Munster Stroke Play

Doyle Conquers Cork Again

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

John Doyle conquered Cork Golf Club for the second time in two weeks as he came from behind to win the C2O Group sponsored Munster Stroke Play.  Fresh from his win at the Irish Boys, Doyle is now two from two in Little Island.

It was a super weekend for golf in Cork, a strong field took on the Alister MacKenzie signature course which was in great condition.  The 75 strong field including West of Ireland Champion Dylan Holmes (Greystones), Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Champion John Doyle (Fota Island) and the recently returning Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth).  Holder Paul Coughlan and previous winners Karl Bornemann and Barry Anderson were also in the field.

John Doyle (Fota Island) receiving the Munster Stroke Play trophy from Paul Buckley from C2O Group, sponsors of the tournament.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

From the initial field at the Little Island course on Saturday, just 33 remained by Sunday morning and it was an ever changing leaderboard.  Cork’s Jonathan O’Sullivan led after the opening round with an impressive 69 in windy conditions.  By Saturday afternoon there was a three way tie for the lead, Keith Egan TJ Ford and James O’Rourke were out in front.  Egan in particular impressed with a five under par 67 after a great display of putting.

In the final round it was the 17-year-old Mitchelstown native who would battle his way to the top, taking a one-shot victory in what would be one of the tightest finishes the championship had seen for many years.

Doyle would finish his third-round level par for the tournament, rounds of 72, 71 and 73 leaving him in a Continue reading →

Exciting 2025 ahead for Cork Golf

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Cork Golf Club which wil host a number of national events in 2025. Pic: Niall O’Shea

2025 promises to be a busy and exciting year for Cork golfers and Cork golf clubs.  Golf Ireland launched the 2025 calendar recently and four Cork courses will host important events in the months ahead.

Cork Golf Club will host four major events in a busy year for the club.  In addition to the Munster Stroke Play which has been held on the May Bank Holiday weekend for over a decade, the Little Island club will also host the Flogas Irish Boys Amateur Open and the Boys Home Internationals.  The club will also host the Women’s Cork Scratch Cup in early April.

Cork has a habit of being a winning venue for golfers who went on to greatness and with Irish Boys Captain watching over the field, he will be hoping for another winner with star potential when it comes to the Irish Boys.  The last big winner in Cork was Shane Lowry, he  won the Irish Close Championship when it was last held in Cork in 2007.  Lowry beat local favourite Niall Turner in the final to claim his first Irish title.  He went on to win the West and North, and the Mullingar Scratch Cup the following year, before winning the Continue reading →

Coughlan captures Munster Strokeplay

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

A top class field assembled in Cork Golf Club on Saturday, all hoping to take home the Cork Scratch Cup as the winner of the Munster Strokeplay Championship.  First played for in 1923, the cup has gone through a few different formats, and 72 holes would separate the field in this staging.  Cork was in great condition for the prestigious Munster Championship recovering quickly from the wet spring.

Holder Jason Law got the competition underway at 7.30 on Saturday as he was out I the first group.  The centenary winner took the winter off from golf and while he opened with a disappointing 79, he followed that with a 71 but missed the cut by two. Continue reading →

O’Keeffe Blitzes the field to claim Munster Stroke Play

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Peter O’Keeffe celebrates with his wife Mary Claire and daughter Alice following his Munster Strokeplay win

Peter O’Keeffe won the biggest prize in Cork golf on Sunday.  After 72 holes he won the Munster Stroke Play and added his name to the famous Cork Scratch Cup.  O’Keeffe had a blistering performance on Sunday, he entered the final 36 holes 4 off the lead but ended up winning by seven strokes.  Two rounds of 70 put on Saturday put him in contention going into the second day.  Saturday’s performance included 11 birdies and one eagle, and that gave the Douglas golfer the confidence to know his game was good enough to win.  O’Keeffe reached Continue reading →

The Cork Scratch Cup

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

The Cork Scratch Cup

In recent years the May weekend has marked the first major amateur golf championship in Munster with the staging of the Munster Strokeplay at Cork Golf Club.  The championship was introduced 2006 following an agreement with Munster Golf and Cork Golf Club.  Munster Golf granted the new event provincial championship status and Cork agreed to host the event and incorporated their famous scratch cup into the new event.  The Cork Scratch Cup is reputed to be one of the oldest scratch cup competitions in Ireland with many saying is it indeed the oldest competition that still runs today.  Outside of a break for the second world war when all golf was suspended, the competition has been annual event on Continue reading →