Many of Ireland’s top young golfers will be heading for Cork next week for the inaugural staging of the Munster Students Championship. The newly named Championship replaces the Munster Youths and it features a new ladies competition along with a team competition. Munster Strokeplay Champion Cathal Butler will be joined by Munster Boys Champion John Murphy, and the Kinsale golfers will lead the strong local challenge. Both Murphy and Butler are representing Maynooth University and the home of the Harrington Scholars golf programme will travel in force. Also wearing the MU colours will be Jack McDonnell won the Munster Youths title in Monkstown last year. The team competition will see many colleges enter multiple teams, with the best two scores counting from the three person team. In the ladies competition, local hopes will rest with Muskerry’s Jean O’Driscoll (UCC) and Douglas’ Aiofe Ni Thuama Continue reading
Munster Youths
Mallow’s Sugrue back on Form
Mallow’s James Sugrue got his season off to a solid start last week when he finished in third place in the Munster Youths at Monkstown. Sugrue shot 71,71 over the two days and he was closing in on the lead when play was suspended on Friday, and the third round was eventually abandoned. The 2014 Munster Youths winner was the best of the Cork finishers as 11 local golfers made the cut for the final day. Kinsale were well represented on the final day, Cathal Butler finished in 6th place with Eric Rumley and John Murphy both finishing in 12th place. Rumley too the 2nd net prize while Murphy won the Under 18 prize. Adam McSweeney (Douglas), Alan Riordan (Muskerry) and Brian O’Connell (Bandon) were all in the top 30. Paul Tobin, Greg O’Mahony, Mark Healy and Darragh O’Connor all made it through to the final round. The event was won by Jack McDonnell from Forrest Little. The Maynooth University student shot an opening 66 to lead by two strokes. A second round 73 saw him take a two shot lead into the final round. Unfortunately the rain beat everyone on Friday. All 47 golfers who made the cut for the final round started at 8.30am on Friday. The high winds couldn’t keep th rain from gathering on the greens and after just an hour of play reports were coming in of several flooded greens. The course staff and tournament committee did their best to clear the standing water on several greens but at 10am they were forced to suspend play and abandon the final round. The result was declared on the basis of the scores after 36 holes. Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Youths Final Day
Pictures from the final day at the Munster Youths Amateur Open in Monkstown Golf Club: Continue reading
Sugrue leads four Cork golfers in top 20 at Munster Youths
Early morning sunshine burns away the frost from the clubhouse at Monkstown as Day 2 at the Munster Youths gets underway. Picture Niall O’Shea
Mallow’s James Sugrue is the best placed Cork golfer going into the final round of the Munster Youths at Monkstown Golf Club. The 2014 winner is three shot behind leader Jack McDonnell who shot 73 to finish on -1. Sugrue is tied for second on +2, Hugh O’Hare from Fortwilliam is also on +2.
Kinsale’s Eric Rumley followed yesterday’s 70 with a 76 and that saw him drop from 3rd to a tie for 12th. John Murphy is also tied for 12th place, both are seven shots off the lead so at best their chances of winning are marginal. Cathal Butler is the third of four Kinsale golfers to make the cut, he added a 71 today to his 74 from yesterday, he is now in 6th place but is six strokes off the lead.
Munster Youths Amateur Open Scoring
Adam McSweeney (Douglas) finished in 24th place along with Alan Riordan (Muskerry). Bandon’s Brian O’Connell was a shot Continue reading
Rumley leads Cork golfers at Munster Youths
Eric Rumley
Kinsale’s Eric Rumley led the Cork golfers in action today at the Munster Youths in Monkstown Golf Club. Rumley shot a level par 70 to finish in a tie for third place, and his round was even more impressive when he had to contend with the worst of the weather.
Rumley had a challenging start, he was three over after nine following bogies on the 3rd, 6th and 8th holes. He bounced back with birdies on the 10th and 11th, and he eagled the par five 15th hole. A bogey on the closing hole brought him back to level par for his round, but it was still a very impressive round given Continue reading
Monkstown set for Munster Youths
Monkstown will host the prestigious Munster Youths Open this week and this is another event in a line of high profile events held at the club in recent years. In 2014 they hosted the ILGU National finals over five days and in 2008 they hosted the week long GUI Cups & Shields finals.
Monkstown’s 18th fairway with the water hazard in the foreground. The course will host the Munster Youths from Wednesday to Friday. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Monkstown Captain Carl Toal is really looking forward to the event, especially considering the long run of poor weather endured by golfers locally. “It was a difficult few months where the bad weather was relentless really said the Captain, “and like many courses in the area, we welcome the recent improvement and stretch in the evenings. We are only back to playing 18 holes in the last two or three weeks. The course has stood up well considering the conditions we Continue reading
Entry to Munster events now open
Online entry for the Munster Strokeplay and the Munster Youths is now open on Golfnet. The current weather might not be conducive to playing golf, but qualifying conditions are only five or six weeks away and the wet winter should be a distant memory. Well at least that’s what every golfer is hoping for!
Munster Strokeplay 2015 Champion Shaun Carter (The Royal Dublin) pictured at Cork Golf Club with Officers Robin Turnbull, President, Lady President Ann Kos, Captain Fergal Deasy, Lady Captain Katherine O’Kelly Lynch and Liam Harkin, GUI Munster Branch. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Cork Golf Club will host the Munster Strokeplay on 30th April & 1st May, the competition is the only 72 hole strokeplay event in Cork and it’s sure to attract a top class field as usual. Last year 50 golfers from the field of 75 were playing off scratch or better.
Former winner Pat Murray was one of the first golfers to sign up and formidable Limerick GC golfer is now playing off +3.8. Plenty more plus golfers can be expected for the prestigious event which is now in it’s 11th year.
Munster Strokeplay Championship Online Entry
Entry for the Munster Youths Amateur Open Championship is also open and this event takes place in Monkstown Golf Club at the end Continue reading
2015 Review of the Year – Part 1
January
2015 started with the sad news of the closure of Frankfield Golf Course. The nine hole track existed on an elevates site on the southside of the city for over 30 years since Mick Ryan Snr laid out the course. It must have been an emotive decision for the Ryan family, especially given that they live and work onsite. The Ryan’s retained the very busy driving range and announced plans to extend and develop the practice facilities. While there were many disappointed members, they all had several options to continue their golf with every other Cork club offering membership options. PGA Professionals David Whyte and Michael Ryan are both based at the city venue and it proved to be a busy place throughout 2015.
Joint winners Munster PGA Wilson Singles at Cork GC David Ruddy and David Ryan pictured Liam Burns, Munster PGA Captain and Peter Hickey, Cork GC. Picture: Niall O’Shea
On the course, the Munster PGA were one of the few groups to be playing competitive golf. David Ryan used local knowledge to win the Wilson sponsored competition in Cork Golf Club. He shot a three under par round to finish ahead of popular Bandon veteran Continue reading
Paul McCarthy wins Munster Youths
Pictures courtesy Tralee Golf Club
Paul McCarthy made it two from two for Mallow Golf Club when he captured the Munster Youths Trophy today in Tralee Golf Club. He followed in the footsteps of his Fred Daly and Junior Foursomes team mate James Sugrue in capturing the prestigious title. The 20 year old was competing in the tournament for the final time and he was two shots behind Bray’s Alan Fahy an Dun Laoghaire’s Conor Ryan going in to the final round. A solid level par 70 was enough to move him clear of the field. It wasn’t plain sailing however on the testing links. McCarthy was three over after 10 but he added birdies at 12, 14 and 16 to rebuild his challenge and secure his winning total of 215 for the three rounds. Kinsale golfers Cathal Butler and Gary Ward both finished on 225, just outside the top ten. Youghal’s Conor Coyne was just outside the top twenty.
