James Sugrue

Sugrue and Murphy through in British Amateur

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Munster Strokeplay ChampionshipCork Golf Club Sunday 6th May 2018

James Sugrue

James Sugrue and John Murphy have both qualified for the matchplay stage of the British Amateur after the opening strokeplay quaifier.  The hot shots comfortably made it through along with Robin Dawson, Rowan Lester and Conor Purcell.

John Murphy qualified just outside the top ten, he shot a 69 on the Mulcar Links yesterday to close on +2.  Murphy was three under after four holes and steady golf under pressure saw him maintain a solid level of golf.  This time last week, he was still only the fourth alternative on the waiting list.

James Sugrue, who is part of the Irish squad at the event, was three shots back from Murphy in 40th place.  He shot two rounds of 73 on both Royal Aberdeen and Mulcar Links.  Both golfers have proven themselves at the highest levels, Sugrue is the reigning South of Ireland champion while Murphy won the St Andrew’s Links Trophy less than two weeks ago.  A good run in the matchplay stages will help their case for selection for the six man Irish team for the European Championships.

There was disappointment for Peter O’Keeffe who missed out on the matchplay stage, he missed the cut by two shots after a disappointing final few holes in yesterday’s second round.  The matchplay qualifier (for those tied in 64th place) takes place this morning with the first round proper starting later this morning.  James Sugrue is out at 11.08 and John Murphy starts at 13.51.

O’Keeffe retains Kerry Scratch Cup title

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Peter O'Keeffe Kerry Scratch Cup 2018

Peter O’Keeffe from Douglas being presented with the 113 year old Kerry Scratch up by Frank Hayes (Director of Corporate Affairs Kerry Group PLC) and Kevin McCarthy (Captain Tralee Golf Club). Photo by Domnick Walsh Eye Focus LTD

Peter O’Keeffe claimed his first win of the 2018 season when he successfully defended his Kerry Scratch Cup title in Tralee last weekend.  It was the perfect weekend for O’Keeffe as he fine-tuned his game in preparation for the Irish Amateur Open which started today.  O’Keeffe has been a big fan of the event in Tralee and having finished second in 2016, he won the event last year.  The Douglas man held the overnight lead after 36 holes.  He was tied with Monkstown’s Sean Desmond who 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 →

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 →

Healy finishes 10th at Irish Students

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Mark Healy Kinsale

Kinsale’s Mark Healy pictured in 2015

Mark Healy finished in the top ten in Bray thanks to a great recovery that featured five birdies.  The Kinsale man had a poor start with a bogey on the opening hole and another on the second hole.  He steadied after that and pulled a shot back at the seventh.  He had birdies the 10th and 11th to get back into the red and two more birdies followed on the 15th and at the final hole.  Healy’s 67’s matched the best score of the day, winner Stefan Greenberg along with second placed Ronan Mullarney and third placed Jack McDonnell also went around the course in Bray on -3.

James Sugrue had a disappointing final round that saw him drop from third place to 12th.  He signed for a four over par 74 which featured only a single bogey.  Sean Desmond had a 72 to finish just inside the top 30 while Cathal Butler and Darren Hourihan ahd 77’s to finish in the middle of the pack, while Aoife Ni Thuama finished in 8th place in the Continue reading →

Sugrue 3rd heading into final round at Irish Students

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Sugrue5James Sugrue shot the low round of the day today in Bray, as he jumped up to 3rd place in the Irish Students Championship
The Mallow man had a back nine – included four birdies that saw him sign for a three under par round our 67. Sugrue is just three shots of the lead which is held by Alan Fahy from Maynooth.
Five other Cork golfers made the cut for tomorrow’s final round. Mark Healy is tied for 21st position on +3 while fellow Kinsale member Cathal Butler is two back just outside the top 30, Butler is also second in the team event. UCC duo Darren Hourihan and Sean Desmond also made the cut while Adam McSweeeny was one shot outside the cut mark.
Aoife Ni Thuama (UCC) also made the cut, the Douglas golfer is in Continue reading →

Butler & Sugrue bow out in Irish Close, Egan & Costello make the cut in Irish Boys U16

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Munster Boys Under 16 Open Championship 2016, Nenagh Golf Club, Wednesday 29th June 2016, Jack Egan

Jack Egan (Muskerry)

Cathal Butler and James Sugrue both lost out in the first matchplay round at the AIG Irish Close Championship in Galway yesterday.  They were the only two Cork golfers to make it into the top 64 after the 36 hole strokeplay qualifier.  Butler was up against West of Ireland winner Barry Anderson and the Kinsale man was one up after 14, but Anderson won three holes on the trot to close the match on the 17th.  Sugrue brought his match to the 18th, but crucially couldn’t win the final hole and lost by one hole to Portmarnock’s James Fox.

Muskerry’s Jack Egan made the cut for the final round at the Irish Boys Under 16 Open in Rockmount.  Egan was going around nicely today until he found trouble on the 17th and had to sign for an 80.  Still he ended up two inside the cut mark, just inside the top 25.  Kinsale’s Jody Costello shot rounds of Continue reading →

Two Cork golfers through in Irish Close

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AIG 2017 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Galway Golf Club

Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) driving at the 6th tee during the second day of the AIG 2017 Irish Amateur Close Championship at Galway Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Cathal Butler and James Sugrue will tee it up this morning in the matchplay stage of the AIG Irish Close in Galway.  Butler carded two rounds of 73 to get through in the middle of the qualifiers (top 64), and James Sugrue battled tonsillitis to shoot a great 72 yesterday to finish one shot behind Bulter on +7.  Mark Healy and Kieran Lynch were unlucky, they both missed to cut by one shot.  John Hickey recovered from a disastrous opening day to shoot a one under par 69 on the second day, but that wasn’t enough to get him into the top 64.  There was also disappointment for Shane Kenneally, Sean Desmond, Conor Dowling and Darragh O’Connor but all will have gained valuable experience at the elite level of Irish amateur golf.  The leading qualifier was Peter Kerr from Royal Portrush after he shot two rounds of 69.

The matchplay commences this morning, Butler faces West of Ireland and Munster Strokeply winner Barry Anderson.  Sugrue will be up against James Fox Continue reading →

Super Sugrue wins the South, Lahinch Golf Club

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James Sugrue Winner SOI 2017 (002).jpg

Winner of the South of Ireland Championships in Lahinch Golf Club, Clare , James Sugrue of Mallow Golf Club takes a moment with the trophy after his 3 and 2 victory over Conor O’Rourke of Naas Golf Club on Sunday evening.
Pic. Brian Arthur

James Sugrue wrote his name into the history books today, he captured the famous South of Ireland at Lahinch.  The Mallow man joins Mervyn Owens and John McHenry as the only Cork winners in the past fifty years.  Sugrue qualified in the top half of the draw after the 36 hole strokeplay phase, and came through two matches on Friday to reach the final 16.  On Saturday he beat Gary O’Flaherty and John Murphy to set up a semi-final match with Peter O’Keeffe. In a tight match Sugrue beat O’Keeffe on the 17th, setting up a final against Conor O’Rourke Continue reading →