NCAA Finals

Strong Season finish for Sara Byrne

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Sara Byrne (Douglas) in action in the AIG Irish Womens Close in 2022.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Sara Byrne wrapped up her third year in the US with a solid performance at the NCAA National Championship.  Sara was one of nine individual golfers who qualified for the finals in Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale Arizona.  She booked a place in the finals thanks to a second place finish in the Palm Beach Regional which should have been her final event of the college schedule.  Byrne was just the second Cork golfer to make it to the NCAA finals, John Murphy played with Louisville in 2019 and again in 2021 in his senior year.  It’s been another very positive season for the Douglas golfer, she recorded three top tens in the very competitive ACC conference and the third year led the Miami Hurricanes on a number of occasions.  She played in 37 competitive rounds this year and had an impressive stroke average of 72.9, an improvement of over Continue reading →

Murphy helps Cardinals to NCAA Finals

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
John Murphy May 2019_1

John Murphy in action at the NCAA Regionals today (Pic: @UofLMGolf/Twitter)

“That was a grind” – that was the first reaction from a smiling John Murphy after finishing his final round at the NCAA Regionals in Louisville.  But it was a very positive finish as two birdies on 16 and 17, and a long par putt on 18 from Murphy proved to be crucial as his University of Louisville side qualified for the NCAA National Championships earlier this evening.  Murphy finished the 54 hole tournament tied for 12th place on -2, and his finish ensured that the Cardinals finished in the top five and now go though to the final stage of the college season.  Overnight the Cardinals were in fifth place, with a six shot cushion over their nearest challenger.  At the turn though it was a different story with the Louisville holding the last qualifying spot by just one shot.  Murphy was level par for his first nine but dropped three shots in the next five holes.  At that stage it was getting tight, but the third year student was two under for his final four holes which helped the Cardinals go through to the nationals for just the fourth time in their history.  In the end they took fourth place as other teams dropped shots on the closing holes.

 

The Cardinals were playing on their home Continue reading →