Senior Scratch Cup

Good start for Cork golfers at Flogas Irish Amateur

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016

Cathal Butler (Kinsale/MU)

Two birdies and an eagle on the back nine yesterday saw Cathal Butler (Kinsale) jump back up the leaderbaord at the Flogas Irish Amateur Open in Royal Dublin.  Butler had a poor opening nine as four bogies and a birdie saw him on +3 at the turn.  He birdied the 10th and 16th and eagled the par five 14th hole on a back nine charge that saw him go into the red and finish the opening day in a tie for 12th place.

James Sugrue (Mallow) was another golfer to benefit on the back nine.  Sugrue was +2 at the turn but added five birdies in the second half of his round. Unfortunately for the Mallow golfer he added a double bogey 5 on the par three 13th hole and he bogied the 18th.  He still finished on level par just outside the top 20.

Ian O’Rourke who now plays out of Royal Dublin signed for a 74 (+2), the same as Castlemartyr’s Mark Shanahan.  John Hickey (Cork) is one back on 75.  Munster golfer Eanna Griffin is just one off the lead on -4 while fellow Munster interpro  Geoff Lenehan is on +2 and Robin Dawson in on +3.   All 120 golfers will play again today and tomorrow with the top 50 qualifying for Sunday’s final round.

Flogas Irish Amateur Open Live Scoring

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Castletroy Scratch Cup

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After four week’s of competitive golf, Cork’s Category one golfers have a week off next week but there are plenty of competitions in the calendar.  The famous Castletroy Scratch Cup takes place on Saturday 21st May and it’s set to be a bumper field.

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Liz Horgan, Bank of Ireland, Fergal Costelloe, Captain of Castletroy Golf Club and Brian Punch, President of Castletroy Golf Club officially launching the Bank of Ireland Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup-2016 at Castletroy Golf Club, Limerick Picture by Dave Gaynor

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 and Ireland’s amateur golf 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.

Last year’s winner was, Munster and Ireland stalwart, Pat Murray, Limerick GC, with a score of 145 strokes for 36 holes.  Former winners include Niall Gorey, Eddie McCormack, Mark Shanahan and Alan Thomas, not to mention the Continue reading →

Play-off Delight for Butler

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016

Cathal Butler (Kinsale) winner of the Munster Strokeplay Championship at Cork Golf Club.

Cathal Butler recorded his second major win of the season when he won a play-off yesterday to scoop the Munster Strokeplay Championship.  Butler was seven strokes off the lead going into the final round but jumped up the leaderboard thanks to some great play.  Butler birdied the 2nd, 6th and 9th but gave one back on the 7th where the pin had caused several problems for the field.  He then went on a burst with three consecutive birdies on 11,12 and 13, and after parring the 14th he was five under and leading the tournament by two shots.

Further back on the course, 54 hole leader Gary O’Flaherty had dropped a few shots and it looked like it would be an all Cork battle between O’Flaherty and John Hickey.  A large number of spectators were Continue reading →

O’Flaherty leads Munster Strokeplay, Draw for Day 2

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Gary O'FlahertyCork’s Gary O’Flaherty shot the low round of the afternoon to take a two stroke lead into the second day of the Munster Strokeplay Championship.  Cork Golf Club proved to be at tough test for everyone during the opening day of the Munster Strokeplay Championship.  Although there were several under-par rounds not a single golfer got through the day without at least two bogies.  Indeed there were plenty of eagles on the par fives, but there were also several triple bogies also as the Continue reading →

Draw for Munster Strokeplay, Cork Golf Club

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There were only a few changes to the entry list for the Munster Strokeplay and the draw that was published on Friday last still stands.  Holder Shaun Carter along with 2014 winner Barry Anderson lead the charge from Royal Dublin, along with a host of Leinster golfers. Gary O’Flaherty, John Hickey and Mark Ford lead the charge from the hosts while Peter O’Keeffe, Cathal Butler, Ian Spillane and James Sugrue will be hoping to build on early season form going into the Championship.

Draw for R1 & R2:

Munster Stroke Play 2016 Draw

The top 39 (plus ties) will qualify for Continue reading →

McCormack wins Douglas Senior Scratch Cup

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Douglas Senior Scratch Cup 2016

Andrew McCormack (Castletroy) 

Andrew McCormack stormed to his first senior scratch cup win today as he shot two rounds in the 60’s to run away from the field.  The Castletroy golfer’s 69,68 proved to be five shots better than the field and he scooped top prize.  McCormack was third in Muskerry and second in Lee Valley last week so he’s the form golfer in Munster at the moment.  McCormack has three bogeys over the 36 holes, but the ten birdies more than compensated.  It was a 1-2 for Castletroy as Continue reading →

Top class field in place for Douglas Senior Scratch Cup

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Douglas is the place to be tomorrow, their Senior Scratch Cup will be the third of four consecutive cups that are taking place in April.  With Muskerry and Lee Valley complete, Douglas and Cork remain in what has proved to be an exciting month for Category 1 golfers in the county and indeed the province.  Eanna Griffin, Andrew McCormack and Shane Hogan lead the golfers that hoping to take the title outside of the county.  Gary O’Flaherty, David O’Donovan, John Hickey and holder Daniel Halliessey lead the local challenge, while Peter O’Keeffe will be representing his home club Douglas and he’s like nothing better than to mare his return to amateur status with his first big win on his own turf.

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2015 winner Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) pictured with Kieran Canty and  Brian O’Brien, Captain Douglas GC. 

Kieran Canty has been a busy man over the past few weeks, as a committed Douglas member, Kieran is one of the main drivers behind the scratch cup and he’s also sponsoring the event.  Senior Scratch Cups have been a challenge for most clubs over the past 8-10 years.  Limited numbers of entrants, pressure on timesheets, and competition from national and provincial events have all impacted on the perceived importance and prestige of senior scratch cups.  Douglas Continue reading →