.  The final was over nine holes and Wayne went around the shortened course in 40 strokes.  The nine year old was two shots off the lead playing the last but a great tee shot on the 114 yard hole saw his ball finish just 10 feet from the hole.  He made to putt to tie the lead and went on to win on the countback. Continue reading →

Mardyke Arena to Host Golf Seminars

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

As the build up to the Irish Open continues, Cork’s Mardyke Arena have announced two golf seminars that will take place in June.  On Tuesday 17th June the Arena will host a conference focused on fitness in golf, and a large number of amateurs, professionals and coaches are expected to attend.  The seminar is being run by the newly formed Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI), the European Tour Performance Institute and the Mardyke Arena UCC.  The CGI is a new body made up from the GUI, ILGU and the PGA.  Junior Golf Ireland has been subsumed into the new umbrella body and their key objectives include increasing participation and driving elite performance in both amateur and professional codes. Continue reading →

Shane Lowry looking forward to return to Cork

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Shane Lowry looking forward to return to Cork

By Niall O’Shea

 

GOLF_Lee Valley_Senior Scratch Cup_Shane Lowry_APR2009

 Shane Lowry winning the Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup in 2009

Former Irish Open Champion Shane Lowry is looking forward to returning to Cork next month as Fota Island plays host to the Irish Open.  Lowry won on his last two occasions playing competitive golf in Cork.  In 2007 he won the Irish Close at Cork Golf Club, beating local hope Niall Turner.  In 2009 he won the Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup, the first year it had been expanded to a 54 hole competition.  The Lee Valley was Lowry’s final won as an amateur in an amateur competition. Continue reading →

O’Donovan’s China Challenge

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Bandon’s Brian O’Donovan is a busy man, building his career in China.  Having moved there a few months ago he popped up on the PGA Tour China last weekend.  The competition was the Buick Open, and  Brian made the entry list thanks to a qualifier earlier in the week.  He travelled from his base in Shenzhen to Guangdong to try his hand on the Asian arm of the PGA Tour. Continue reading →

Promising Start for Cork Professionals, PGA Irish Region

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Promising Start for Cork Professionals

By Niall O’Shea

The PGA Irish Region kicked off their 2014 Pro-Am schedule today with Greystones hosting the first pro-am of the year.  Monkstown’s Cian McNamara was one of the early starters and he posted a two under par 67 to take the club house lead. Despite posting a bogey on the 4th hole, McNamara recovered immediately with a birdie.  He added further birdies on the 9th and 12th, and parred his way home to become the clubhouse leader.  He was ultimately beaten by Danny Sugrue and John Kelly, both golfers returned 66’s from their afternoon rounds. Continue reading →

Con on the Course – Fota Island Irish Open

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Con is in Charge in Fota

Fota Island_Con O'Driscoll_Apr2014

By Niall O’Shea

Walking around the Fota Island Resort this week, you’d be mistaken for thinking it’s just another year at the prestigious Cork golf course,  The pro-shop is busy, as is the clubhouse, a society prepares to head out and there’s about six people practicing in the Academy.  All in all it’s pretty standard for the championship resort.  But Fota is right in the middle of preparations for the Irish Open which take place from 18th to 22nd June.  While it’s business as usual as far as any of the golfers are concerned, the course staff are busy working with a plan to deliver the course in perfect condition for the tour professionals in June.  It’s 12 years since the European Tour event last took place in Cork and for many of the professionals that were in tour in 2002, they’ll notice a few additions.  While the Deerpark course is still the same, the hotel and lodges are new, the additional nine holes are new and the Academy is now.  All of the developments were opened between 2006 and 2007 and now Fota Island stands out as the premier golf resort in the south of the country. Continue reading →

O’Callaghan wins in Monkstown

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Golf_Morgan O'Donovan Trophy_Wayne O'Callaghan_Mar2014

Wayne O’Callaghan continued his great record in Monkstown Golf Club on Monday when he won the Morgan O’Donovan Trophy.  The event was the final competition of the Munster PGA winter series and it was the second time that PGA members played to remember their colleague. In 2013, Peter O’Keeffe and Damien McGrane tied to take the title and O’Callaghan was extremely happy to add his name to the commemorative trophy; “this trophy meant a lot as I was great friends with Morgan since we both played boys golf together.  I would put it up with my win at the Irish Assistants championship 1997”.  The busy teaching professional who runs his Academy from Fernhill Golf Club has four Monkstown Pro-Am titles to his name.  However in spite of his great record he must have been worried as he carded a 7 on the par 4 final hole.  O’Callaghan had done enough though, four birdies and a bogey on the front nine saw him take a lead and he added another birdie on the 15th before finding trouble on the 18th.  It was still good enough to Continue reading →

Ryan Wins on the Double

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

David Ryan took the honours in Fota on Monday as the Munster PGA Professionals battled tough conditions.  Almost 30 golfers took to the course and while the weather was cold and wet, Fota was in great condition given the recent winds and rain.  Ryan was the only golfer to finish under par as he recorded a 69.  This was Ryan’s second win in a row as he also took the honours when they played in Dungarvan two weeks ago.  John McHenry was fresh from his Seniors qualifying round in Portugal as he finished tied for second place with a 74, Castlemartyr’s Brady Sherwood also finishing on the same score.  Sherwood was not doubt trying to emulate his compatriot Jason Day’s feats in Arizona but came up a few shots short.  Padraig Dooley was fourth with a 75, and Killarney’s Danny Sugrue secured a top six spot with a 77.  Sugrue maintains his position at the top of the order of merit.  Monkstown’s cian McNamara is in second place and David Ryan is a close third.  The PGA Winter League continues and will conclude in late March with Monkstown hosting the Morgan O’Donovan trophy.

The GUI annual delegates meeting took place recently and two Munster motions were carried.  Castletroy’s motion limiting “point one” increases to only those golfers who complete a round was passed at national level and will now be put forward to CONGU.  Limerick Golf Club’s proposal to limit the maximum number of point one increments to 20 in a single year was also passed.  Both motions will now go on to CONGU where the GUI will propose the changes.  At the provincial ADM’s the hope was that both changes would be effective from 2015, however time will tell as the current CONGU rules fare due to run until the end of 2015.

The most contentious motion at the provincial meetings was Leinster’s motion to require golfer to have three home qualifying scores to compete in away competitions.  There was a perceived issue that many golfers were using away handicaps without ever playing at their home course.  The motion was passed by a narrow majority at the Munster meeting and the GUI must now decide on how this rule will be implemented by clubs.  The golfing season will finally start this weekend after two months of inclement weather. The first round of the south east league takes place this weekend with ten teams taking part in the annual Bruen and Purcell warm up compeititon.