Senior Scratch Cup

Ward Wins in Cobh, Cobh Senior & Junior Scratch Cups

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016Gary Ward shot a very impressive 66 in Cobh today to win the Senior Scratch Cup.  The score is a course record at the championship course.  Ward had a good start and birdied the 3rd & 4th before he went on to add two more birdies on the 7th & 8th holes.  He added another birdie on the par three 10th to get to five under.  His only blemish came on the 12th when he dropped a shot after putting a ball in the water.  Ward regained the shot on the very next hole and moved to six under when he bogied the last hole.

It was a 1-2 for Kinsale as Keith Fitzpatrick took second place with a 71.  Cobh’s Gavin Lynch won the nett prize.  Mark McGroarty won the Junior Scratch Cup in style with a level par 72 enough to win the title by two shots.  Monkstown’s Ken Treacy was second on 74 and Eoin Wilson was third with a 75.  Aaron Ward (Blarney) won the nett prize with a 69, beating Jack Ryan (Monkstown) on the countback.

Desmond claims first Scratch Cup win in Douglas

Cobh’s next big event is the AIG Junior Continue reading →

Desmond claims first Scratch Cup win in Douglas

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Sean Desmond Douglas SSC 2017

Sean Desmond (Monkstown) receives the Douglas Senior Scratch Cup from sponsor Kieran Canty, Kieran Canty Financial Services.

Monkstown’s Sean Desmond made a successful return from injury today when he won the Douglas Senior Scratch Cup.  Desmond suffered ankle ligament damage earlier this month and that kept him off the course for three weeks.  Douglas was his first competitive outing and this morning he shot a solid level par 72.  The first year UCC student was two shots off the lead after the first round when his Senior Cup partner Eoghan Long led the field with a 70.  It was a packed leaderboard with over 20 golfers within four shots of the lead. Desmond started fast the second round and he was three under through 10 holes.  He gave two shots back thought on the 12th and the 16th.  A birdie on the 17th however proved to be the difference and he went on to win by one shot.

“It’s my first scratch cup win and absolutely delighted to get one, especially in a big competition like Douglas” said a happy Desmond who was equally happy with the way he played.  “I played very solidly.  I hit the ball well in general, and hit a lot of greens. I put myself in the right spots most of the time except for a few holes where I made some very sloppy bogeys.  But overall I  Continue reading →

Sugrue wins in Castletroy, Bank of Ireland Castletroy Scratch Cup

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James Surue Castletroy SC 2017James Sugrue captured the Bank of Ireland Castletroy Scratch Cup this afternoon as a second round 69 saw him jump into a winning position.  Four birdies and a single bogey meant that the Mallow man signed for a 69 and when added to his morning 72, he finished three shots clear of the field.  David Reddan and Deam McMahon both finished on level par, with Reddan taking 2nd place on the countback.  John Hickey was 6th on 147 and Paul Tobin had another good finish taking the second nett prize.  A full field of 75 golfers took to the course for the 36 hole event.

Sugrue was just two shots off the first round lead at lunchtime.  Castletroy’s John Hadnett shot a two under par 70 to hold the lead.  Dean McMahon and Paul Tobin were in on 71 and Sugrue was in a group on 72.

Needless to say Sugure was delighted with his win and a credits a recent equipment change to his success.  “I changed back to my old putter last week and I think that’s made a real difference” said a happy winner.  “The course was in great shape, the greens were very nice and the course did suit me.  There were a lot of two irons off the tees today.”  The Bank of Ireland sponsored competition is one of the Continue reading →

Murphy in contention in France

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CGN_Lee Valley SSC_23rd Apr 2017-639John Murphy is in the top five heading into the final day of the French Amateur Open at Chantilly Golf Club.  Murphy started the second round in a tie for 12th place but shot 3 under to jump up seven places.  Murphy had six birdies but a cold putter and lost ball meant that he dropped three shots to sign for a 68.

With 36 holes to come tomorrow the Kinsale teenager will fancy his chances even though there’s a four shot gap between himself and the leader.  Denmark’s Marcus Helligkilde is in the lead on his own on -7 while Raphael Geissler (Germany) is in second place on -6.  Murphy had an Continue reading →

Tralee set to host Kerry Scratch Cup

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Kerry Scratch Cup 2017A bumper €2,500 prize fund is in place for the Kerry Scratch Cup which takes place in mid June.  The 54 hole event will again attract WAGR points and it has the added benefit of counting towards the Munster Senior Order of Merit, which will decide on half of the places for the Senior-Interprovincials.

The event is again sponsored by Kerry Group and the winner will take away €700.  36 holes will be played on Saturday 10th June with the top 30 golfers qualifying for the final round on Sunday 11th.  Holder Jack Pierse is expected to ddefend his title with Andrew mcCormack, David Reddan and Peter O’Keeffe all hoping to do better after featuring in the top five last year.

The Arnold Palmer designed course is always an attraction but this year it has the added bonus of hosting the AIG Cups and Shields finals.  The Barton, Senior Cup and Junior Cup will all take place in Tralee in August.  There have been a few changes to the course and clubhouse over the winter, work has been carried to remodel the bunkers and the changing rooms, pro-shop and foyer have all been upgraded.  The timesheet is now open and anyone interested should contact Alan Kelly on 086 3840630 or at alan.kelly@traleegolfclub.com

Major win for O’Keeffe, Flogas Irish Amateur Open

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Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal County Down Golf

Peter O’Keeffe (Pic: Pat Cashman)

Peter O’Keeffe has been playing top level golf for 20 years and today he captured the top prize, the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at Royal County Down.  From an elite junior golfer he moved into the US college ranks and from there he spent close to a decade on the Challenge Tour and Europro Tour trying to make the breakthrough in the paid ranks.  In late 2015 he was reinstated as an amateur and last year he challenged on the local scratch cup circuit.  Today he broke through to elite senior golf ranks when he won the Irish Open in style.  One-stroke clear overnight, O’Keeffe cruised through much of the final round, winning by three thanks to a final round 73.  The 35-year-old from Douglas ended the week on two over, three clear of Scotland’s Christopher MacLean and England’s Tom Sloman.

Needless to say the Douglas man was delighted with the win.  “It feels fantastic.  It was tough to keep my emotions in check there going up the last,” said O’Keeffe, who claimed his maiden championship title.  “It was nice Continue reading →

O’Keeffe leads Irish Amateur going into final round, Royal County Down

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Munster Strokeplay Championship, Munster Golf, Cork Golf Club, Sunday 30th April 2017It wasn’t the low round that he promised – but in any case it was enough to give Peter O’Keeffe the lead going into tomorrow’s final round of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.

O’Keeffe started quickly with an eagle on the opening par five, but he gave the two shots back before the turn and started the second nine level for his round.  It was an interesting back nine for all of the leading contenders.  England’s Sean Towndrow took a two shot lead on the 16th thanks to an eagle on the short par four, but two doubles followed and he closed on a 77 and +3 for the tournament.  Christopher McClean was level with O’Keeffe after 15, but bogies on the 16th & 18th saw him drop down also.

O’Keeffe continued his pattern of steady golf with the odd birdie or bogey balancing each other out.  In the end only himself and Robin Dawson (T7) could match par on the closing three holes.  That was enough for two over par 73 on day three, and surprisingly enough that see’s him with a one shot lead over Christopher McClean.  O’Keeffe (L) will be joined by Mc Clean (+1) and Marc Norton (+2) in tomorrow’s final group which tees off at 11.12.

John Murphy saw the Continue reading →

Hickey Regains Muskerry Scratch Cup Title

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Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup 2017

Jason O’Callaghan (Ryans SuperValu) presenting the Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup to Cork’s John Hickey, also included is Jim Hornibrook, Captain.

John Hickey won the Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup in Muskerry on Saturday.  The Cork member won in dramatic circumstances after a sudden death play-off which lasted for four holes.  Hickey finished the 36 holes on a score of level par after shooting rounds of 72 and 70.  He tied for the lead with Castletroy’s Andrew McCormack.  The Limerick man won in Douglas last year and rarely leaves Cork empty handed after a number of good finishes.  The play-off was an exciting affair and lasted for four holes before Hickey won with a birdie on the par three 6th.  The first hole was halved in pars, and both golfers birdied the short par four which came next.  McCormack chipped in for birdie, while Hickey two putted from just off the green.  The pair skipped the 3rd and 4th and went to half the fifth holes which was the third play-off holes.  Hickey had a chance on the fifth, he missed a six footer for birdie which McCormack got up and down from a greenside bunker.  The 6th is probably the most Continue reading →

O’Keeffe leads Cork challenge at Irish Amateur Open

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Munster Strokeplay Championship, Munster Golf, Cork Golf Club, Sunday 30th April 2017Peter O’Keeffe shot a one under par 70 on the opening day of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.  Royal County Down was playing firm and fast today thanks to the recent dry weather and it proved a test for the Irish golfers as only seven made it into the top 25.  O’Keeffe started brightly with a birdie on the first but dropped shots on 4 and 8 meant that he turned on +1.  There were no more bogies for the Douglas member, and he birdied the 10th and 12th before parring his way home.  He’s in a tie for 8th place and three shots off the lead.

Turner leads in Ballykisteen, Great National Hotels Irish Masters R2

Ian O’Rourke is the next best Cork golfer but there’s a gap of over 50 players between him and O’Keeffe.  The Cobh native had been going well, he was two under to the 14th but dropped five shots in the closing holes.  That included a triple on the 15th which saw it’s fair share of bogies, doubles and triples on the opening day.  Kinsale’s John Murphy is one shot back from O’Rourke on +4, his card featured four birdies and nine pars but the four bogies, a double and a triple took the gloss from his debut round at the Irish Amateur.  Cathal Butler (+6) and James Sugrue (+9) will hoping for an improvement tomorrow.

Scoring: Flogas Irish Amateur Open

Play in the second round gets underway at 7.00am when Ian O’Rourke will lead the field of 144 golfers.  Live scoring updates are available from Golfnet.

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Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup Launch

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Castletroy SSC Launch 2017

Liam McDonnell, Captain, Liz Horgan, Bank of Ireland and Corrie Ward, President of Castletroy Golf Club       
Picture by Dave Gaynor

Castletroy Golf Club has announced details of this year’s Senior Scratch Cup, which is, once again kindly sponsored by Bank of Ireland.  The competition takes place on Saturday, May 20th.   First competed for in 1948, the Castletroy trophy is one of the oldest and most prestigious scratch cups in the country and attracts the cream of Munster golf and some of Ireland’s best amateur golfers each year.  As a Munster Senior Golf “Order of Merit” tournament, results in the Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup are included in the selection criteria for the Munster team in the Senior Golf Interprovincial Series.   The course, currently ranked at #61 in Ireland and measuring almost 7,000 yards off the back tees, consistently Continue reading →