Jimmy Bruen

Howard tuned up for Birkdale

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David Howard in action for Ireland
©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

David Howard is living his golfing dream, he’s teeing it up today in one of the biggest tournaments in the world.  Howard earned a place at the Open Championship in Royal Birkdale just two weeks ago, and since then there has been a scramble for tickets as friends and relatives try to make their way to the championship.

The Fota Island member got a late call up to final qualifying at Dundonald Links, and made the most of the opportunity by finishing in 4th place and claiming a spot in the Championship field.

The 27 year old committed to Continue reading →

Entries open for 2023 Bruen Youths

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Muskerry will hold the annual Bruen Youths Trophy on Monday next 21st August, and there will be plenty of golfers hoping to add their name to the list of famous winners.  The competition provides young golfers with one of very few opportunities to play medal golf over 36 holes.

The event started started to mark the 50th anniversary of Jimmy Bruen’s famous win in the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale.  The cup itself has its own legacy, it was won by Jimmy Bruen himself in 1944 when it was presented to him when he won the Muskerry Captain’s Prize.  The Bruen family donated the cup to Muskerry in 1986 when the club wanted to honour the 50th anniversary of Bruen’s win in the British Boys at Royal Birkdale.  While Bruen is also Continue reading →

Cork’s Top Amateurs (Men)

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So how do you start to build a ranking of Cork’s top men’s golfers over the past 100 years?

Rankings and lists are always subjective, and I’m sure many people will have their own opinions on the list as they work their way through it.  Rankings always come down to points, and allocating points for Continue reading →

Jimmy Bruen – Cork’s Greatest

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It’s likely that 2020 will produce few enough golf headlines, but 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Jimmy Bruen Jnr.  Born in Belfast, the Bruen family moved to Cork when Bruen was 5, his father took up a job with Dwyer & Co, another family closely associated with golf in Cork.  Bruen is associated with both Cork and Muskerry.  Although he had played in Cork Golf Club as a teenager, Cork’s rule of not allocating handicaps to those under 18 made Bruen look to Muskerry.  He wrote to the club when he was 15, seeking a handicap in line with the Muskerry club rules.  According to golf historian Tim O’Brien, Bruen submitted his three cards but was asked to play a round with the club captain before a handicap was approved.  Bruen must have impressed in that round as his starting handicap was six.  That handicap was god enough to gain entry into the 1935 British Boys in Royal Aberdeen, and with experiences like that, it didn’t take Bruen long to get down Continue reading →

Bruen Youths title for Egan

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Bruen Youths 2019_Jack Egan_2

David Bruen, presenting the Bruen Youth Cup to Muskerry’s Jack Egan following his win on his home course. Included are Marian Nugent, President, Richie Cahill, representing the Cahill Family, sponsors and Diarmuid Linehan, Captain. Picture: Mike English.

Jack Egan added his name to a list of famous winners on Monday when he won the Bruen Youths.  The Muskerry teen won by four strokes in impressive performance that saw him shoot two under par rounds.  Egan led from the start with an opening 67.  That included  seven birdies and there was a great four of four birdies from the 12th to the 15th.  His opening 67 had him one shot ahead of Eoghan O’Shaughnessy and the Muskerry Fred Daly players were the only two to break par.

In the second round Egan never let go of his lead.  Again he had seven birdies but a couple of bogies meant that he’d sign for a one under par 70.  That was more than enough as the his morning 67 was Continue reading →

Keelan wins in Muskerry

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Muskerry_Bruen Youths 2018_1

Keelan McCarthy

Keelan McCarthy added his name to the famous Bruen Youths Trophy on Monday, the Lee Valley golfer beat a strong field in Muskerry to win the title.  The event, commemorating Cork’s greatest ever amateur golfer Jimmy Bruen is one of the biggest prizes in junior golf in Cork and is plated over 36 holes in Muskerry.  Seventeen year old McCarthy shot rounds of 68 and 73, he led by three shots after the opening round and the afternoon’s 73 was enough to hold the lead and win by one.  McCarthy started brightly in the morning with birdies on the second, third and fifth holes, although a double bogey on the tricky sixth threatened to derail his round.  Several pars followed and he traded a birdie with a bogey on the 12th and 14th.  The Lee Valley golfer finished strongly, he birdied the 15th and 16th and came home with two safe pars to build his strong lead.  Muskerry proved to be a Continue reading →

British Amateur start for John Hickey

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016Cork’s John Hickey will join a select number of Cork golfers this weekend when he takes part in the British Amateur Championship.  Hickey will play Royal Portcawl tomorrow afternoon in the first of his two rounds.  Hickey was third alternate when the draw was made a the start of the week and soon after he got the official call up.  Hickey has had a solid start to the season, and is currently in the top ten in the Munster senior Order of Merit.  He had good performances in the Munster Strokeplay and the East of Ireland.

2016 marks the 70th anniversary of Jimmy Bruen’s British Amateur win at Royal Birkdale.  Only a select few have qualified to play in the Amateur Championship.  Padraig Dooley play twice, Aaron O’Callaghan played when it was held in St Andrew’s and Peter O’Keeffe played in three Amateur Championships.  O’Keeffe made it to the final 32 in 2007 when a second round 66 got him through to the matchplay stage.  Padraig Dooley also made it to the Continue reading →

30th Bruen Youths at Muskerry Golf Club

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Entries are now open for the prestigious Bruen Youths which will take place at Muskerry Golf Club on Monday 24th August.   This year will mark the 30th staging of the event which started in 1895.  It was started to mark the 50th anniversary of Jimmy Bruen’s famous win in the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale.  In another link to the revered Cork golfer, the cup that is played for is the cup that was awarded for the Muskerry Captain’s Prize in 1945 which was won by Bruen himself.

David Higgins, past winner of the Bruen Youths at Muskerry Golf Club

David Higgins, past winner of the Bruen Youths at Muskerry Golf Club

The competition provides young golfers with one of very few opportunities to play medal golf over 36 holes.  A double shotgun start is the format for the competition and entry is just €10.  Full details and bookings are available on the Muskerry website and booking can be made online.

The trophy is a “who’s who” of the best golfers of any given era from the last three decades, and include the names of current tour professional’s David Higgins and Niall Turner.  More recent winners include Youghal’s Conor Coyne and Kinsale’s Cathal Butler.

Lee Valley advance to Bruen Munster Finals

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CGN_Jimmy Bruen_21st May 2015-42Lee Valley were the first Cork club to book their place in the AIG Cups & Shields Munster finals.  Their Jimmy Bruen team had come through from Blarney where they won three matches including a venue final against the hosts.  It was Waterrock’s first time to host a GUI area final and the course was in excellent condition for the match.  Many would consider the back nine in Waterrock to provide the tougher challenge but the front nine proved decisive as both sides varied between birdie and bogey golf to win, halve and even lose holes. Continue reading →

Lisselan Capture Bruen Title

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Lisselan Bruen

Lisselan Golf Club winners of the Jimmy Bruen Shield following a win over Tralee Golf Club at the Munster Finals at Faithlegg Golf Club Waterford. Picture also includes L-R: Pat O’Gorman ( President Faithlegg Golf Club ), John Moloughney ( Chairman Munster Branch ), Liam Power ( Captain Faithlegg Golf Club ) and Margaret Denny ( Lady Captain Faithleg Golf Club ). Photo: Jim O’Sullivan

Lisselan captured their first Jimmy Bruen pennant in Faithlegg last weekend when they had a dramatic 21st hole win over Tralee.  Continue reading →