UCC Staff win Intervarsity Title

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Carton House

Carton House

The UCC Staff Golf Society underlined their credentials as one of the strongest in the country when the won the Staff Intervarsity competition.  The competition which features universities from all over Ireland took place in Carton House, and it proved to be an all Cork affair as both Cork colleges featured in the top two.  UCC won by a margin of four shots, CIT claimed second place and Maynooth University were third.  The team was comprised of Maurice Conway & Barrie Curley, Dan Walsh & Eddie McCarthy, Mark Rae & Andrew Lindsay, Stephen O Brien & Dermot Mulcahy, Frank Morrissey & Conor McCarthy.  The winning team was Captained by Eddie Mc Carthy and managed by Willie Weir.  The Cork College regained the title they last won in 2016.  The busy group of golfers won the double in 2015 and 2016 Continue reading →

Win No 3 for O’Flaherty in Lee Valley

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Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup 2018, Lee Valley Golf Club. Final Round, Saturday 22nd April 2018

Gary O’Flaherty, winner of the Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup for the third time. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Gary O’Flaherty claimed his third Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup title today when he shot a steady level par round to maintain his lead and take the title.  Starting with a two shot lead, many would have thought O’Flaherty would have needed a 70 or better.  But the weather conditions in Lee Valley hampered everyone, and while the course was in great condition the harsh wind played a big role.  Gary’s lead went to three after the second hole when Ronan Mullarney bogied, and he maintained that cushion through the remainder of the front nine.  A bogey on the 7th was followed by a birdie on the par five 8th hole, and he turned a three shot lead.  Tiarnan McLarnon was one of the early starters, he went around in 70 (-2) which would see him claim second place.  The back nine proved a challenge for most with all of the leaders bar O’Flaherty dropping shots.

Gallery: Lee Valley Senior Scratch 2018 R3(2)

The results told a story about the conditions, of the later starters O’Flaherty was the only golfer to match par.  Ian O’Rourke also shot a 72 while James Sugrue and Keith Crowley both signed for 73’s.  Given the quality of the chasing pack it was thought there would have been a low score, but it never happened and O’Flaherty became the first person to win back to back titles since Continue reading →

O’Flaherty goes low to lead in Lee Valley

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Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup 2018, Lee Valley Golf Club. Second Round, Saturday 21st April 2018Gary O’Flaherty had a super second round of 64 in Lee Valley this afternoon to claim the lead in the Senior Scratch Cup.  Nine birdies and a single bogey saw the Cork GC golfer post an 11 shot swing from his morning round.  His 75/64 has given him a two shot lead in the competition with the final 18 holes scheduled for tomorrow.  Ronan Mullarney (-3, 70/71) leads the chasers with Jack McDonnell and Sean Desmond on -2.  James Sugrue is 4th on -1, he’ll be looking for his second scratch cup win after success in Fota Island last week.

Gallery: Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup 2018 (R2)

O’Flaherty went on a roll from the second hole this morning.  He birdied the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the index one 5th hole thanks to a chip in.  He parred the 6th and the 7th which was playing into a very strong wind.  Another birdie followed on the par five 8th and he turned on 30 strokes after a sixth birdie on the 9th.

Another birdie followed on the 10th with two more following on the Continue reading →

O’Keeffe starts Concession Cup Challenge

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Peter O’Keeffe is in action in Florida today, he’s partnered with Scotland’s Matt Clark in the opening fourballs at the Concession Club in Bradenton near Tampa.  Today id the first day of the three day event which will feature the traditional team match-play formats of foursome, fourball and singles. Each team will be comprised of 14 players separated into three categories: six (6) Mid-Am members (age 25 to 54), six (6) Senior members (age 55 and older) and two (2) Super Senior members age 65 and older.

The GB&I team is captained by Peter McEvoy.  Both O’Keeffe and his Captain were featured on the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive yesterday, where the pair were joined by David Leadbeater.  O’Keeffe is the second Cork golfer to make the GB&I team, two years ago Tom Cleary was in action when GB&I narrowly lost to the American side.

https://vplayer.golfchannel.com/p/BxmELC/gc_player/select/media/WSftkveErraZ

McEvoy Continue reading →

Sugrue starts 2018 with a win in Fota Island

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AIG Senior Cup, Mallow Golf Club, Sunday 25thth June 2017James Sugrue got his season off to the perfect start when he won the Fota Island Senior Scratch Cup last weekend.  Having missed the West due to a family bereavement this was his first competitive start.  After an impressive 2017, he was included on the Irish senior mens panel for 2018 and last weekend he set down an early marker.  He needed a strong finish as he was two over par after 16, but a birdie on the par three 17th and the par five 18th got him back to level par and that was enough to secure the win.  The birdie on 17 was unlikely, facing a very strong wind, Sugrue hit a three wood which went over the back of the green.  He chipped in with the second shot to give him some momentum on the final hole where he found another birdie.  Conditions were tough in Fota, the 7,000 yard Deerpark course played to all of its length in the unseasonal weather.  Second place went to Kinsale’s Cathal Butler just one shot back.  Jack Leacy from Dungarvan also finished on +1 and took third place with Daniel Rather (Dungarvan) finishing in fourth place.  Mitchelstown’s Sean Leonard won Continue reading →