Tom Cleary

O’Brien takes Runners Up spot in Ulster Seniors

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
John O'Brien

John O’Brien (Castlemartyr)

Castlemartyr’s John O’Brien took second place at the Ulster Seniors in Lough Erne yesterday, the Corkman shot a second round 77 to finish one behind Ballybunion’s Peter Sheehan.  O’Brien also claimed top spot in the 55-59 category.  The Castlemartyr member had held the lead after opening with a two under par 70 on Monday, O’Brien was the only golfer to break par in the first round.  It was looking good for O’Brien but Sheehan played the back nine in two under to leapfrog the Corkman.  Sheehan was the only golfer to master the back nine, effectively sealing the win for the Ballybunion member.  O’Brien has been playing some great golf recently and less than two weeks ago he shot a 66 in Blarney to set a new course record.

Karl Bornemann was just one shot back from Continue reading →

O’Leary one off the lead in Malone, Irish Seniors Close

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

GUI LogoCastlemartyr’s Hugh O’Leary is just one off the lead going into the final round of the Irish Seniors Close.  O’Leary was in the top ten after the first round and a one under par 71 today saw him rise to second place, just one shot behind Banbridge’s Jim Carvill.  O’Leary had a spectacular back nine.  After three bogies on the front nine and another on the 10th, he bounced back with five birdies in seven holes to sign for a 70.  O’Leary and Carvill were the only players to break par in the second round.

Douglas Captain Karl Bornemann proved the duties of high office needn’t interfere with your golf as he continued his recent good form.  Bornemann is tied for 7th after a tidy 74 today.  Michael Quirke (Doneraile) is just inside the top 20 on Continue reading →

Crean & O’Donovan Challenge in Leinster.

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Munster Seniors Open Championship 2016, Tramore Golf Club, Wednesday 11th May 2016

Donal O’Donovan

Jerry Crean and Donal O’Donovan are tied for fourth after they both shot opening rounds of 76 in the Leinster Seniors Open at Dun Laoghaire.  Kinsale’s Crean had a tough start with bogies on the first and second, and a double bogey on the ninth meant that he turned on +4.  He made the trip back in level par though, and that saw him finish in a tie for fourth place.  Donie O’Donovan had a better start with a birdie on the 2nd, but a few dropped shots saw him turn on +2.  He followed that with eight straight pars but a mistake on the final hole cost him two shots and he also signed for a 76 (+4).

Holder Micheal Quirke is one shot back alongside Tom Cleary on 77, both are in a large group that are tied for 10th place.  Both are six shots off the lead and still in with a chance of challenging in tomorrow’s final round.  Fota’s George Mellerick is back in the pack after a disappointing 85.  Dun Laoghaire Golf Course proved to be a very testing challenge for the players at the Leinster Seniors Championship today despite the very benign conditions.  Frank Flynn (Laytown & Bettystown) leads Continue reading →

Cleary takes 2nd place in Connacht Seniors

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Tom ClearyCork’s Tom Cleary heralded the start to his season when he took second place at the Connacht Seniors today.  The former Munster and Irish Seniors winner shot a par par 73 today in Claremorris to jump up the leaderboard and take the runner-up spot.  Cleary had three birdies on the back nine to get back to level par for the day.  He finished one shot behind winner Nigel Duke (Killiney) who retained the title he won last year.  Cleary was the only golfer to match par over the two days as the golfers struggled in testing weather conditions.

Pat Lyons (Cork) and Donie O’Donovan (Bandon) both finished in a tie for 11th place.  Both golfers put in a challenge on the front nine today but they faded on the back nine as they dropped a number of shots.  Michael Quirke (Doneraile) was in Continue reading →

No Joy for Cork Golfers

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Tom ClearyThere was no joy today for the seniors who were playing in the Irish Seniors Open Championship in Co Tipperary, and Brian O’Donovan also failed to secure a full card in the PGA China final qualifying.

Holder Tom Cleary was among the local hopefuls in action but he couldn’t match the results of 2016 and rounds of 78,76,78 saw him finish just inside the top 20.  Not much of a consolation but he was the highest placed golfer from Cork after the three rounds.  Doneraile’s Tahg Heenan opened with a disappointing 81 on Wednesday but closed with two rounds of 76 to finish one shot behind Cleary and inside the top 30.  Micheal Quirke had threatened the lead on day one after shooting a 73 but rounds of 79 yesterday and 82 today saw him drop out of contention.  Kinsale’s Jerry Crean was the only other Cork golfer to make the cut and he finished one shot behind Quirke.  The winner was Wales Nicholas Grimmitt who finished on +7 to edge out Tramore’s John Mitchell by one shot.

Bandon’s Brian O’Donovan was in action in the final round of qualifying at the PGA China Tour School this morning.  O’Donovan had been hoping to claim on of the 16 full tour cards on offer after posting rounds of 71/72/70.  The wheels came off on the final round however and O’Donovan shot a 77 to finish outside the qualifiers.  In the past O’Donovan has used Monday qualifying to gain entry into some of the events, the Shenzen based professional is a Lead Instructor at one of the Mission Hills Academies in Shenzen.

walker_01

Cleary shoots -1 as Ireland qualify for top flight matchplay

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Ardee Golf Club

Tom Cleary (Cork), Picture by Pat Cashman

Tom Cleary shot a one under par 71 in Slovenia today as Sean O’Leary’s team qualified for Flight A in the European Senior Mens Team Championship.  Cleary was three under par through 12 holes with four birdies in the bag, but two bogies on the way home meant that he signed for a 71.  That brought him up five places and into a tie for 12th place.  It was another powerful day for the Irish as all six team members finished the strokeplay phase in the top 20.  Jim Carvill shot a to under par 70 to finish in third place and Maurice Kelly and Adrian Morrow were one shot behind tied for fourth place.   Arthur Pierse is alongside Cleary in a tie for 12th and Garth McGimpsey finished in 17th place in the field of 114 golfers.

Ireland now enter the top flight of the matchplay stage where the top eights teams will do battle over the next three days.  After qualifying as top seed, Ireland face italy in the quarter final.

Cleary T17 in European Senior Men’s Team Championship, Slovenia

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Michael Cashman Trophy Munster Final, East Cork Golf Club, Saturday 27th August 2016

Irish Seniors Team Captain Sean O’Leary

Sean O’Leary’s team had an amazing opening day today as Cork’s Tom Cleary shot a one over par 73 in the opening round of the European Senior Men’s Team Championship in Slovenia.  Cleary is safely inside the top 20, but in an amazing day for Ireland, he’s the last of the six Irish golfers.

Arthur Pierse and Adrian Morrow both finished on -3 to lie one off the lead.   Maurice Kelly and Jim Carvill are on -2 and Garth McGimpsey is in 9th place on -1.  Tom Cleary is back on +1, tied for 17th place in a field of 114 golfers from 19 countries.  Cleary had four birdies and five bogies in his opening round.

Ireland are hoping for a fourth consecutive title. Ireland completed a hat-trick in 2015 and have been the dominant force in Europe with five titles since the Championship began in 2006.   After two rounds of stroke play qualifying, the top eight teams will enter Flight A and battle it out for the European title across three days of match play combat.

Scoring

Round Up: Davey Barry at PGA Assistants, Tom Cleary at British Seniors, Boys & Girls Home Internationals

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Davey BarryDavey Barry (Douglas) is in action at the PGA Assistants Championship, he shot a level par 72 in his first round at Little Aston Golf Club in Bermingham.  Barry had three birdies and three bogies in his opening 18 holes, and he’s just inside the top twenty heading into the second round.

Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship

Cork’s Tom Cleary is in the top ten after the opening round of the British Seniors Amateur Open at Formby.  Cleary had an opening 74 and is three shots behind the leader.  He’s tied with Tipperary’s Arthur Pierse as the leading Irish players

British Seniors Amateur Open

Valerie Clancy, Rachel Thompson and Mairead Martin all had good starts for Ireland today at the opening day of the girl home internationals.  Clancy Continue reading →

Lyons retains lead at Irish Seniors Close

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Tralee Golf Clu

Overnight leader Pat Lyons (Cork) driving at the 18th tee in the second round of the Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Tralee Golf Club today. Picture by Pat Cashman

Pat Lyons (Cork Golf Club) has retained his lead after the second round of the Irish Seniors Close at Tralee today.  Lyons shot a three over par 75, on the second consecutive day that no player in the field managed to break par.  The Cork Golf Club member has a one shot lead going into the final round.  John O’Brien and Donal O’Donovan both remain in the top ten, they matched scores again today with 68’s and they are tied for 7th place six shots behind the leader.  Irish Seniors Open Champion Tom Cleary carded a second round 76 to climb up to 15th position, and he also holds the lead in the over 60 category.  Karl Bornemann (Douglas) is also in a tie for 15th place.  Cork’s Peter Cowley is second in the over 70 category, three shots off the lead.  Muskery’s Hugh O’Leary and Kinsale’s Jerry Crean also made the cut for the final day.

Irish Seniors Close Live Scoring

Quirke wins Leinster Seniors Title

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
2016 Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Glasson Golf

Michael Quirke (Doneraile) winner of the 2016 Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Glasson Golf Club today. Picture by Pat Cashman

Doneraile’s Michael Quirke won the Leinster Seniors today, a one under par 72 was enough to give the North Cork man a three stroke margin of victory at Glasson Golf Club.  Fifteen steady pars were interrupted by two birdies and one bogey as Quirke carded one of only two under par rounds of the championship.  Michael had shot a level par 73 in the first round to hold the joint lead with  Garth McGimpsey and Val Smith.  Neither Smith or McGimpsey could match their first round scores, McGimpsey’s 78 was good enough for 4th place while Smith faded with an 86.  Barry O’Leary (Greystones) was second on +2 and John Mitchell (Tramore) was third on +4.  Cork’s Tom Cleary had another 76 today to give  him a share of 5th place, with Jerry Crean (Kinsale) and Peter Cowley (Cork) tied in 13th place.  George Mellerick (Fota Island), John Cuffe (Monkstown) and Paddy Harrington (Muskerry) all finished down the field. Continue reading →