Mark Healy pictured with Morgan Cain after their win.
Mark Healy’s journey to Tennessee started out as a college student and while the journey isn’t over, Mark is now director of the golf programme he was playing in just two years ago. Healy first went to Tennessee in 2019 after finishing his Leaving Certificate in Hamilton High School. Although it was Covid interrupted, Mark played for three years on the golf team, racking up a few top twenty results for the Division 2 college.
In addition to his golf exploits, Mark also secured a degree in economics. And when he decided to stay on to pursue a post graduate degree, he took on a role of associate coach with the golf Continue reading
Monkstown’s Sean Desmond won the Munster Students title in Tipperary today, holding onto his second round lead. 
On Saturday Fionn Hickey claimed his second scratch cup when he won the East Cork Senior Scratch Cup. The 16 year old came away with the title after beating Kinsale’s Mark Healy on the countback. A birdie on Hickey’s final hole (15th) proved crucial in the end after both golfers shot a 70 (+1). Fermoy’s Dean O’Riordan took third place with a 71. The first nett prize went to Bandon’s Michael O’Neill with a 68, while East Cork’s Kieran O’Brien was second nett with 69. The scratch cup was sponsored by McGuirks and was the first of a few events that will mark the club’s 50th anniversary.
Rachel Thompson put on a great display of golf in Mount Julliet last week to win the Faldo Series qualifier. Played over three days on the testing championship course, Thompson was trailing by two shots after the opening round. She went on to fine an impressive one over par round on the second day, that was eight shots better than the field and gave her a six shot lead. Thompson had a solid final day, holding her big cushion and claiming the win. The Cork golfer now qualifies for the Faldo Series final which takes place in Dubai in November. It promises to be an exciting few weeks for the Cork golfer. She will be moving to Scotland in September to take up a golf scholarship in the University of Sterling. Before that she’ll tee it up in the English Womens Strokeplay and she’s heading to Yale in October in a college tournament. There was disappointment for Kinsale’s Gary Ward, he was within two shots of the lead after two rounds. Opening rounds of 71 and 72 had him on -1, just two behind Rosslare’s Paul Murphy. Unfortunately for Ward he had a disappointing final day, he dropped to fifth overall after a final round 79. Cathal Butler and Mark Healy were also in action, Butler also finished tied for fifth and Healy was in the top ten. It was another positive week for Kinsale considering they are preparing for the Munster finals of the Barton Shield.
James Sugrue is one of three likely Cork qualifiers to make it through to the match play stages of the North of Ireland Championship at Royal Portrush. The Mallow man recovered from a disappointing front nine one the championship course that saw him turn on +3. Sugrue fought back with three birdies to level his score on the back nine on the Dunluce links, he finished with a 36 hole total of 140 (-3) to claim a place in the top 25. Sugrue’s level par 72 was one of the better scores today with many golfers failing to get around the difficult course links without dropping shots. Kinsale’s Cathal Butler carded a three over par 75 today, when added to his 66 from yesterday the Kinsale man also qualified comfortably on 2 under par. He had 15 pars and a birdie, but two consecutive double bogies on the front nine cost him a few spots on the leaderboard. Conditions were much better for day two of the championship which saw 300 golfers play over both courses at the famous resort on the northern coast.
Cork Golf News 