Walsh wins in Oughterard, Connacht Boys Champion

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Enter a Robert Walsh JNR (Kinsale) winner of the Connacht Boys Amateur Championship 2019. Picture: Golffile | Fran Caffrey

Robbie Walsh claimed his first provincial title today when he overturned a three shot deficit to win the Connacht Boys in Oughterard.  It was a long three days for the Kinsale golfer, he was in contention from the start and held a share of the lead with Galgorm Castle’s Joshua Hill after an opening 68.  He fell back to second place after round two though when he shot a level par 72 and Hill shot a 69.  With a three shot lead, Hill was favourite to win the title, and after the opening nine it still looked like that.  The Kinsale teenager was still three behind at the turn but two mistakes from Hill and a birdie from Walsh on the par five 14th saw the pair tied for the lead on the 16th tee.  Hill went one ahead with a birdie on the 16th, but he closed with two bogies that would put him into second place.  Walsh’s birdie on the par three 17th was crucial, it gave him a one shot lead heading to the 18th tee.  Although both golfers bogied the last, Walsh knew he had a cushion and claimed his first provincial title.

Muskerry’s Fionn Hickey carded a final round 69 (-2) to move up to 4th place, that’s another good result after he won the Under 17 trophy at the Irish Boys last week.  Jack Egan (Muskerry) and Keelan McCarthy (Lee Valley) both finished inside the top twenty, and Ronan Feerick (Mallow) dropped Continue reading

Butler Shoots -3 Par 69 for 6th Place in Connacht Boys

Kinsale's Cathal Butler

Kinsale’s Cathal Butler in Fred Daly action recently

Kinsale’s Cathal shot the low round of the day to climb the leaderboard in the Connacht Boys Amateur Open in Roscommon.  Butler carded a three under par 69 which included
six birdies.  He finished in 6th place on +3 for his three rounds.

Photo Gallery: Golffile Connacht Boys U18 Open (www.golffile.ie)

John Murphy also sneaked inside the top ten, he had a final round 73 to finish on +4.  Overnight leader Marc McKinstry shot a final round 70 to extend his six shot lead to a final winning margin of eight shots. Continue reading