Bandon Golf Club

China Tour Card for Brian O’Donovan

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Brian O'Donovan Feb 2017_3China based golfer Brian O’Donovan made a huge breakthrough yesterday when he won a tour card for the PGA China Tour.  Brian was competing in the second qualifying tournament in the PGA backed China tour at the Mission Hills Haikou course.  The former Bandon amateur opened on Friday with a 68 for a share of third place, and a solid second round saw him remain in the top five.  However a one over par 73 on Saturday saw him drop to 16th, one place outside the qualifying places.  After a shaky start on Sunday morning, he steadied and was one over par for his front nine.  After hovering around the qualifying mark he birdied the final hole to move to two under par overall and safely inside the top 15.  Now armed with a full tour card, Brian will qualify for the series of fourteen events, all based in China with the top five on the tour qualifying for the Web.com tour.  There’s a run of six events starting in May with the second half kinking off in late August after a six-week break.  The Bandon native was a member of the very successful team from Bandon Golf Club who won the Irish Senior Cup national title in 2010.  It was a family affair for the O’Donovan’s, Brian’s Dad Donal was also on that team in Castlebar when they won the most prized team competition in Ireland.

Brian O'Donovan Feb 2017_2After winning the top team event, Brian decided to pursue a full time career in golf, and enrolled in the PGA programme.  Two years of study followed and Brian was based in Douglas Golf Club under Stephen Hayes while studying for his PGA qualification.  Brian moved to China soon after qualifying as a PGA Professional in late 2013.  While he hoped to remain competitive on the local professional tours, a knees problem ruled him out of competitive action for the best part of a year.  He returned to competitive action via the qualifiers for the PGA China Tour events, while also continuing work develop as a teacher in the Mission Hills Golf Academy.

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East Cork win thriller in Douglas, AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield, Douglas Golf Club, Thursday 25th May 201720 minutes can be a long time in golf, and that happened this evening as East Cork turned the tide to snatch a 3-2 win over Bandon in the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield area final.  Douglas was the venue for the South Munster final and a crowd exceeding 300 followed to five matches as they wandered through the course on a wonderful evening for golf.  Bandon laid claim to the first two matches and put themselves in a strong position.  Michael O’Dell and Ger Cummins won on the 17th while David Long and Charlie Long won 4&3.  It looked like the third match would be the decider, East Cork’s Barry O’Brien and Tom Lynch were Continue reading →

John Carroll wins Bandon’s Captain Prize

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

John Carroll Capt Prize BandonAfter almost 40 years of membership, John Carroll won his first major in his home club yesterday when he won the Captain’s Prize.  The veteran won the Bandon Captain’s Prize which involved an 18 hole qualifier and a nine hole play-off.

Close to 300 Bandon members took part in John Collins Captain’s Prize.  John had a nett 70 after 18 holes, and that was enough to get the veteran into the 9 hole play-off.  He added +1 to his total in the nine hole play-off, and in doing so he scooped his first major at his home club.  He had won a number of scratch cups, and spent much of the past 30 years playing off scratch.  John focused on his golf game after retiring from soccer, and as well as playing in Bandon, he also represented Munster and Ireland.  Carroll, has been a great ambassador for Bandon Golf Club, he was capped as a senior international in 2000, and has spent well over a decade working with Bandon, Munster and Irish representative teams.  He was involved in two of Bandon’s all-Ireland wins, the Irish Mixed Foursomes in 2002 and the Irish Senior Cup in 2010.  He’s still actively involved as a Munster Continue reading →

Fred Daly Trophy Round 1 – Rain Stops Play

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Today’s four Fred Daly matches fell foul of the weather, and that won’t be too much of a surprise for anyone to hear.  Muskerry, Douglas and Monkstown were all due to host matches today.

Cork GC hosted two games yesterday.  Fota Island had an impressive 4-1 win over Muskerry in the first match.  The second match proved to be a tighter event, it took two tie holes to decide the winner, with Bantry Bay winning Continue reading →

O’Connell & O’Riordan win Munster Boys Titles

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Bandon's Brian O'Connell pictured with the Munster Boys Under 17 Cup at Kanturk Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Bandon’s Brian O’Connell pictured with the Munster Boys Under 17 Cup at Kanturk Golf Club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Bandon’s Brian O’Connell shot an impressive two under par 69 to win the Munster Boys Under 17 Close at Kanturk Golf Club.  O’Connell, playing off a handicap of 5 returned the only under par score on the day got off to a great start.  He was three under at the turn after recording birdies at the 1st, 4th and 7th holes.  He added further birdies at the 13th and 15th but three bogies on the back nine saw his sign for a winning 69.  Second place went to Conor Slevin (5) from Charliville with a level par 71 and third place went to Andrew Mulhall (4) from Waterford Castle, also with a 71.

Gallery: Pictures from Munster U15 & U17 Close Championships

Jake O'Riordan (Dungarvan) pictured with the Munster Boys Under 15 Cup at Kanturk Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Jake O’Riordan (Dungarvan) pictured with the Munster Boys Under 15 Cup at Kanturk Golf Club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The Munster Boys Under 15 Trophy went to Jake O’Riordan from Dungarvan Golf Club.  Jake had a birdie on the second hole but added four successive bogies from the 3rd to the 5th.  He recovered with a birdie on the 8th to turn on +2.  He had a very tidy back nine, eight pars and one birdie saw him finish on a one over par score of 72.  Mallow’s Ed Walsh (2) continued his good form with a 74 to take second place, and third place went to Stephen Ryan (10) from Roscrea who carded the best of three 75’s.

Kanturk Golf Club was in great condition for the prestigious junior golf event, with over 100 golfers from 40 Munster clubs taking part.  Kanturk Captain Jerry O’Keeffe thanked the Officers and staff of Munster Golf for allowing Kanturk to host the competition and thanked all of the club volunteers who worked through the long day.  Munster Branch Chairman Mr John Moloughney congratulated the winners and thanked everyone who was involved in making the day such a success.  He thanked the Officers, members and staff from Kanturk Golf Club who provided the course in great condition, and he also thanked the Munster Golf team of Tournament Director Sean O’Leary, referees Kevin Murray and Brian Hurley, and Junior Administrator Margaret Sugrue who was involved in the preparation of the championship since last October.

Prize winners from the Munster Under 17 and Under 15 Close Championship, pictured with John Moloughney, Chairman Munster Golf, Jerry O'Keeffe, Captain Kanturk Golf Club and Noel Hennessy, Junior Officer Kanturk Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Prize winners from the Munster Under 17 and Under 15 Close Championship, pictured with John Moloughney, Chairman Munster Golf, Jerry O’Keeffe, Captain Kanturk Golf Club and Noel Hennessy, Junior Officer Kanturk Golf Club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The next junior championship is the Munster Boys Under 13 Close which takes place next week in Waterrock and Adare Manor.