Swedes lead the way at Roganstown
It was a Swedish 1-2 in the Irish Under-18 girls’ open strokeplay championship at Roganstown as Kajsa Arwefjall and Louise Rydqvist finished first and second. In tough, wet conditions, Arwefjall scored 69, 74 and 74 for a four-over-par total of 217 to win by one shot from team mate Rydqvist who carded rounds of 70, 70 and 78.
Germany’s Marie Bechtold edged in front early in the final round but eventually finished third, three shots behind the winner on seven-over 220 after a 78.
England’s Ebonie Lewis and Germany’s Sophie Witt tied for fourth on nine-over 222 with Nicole Joyce-Moreno the best of the Irish on 226 after rounds of 71, 77 and 78.
Other Irish scores included:
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228 L Walsh (Castlewarden), 73, 77, 78;
235 K Lanigan (Hermitage), 77, 75, 83; A Foster (Elm Park), 76, 76, 83; B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle), 74, 75, 86;
236 K Dwyer (Rossmore), 78, 76, 82;
237 S Byrne (Douglas), 78, 77, 82;
238 E Thorne (Elm Park), 77, 78, 83.
Marshall second in McEvoy Trophy
Aaron Marshall from Lisburn finished second in the Peter McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath in a tournament reduced to 36 holes because of the inclement weather. Marshall shot rounds of 67 and 73 for 140 just one shot behind the winner Harrison Arnold from Castle Royle Golf Club who carded 72 and 67 for a three under par total of 139.
In joint second place with Marshall was Josh Turnock from Presbury after two rounds of 70, with David Li from Germany next on 141.
Alan Hill from Athenry finished seventh after rounds of 68 and 73 with Max Kennedy from Royal Dublin on 144 (73 71), Odhran Maguire from Slieve Russell on 145 (74 71), David Kitt from Athenry 145 (70 75), Alex Maguire from Laytown and Bettystown 148 (77 71), John Brady (Rosslare) 149, Adam Smith (Mullingar) and Charlie Denvir (Elm Park) on 150.
Grange pair win Dublin Scratch Foursomes
Local knowledge proved vital as the home pair of Nils Conway and Donal Dunlop shot a 75 to win the Dublin Scratch Foursomes by two strokes at the Grange. While just one round was possible due to the weather, the Grange pair won by two strokes from The Island’s Alex Crowley and Wexford’s Rhys Clarke. Hermitage pair Brian O’Connor and John McCormack were third on countback while the best nett went to Delgany’s Brian Murphy and Forrest Little’s Eoin Murphy with a 77.
Clarke wins inaugural Portmarnock Links Scratch Cup
Wexford’s Rhys Clarke birdied five of his last six holes to win the inaugural Senior Scratch Cup at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links. His four-under-par 67 was good enough for a one-shot win over Woodbrook’s Conor McGlynn with Portarlington’s Karl McCormack third on 69 and Newlands’ Jake Whelan fourth with a 70. Ross McKeever from the Castle won the nett with a 69 off one handicap.
Some 200 players took to the links with seven handicapper Mark Crowley from The Island claiming the Junior Scratch Cup by a stroke from County Louth’s Paul Reilly with a 74.
Hilary gold for Kane
Ashbourne’s Peter Kane followed in his late father Raymond’s footsteps by capturing the gold medal following the Hilary Golf Society’s season-ending event at Royal Dublin.
The prize is awarded to the player achieving the best aggregate total from three outings and two-handicapper Kane claimed the prize with Portmarnock’s John Greene capturing the gross award.
Kane was eight under for his best three nett scores and Greene was four under gross.
The outing was won by Royal Dublin’s Barry Murphy, who shot a 66 off five for a six-stroke win over clubmate Conor Gallagher. Castle’s Jim Mulready captured the gross with a fine 72.
Murphy joined Brendan O’Malley (Royal Dublin), Chris O’Connor (Corrstown) and Finn Sullivan (Forrest Little) in winning the team prize with a 60.
Sligo, Galway and The Island to host Amateur Open
The Golfing Union of Ireland has confirmed Co Sligo Golf Club as the venue of the Irish Amateur Open for one year in 2019.
Ireland’s premier amateur strokeplay tournament will stay on the west coast for three years in total with Galway Golf Club playing host in 2020 and 2021 as the event moves to an August date.
In 2022 the championship moves east to The Island Golf Club in Dublin.
“We’re pleased to be in a position to confirm the next three venues for our flagship championship,” said Mark Wehrly, Championships Manager of the GUI.
“Bringing the event to such a classic championship venue as County Sligo - with all its recent improvements - will be very exciting in 2019.”
Next year’s championship runs from May 16th-19th and coincides with the 125th anniversary of Co Sligo Golf Club. It will be the club’s first time to host the championship since 1950.
In 2020 the championship moves to a later date in the fixtures calendar. The GUI has entered into a two-year trial period with their counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales.
This arrangement will enable the Irish Amateur Open to be played in August and facilitate the staging of the championship at a parkland course for the first time in 15 years.
Wehrly said: “Galway will be an excellent venue for the championship in 2020 and 2021 and the club are so enthusiastic about the event. A lot of hard work is already underway even at this early stage. It will be a memorable experience for all concerned.”
“Heading back east to The Island in 2022 will be great for the event too, as the venue has proven really popular with players in the past and has a proven track record for hosting top-class professional and amateur events.”
The Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship dates back to 1892 when it was first contested at Royal Portrush. After a 35-year hiatus, the championship was revived in 1995 when Stackstown’s Padraig Harrington was victorious at Fota Island.
Meadow claims maiden Tour win
Stephanie Meadow took a giant step towards regaining her LPGA Tour card when she sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to claim her maiden Symetra Tour win in the IOA Championship in California last week.
Tied for fifth overnight, seven shots behind Sweden’s Jenny Haglund on two under par, the Meadow expected to have to shoot in the 60s to have a chance of victory at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon. But as Haglund limped to an eight-over-par 80 and tied seventh, Meadow’s two-under 70 was enough to force a playoff with Carleigh Silvers on four-under.
As a result of her monster birdie putt in sudden death, she earned $15,000 and moved up to second in the money list with $19,587 after the first two events, just $510 behind “Race for the Card” leader Lauren Kim.
The top 10 in the money list at the end of the season earn LPGA Tour cards and with 10th place taking $63,023 in 2017, Meadow still has work to do.
Connacht title for CBS Roscommon
It was quite fitting that it was CBS Roscommon who captured the Connacht Irish Senior (U19) Schools title at Ballinrobe last week as the trophy which is presented annually to the Connacht Champions was presented by a former teacher at the School, Tony Kearney.
Whilst CBS proved clear winners in the final against a gallant Summerhill College they were pushed all the way in the semi-final by a dogged St. Joseph’s (The Bish) Galway eventually coming through by 3-2 with three matches going down 18.
St. Colman’s Claremorris had a 3-2 win over Calasanctius Oranmore in the Plate Final.
CBS Roscommon beat Summerhill College Sligo 4/1 (CBS Roscommon names first) Tom Higgins bt Niall McDermott 5/3; Simon Walker beat Darragh Connolly 2/1; Fionn Hoare halved with Tom Flanagan; Cian O’Connor bt Joseph Keyes 4/3; Alan Connaughton halved with Sean McLoughlin.
Plate final - St. Colman’s Claremorris beat Calasanctius Oranmore 3/2 (St. Colman’s names first) Brian McGuinness (2) bt Mark Shivnan (6) 5/3; Conor McGuinness (3) lost to Ronan Murray (11) 1 Hole; Eoin Prendergast (6) beat Tom Canavan (11) 1 Hole; John O’Connor (11) lost to Aaron Callanan (11) 2/1; David O’Connor (12) beat Conor Hughes (16) 1 Hole.
Irish Seniors win back the Mary McKenna Salver in Scotland
The Irish Team, Captained by Valerie Hassett (Ennis) kicked started their year with a resounding win against the Scottish Vets Team by 10 matches to 2 to win back the
Mary McKenna Salver. Fourball: Sheena McElroy & Laura Webb beat Sheena Wood & Elaine Moffat 2&1; Suzanne Corcoran & Gertie McMullen beat Gillian Kyle & Lorna McKinley 1hole; Catherine Reilly & Mary MacLaren halved with Fiona DeVries & Lesley Lloyd; Helen Jones & Margaret McAuliffe beat Frances Millar & Jennifer Bryan 2&1. Singles: Gertie McMullen (The Island) beat Lesley Lloyd 3&2; Helen Jones (Royal Portursh) halved with Frances Millar; Mary McLaren (Wellingborough/Royal Portrush) beat GillIan Kyle 3&2; Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunnion) beat Fiona DeFries 2holes; Sheena McElroy (Grange) beat Sheena Wood 5&4; Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) beat Elaine Moffet 1hole; Catherine Reilly (Heath) beat Jennifer Bryan 4&2; Laura Webb (East Berkshire) lost to Lorna McKinley 1hole.
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