Walker Cup hopeful James Sugrue is back on the winning trail after romping home in the Castletroy Scratch on Saturday. The Mallow man was named on the Walker Cup training panel earlier this month and his golf continues to do the talking as he finished five strokes clear of a strong field at the end of the 36 hole event. Rounds of 68 ad 71 (-5) saw him clear the field, and with just one bogey in each of the rounds he played some very tidy golf. Second place went to Pat Murray on level par with Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) finishing in third place on +1. Jack Ryan was the best of the home golfers, he took fourth, and it was a special day for Athenry’s Peader O’Beirne. Peader too second nett but also had a hole in one in the competition. It was a welcome win for Sugrue who was laid low with an injury just six weeks ago. The Irish International has been playing well all season. A top 15 finish in Lytham, and a top 20 in the Irish Amateur came after Sugrue had to pull out of the Euro Nations with a rib injury. His performance at the weekend now sends a signal that he’s a contender for a second major to the South title he won in 2017. Sugrue is headed for Leeds this week for the Brabazon Trophy, where the Walker Cup selectors will no doubt be watching the members of their extended training panel.
Senior Scratch Cup
Douglas win for Greg
It’s a competition that tends to throw up a few first-time winners, and today the Douglas Scratch Cup did exactly that. Greg O’Mahony from Fota Island took the honours, shooting impressive rounds of 68 & 75 to with the Kieran Canty Financial Services Douglas Senior Scratch Cup. O’Mahony’s opened with a four under par 68. After a steady opening nine, the Fota man came back in five under, including and eagle-birdie finish, to take the 18 hole lead. That was one ahead of Peter O’Keeffe and two ahead of Shane Galvin. Crucially there were 11 players within four shots of O’Mahony, and it’s rare enough in Douglas for the leader at halfway Continue reading
Gallery: Douglas Senior Scratch Cup, sponsored by Kieran Canty Financial Services
Pictures from Douglas: Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Mid Amateur 2019, Gold Coast Golf Club
Pictures from Round 2: Continue reading
Super 65 for Butler in Co Sligo, Flogas Irish Amateur Open
A birdie three on the last hole was the perfect finish to Cathal Butler’s round in Co Sligo today, as he signed for a 65 after a great second round. Butler, who had a four over par 75 in his opening round, got to work early today and was three under through five holes. He added another two birdies before the turn to go out in 31 (-5). Although he had a few good birdie chances on the back nine he ended up with eight consecutive pars. He did close out on the 18th with a birdie, leaving him on -2 and tied for 20th at the halfway stage. Needless to say the Kinsale golfer was in a positive frame of mind after his round. “It was a relief as much as anything – it feels like a long time since I shot a low one” said Butler after the round. “I was hitting it lovely, I only missed one green and hit a lot of the shots close. The putter was steady throughout and it was nice to hole a long one on 18 to finish.” Butler has been struggling with a back injury for the past while and that has contributed to his lack of recent appearances near the top of the leaderboard. “I’m off around 2pm tomorrow so I’ll get a chance to go to the gym before hand. My back has been troublesome for the past few weeks so I’ll do some exercises before I go out to play.” As for the strategy for tomorrow, it more of the same for Cathal. “I’ll just keep trying to make good decisions and smooth swings. If I can stay as relaxed as I was today it should be another good day.”
James Sugrue followed his opening 70 (-1) with a two over par 73 today. The Mallow man had a colourful back nine, comprised of two pars, three birdies, three bogies and an unfortunate double on the par five 12th. He’s just inside the top 50, and a good round tomorrow should see him through to Sunday. The 54 hole cut after tomorrow’s third round will see the top 50 (plus ties) go forward for Sunday’s final round. Mel Deasy, back at the venue where he led the qualifier for the West just a few weeks ago has found the going a little tougher. Rounds of 72 & 74 has him Continue reading
Castletroy set date for Scratch Cup
Castletroy Golf Club has announced details of this year’s Senior Scratch Cup, which is, once again kindly and generously sponsored by Bank of Ireland. The competition takes place on Saturday, May 25th. 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 Golf OOM tournament, results in the Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup are included in the selection criteria for the Munster Interprovincial team. The course, currently ranked in the top 100 in Ireland and measuring almost 7,000 yards off the back tees, consistently offers a stiff challenge to any player on the senior scratch cup circuit. Last year’s edition was no different with a very impressive fourteen plus handicapped golfers and ten scratch golfers in Continue reading
Joe on top in Cork, Munster Strokeplay Championship 2019
He calls it a love hate relationship, but Joe Lyons is probably more in love with Cork Golf Club after the winning the Munster Strokeplay Championship at the Little Island course over the weekend. After leading through the first, second and third rounds, Joe was brought to a playoff where he beat Eanna Griffin on the second sudden death hole. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be coming down here to win this weekend so it’s an absolute thrill to win” said Joe after claiming the trophy. “I’ve had a bit of a love hate relationship with this this course. I’ve had nines and tens and all sorts of things down through the years when I had chances of winning this event. Even leading the qualifiers in the Irish Close a few years back I had a ten on the 16th. I wasn’t expecting a whole pile so I’m delighted with the win.” After playing the first three rounds in five under with just six bogies, his closing Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Strokeplay, Final Round
Pictures from the final round in Cork on Sunday afternoon (and evening….): Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Strokeplay Round 3
Pictures from the third round: Continue reading
Joe leads in Cork, Lyons has 3 stroke lead in Munster Strokeplay (R2 Report & R3 Teetimes)
Joe Lyons in action in Lee Valley last week
It looks like Joe Lyons is enjoying his second trip to Cork in a fortnight. After finishing well in Lee Valley last week, he went and shot 70 and 71 in Cork today. The Galway man is now in a strong position going into the second day of the Munster Strokeplay.
While many golfers struggled with the wind this morning, Joe’s key was keeping the mistakes to a minimum. He had just one bogey in the first round and two more in the afternoon. When you add in six birdies it meant he finished on -3 for the day. Holder Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) and Keith Egan (Carton House) are next on level par while Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty shot a great 66 in the second round to jump into fourth place alongside Continue reading
Cork Golf News 