Caolan Rafferty

Murphy wins BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup

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Jack Murphy (Douglas) pictured after winning the BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Jack Murphy from Douglas became the youngest winner of the BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup last weekend, the 18 year old beat all before him as he cruised to a four stroke victory.  The 18 year old has won plenty of boys events and team events, but this was his first win in a mens event.  It was an impressive wire to wire win, Murphy led after Saturday’s opening round and never let go of the lead.  Kevin LeBlanc, Andrew McCormack and James Walsh were his nearest challengers, but none of then could get close enough.

It was an impressive display from the teenager.  He started with a three under par 69 to hold the joint lead after the opening round.  The opening round was a mixed bag with just seven pars.  Murphy had seven birdies and four bogeys on Saturday morning to finish on Continue reading →

Interest Building in BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup

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Robbie Walsh (Douglas) pictured after winning the 2023 BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The field is building for the 2024 BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup which takes place in less than three week’s time.  Already there are close to 50 entries of scratch or better, with Walker Cupper Caolan Rafferty leading the field with a handicap index of +5.6.  Rafferty leads a number of players from the north east with Eoin Murphy, Evan Farrell and Gavin Tiernan all set to tee it up on the 20th and 21st of April.

Rafferty and Murphy both played last year, and after getting the know the course on the opening day, and they both finished tied for fourth.  Evan Farrell is also in good form at the moment, reaching the quarter finals of the Connolly Motors West of Ireland in Co Sligo on Continue reading →

Walsh stays the course in Lee Valley

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BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup winner Robbie Walsh (Douglas) pictured with Peter Tuite from BoyleSports and Lee Valley officers Jack Noonan and Liam Power. (Pic: Niall O’Shea)

Robbie Walsh produced a great performance to win the BoyleSports Lee Valley Scratch Cup last weekend, winning the 54 hole event after leading from start.  The Douglas member hung in there in the final round, displaying huge determination to stay ahead of a stellar chasing pack.  Walsh led after the opening round, shooting the low round of the tournament with a three under par 69.  He followed that with a level par 72 to hold a three shot lead heading to the final round.

As final rounds go, it proved to be an entertaining contest.  Walsh birdied the first two holes and when nearest challenger Gary O’Flaherty bogied the first the lead was six shots.  Things changed though when Walsh dropped four shots in the next three holes.  With nine holes left his lead was down to two shots, but that’s as close as the field got to him.  He reeled off eight birdies and a single bogey on the way home and although David Reddan and Jack Murphy threatened they never got close enough.  In front of a large gallery Robbie Continue reading →

Sugrue through to Amateur Matchplay

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The Amateur Championship 2019 Portmarnock & The Island Golf Club Monday 17th June 2019James Sugrue was the only Cork golfer to make it trough to the last 64 in the Amateur Championship.  After two strokeplay rounds in Portmarnock and The Island, the Mallow man finished in 46th place on +3 after two testing rounds.  Sugrue, with his usual partner Conor Dowling on the bag, was out on Portmarnock yesterday.  And like the majority of the field he found it a tough day.  While he commented the it was “insanely long”, he knew that a patient approach was probably the only way to survive the 7,000 yard course.  The wind picked up mid-morning and Sugrue couldn’t avoid a few bogies on the front nine.  A run of six pars was a welcome Continue reading →

Sugrue in contention in St Andrews

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James Sugrue_22

James Sugrue (Mallow) 

After rounds of 67 and 68, James Sugrue is in 5th place at the St Andrew’s Links Trophy in Scotland.  It’s another boost for the Mallow man has been on a good run of form.  Sugrue won the Castletroy Scratch Cup two weeks ago, before finishing in the top twenty in the Brabazon.  Although he is in 5th place, he is eight shots off the lead held by England’s Matty Lamb after a super 63 today.  Sugrue had a great run of four birdies in the middle of his round in the home of golf.  It was part of a five bogies in six holes starting at the fifth.  Sugrue had three birdies on the back nine but bogies on the 15th and 17th before a closing par would see him sign for a four under par 68.  Sugrue is the second best placed Irish golfer, he’s one behind Caolan Continue reading →

Sugrue & Murphy included in Walker Cup Squad

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South of Ireland 2018Lahinch Golf Club Saturday 28th July 2018

James Sugrue in action in the South of Ireland last year

James Sugrue and John Murphy were today named on a 26 man extended panel for the Walker Cup, and both will be hoping for a good summer of golf to boost their chances of making the ten man team for September.  The Walker Cup takes place in Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) later this year, and both will hope to follow in the footsteps of John McHenry (1987) and Jimmy Bruen (1938/49/51) in making the final team.  Mallow’s Sugrue (22) was disappointed two weeks ago when he had to withdraw from the European Nations Cup due to injury.  Now he’s back at full strength he’ll be looking forward to the squad practice in Hoylake next week prior to playing in the Lytham Trophy the following weekend.  Kinsale’s John Murphy (20) is currently in Kentucky with Continue reading →

Sugrue in 5th place entering final day at SA Strokeplay

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Munster Strokeplay Championship Cork Golf Club Sunday 6th May 2018It was another solid performance from Mallow’s James Sugrue yesterday as he carded a one under par 71 at the third round of the South African Strokeplay Championship.  After earlier rounds of -5 and -3, yesterday’s one under was more modest, but he maintained his position on the leaderboard.  Two bogies and three birdies meant that Sugrue finished on -1 and an aggregate of -9 for his 54 holes.

Sugrue is now seven shots off the lead, meaning a win is probably out of reach, but a top ten finish will add to Sugrue’s very positive start to the season and it will have a positive impact on his WAGR ranking.  He’s also the best of the strong Continue reading →