European Champions
Tralee’s Mary Sheehy holed an incredible 50 foot putt on the 21st to give Ireland a 3-2 win over Belgium and the European Senior Ladies’ Team Championship for the second time.
It was a thrilling finish to a brilliant championship for captain Pauline Walsh’s six-strong team at Sierra Golf Club in Poland.
Portumna’s Suzanne Corcoran put the first point on the board with an astonishing 9 and 7 win over Marianne Trussart.
The unbeaten top foursomes pairing of Laytown and Bettystown’s Carol Wickham and Grange’s Sheena McElroy followed up with a 3 and 2 win to leave Ireland requiring only one more point for the title. East Berkshire’s Laura Webb battled hard but fell to Laurette Vanderlinden 3 and 2.
Then Irish Senior Close champion Gertie McMullen from The Island lost one up to Sylvie Van Molle, leaving the destiny of the title in the hands of rookie Mary Sheehy.
Annick Riff levelled the match coming down the stretch and with tie holes needed to decide the title, Sheehy struck the killer blow on the 21st and holed a 50 foot putt for the win.
It’s Ireland second win in the event following their breakthrough win in Slovenia in 2013.
European debuts
The Island’s Kevin Le Blanc, playing in his third European campaign, will lead Ireland’s bid for promotion from Division two in the European Boys Team Championship, which take place at Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic next week. Irish Boys’ Champion Mark Power from Kilkenny and Irish under-16 champion John Brady from Rosslare have also been selected and they will be making their European debuts along with Dun Laoighaire’s Alan Fahy, Kinsale’s John Murphy and Hugh O’Hare from Fortwilliam.
More glory for Tipp in the JB Carr
It wasn’t only in Croke Park that Tipperary ran away with things during the weekend. In Woodenbridge Golf Club, in the vale of Avoca, Nenagh took the honours to win the All-Ireland final of the JB Carr Diamond Trophy. They beat Athy in the final on Sunday, 3.5 1.5. In the play-off for third place, Castle Hume beat Enniscrone by same margin 3.5 1.5.
The competition started in 1996 with 67 teams competing. It has effectively become the Senior Club Championship of Ireland (over 60s) named after the legendary Dr Joe Carr. Castle Hume demonstrated that age brings only skill, with its combined team age of 157 years, with one player aged 77 and another 80.
A scotch foursomes matchplay format is used and the perpetual trophy, donated by Joe Carr, is a silver salver that Carr won in the Irish Close in 1951.
Strokeplay Championship
Arklow will host an action packed week for the Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay Championship, beginning on Wednesday. Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) will defend her title. Henderson captured the title last year at Rosslare, where she finished two shots clear of Mary Dowling (Mallow). Irish Senior Close Champion, Gertie McMullen will be first to take to the course at Arklow. McMullen and Kaarnalahti are two favourites to capture the title but hot on their heels will be Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna), Mary Dowling (Mallow), Pat Doran (Donabate), Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) and Sheena McElroy (Grange).
Cairndhu Pro-Am
In-form Damien McGrane lapped the field on his way to victory at the two-day Cairndhu Pro-Am. McGrane’s 11 under par total earned him a seven shot winning margin over David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) with Daniel Beattie (Deer Park) and Damien Mooney (Nevada Bobs Belfast) tied for third on three under par.
McGrane’s win, his 12th of the season, was built on a brilliant opening round of eight under par 62 that equalled the course record at the Co Antrim venue.
The 45-year-old had a six-shot advantage by the end of day one and a second round 67 put him out of reach.
McGrane also claimed the team prize alongside amateur partners Seamus Mullvana, Alan Montgomery and Foster McFerran with 189 points (96 and 93).
2019 Home Internationals
Lahinch Golf Club has been named by the GUI as the host venue for the 2019 Home Internationals. Home to the South of Ireland Championship since 1895, it is renowned as one of the world’s great links and sometimes referred to as “the St Andrews of Ireland”
Mark Wehrly, Championships Manager of the GUI said: "Hosting the Home Internationals at Lahinch is a very exciting prospect for the Golfing Union of Ireland. "We are looking forward to welcoming the teams from England, Scotland and Wales to a championship venue with such incredible history and pedigree."
Lahinch previously hosted the Home Internationals in 1987, when Ireland completed a famous Triple Crown success with victories over England. Scotland and Wales.
Ireland are the reigning Home Internationals champions, having won the Raymond Trophy for the third successive year at Nairn in Scotland last month.
Mixed Foursomes
Greystones won their first All-Ireland title when they claimed the Irish Mixed Foursomes title in style with a 3½-1¾ win over Gort at Shandon Park.
With two points already on the board, the final ultimately hinged on the result of the penultimate match as Shane O’Connor and Polly O’Reilly combined for a 2and 1 victory to clinch the title.
“This is the first time Greystones have won in 120 years of history and we’re the team that did it. And that is just an absolutely amazing feeling,” said Greystones manager Karen Purcell.
Irish Championship Pro-Am
Ryder Cup legends Des Smyth and Philip Walton have confirmed their participation in the inaugural Christy O’Connor Jnr Irish PGA Championship Pro-Am at Moyvalley on September 21st.
O’Connor Jnr had been engaged to upgrade and redevelop the Co.Kildare venue before his untimely passing in January this year.
As a mark of respect, the PGA in Ireland, in association with the O’Connor family and the directors of Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort agreed that the Irish Championship Pro-Am would be named in his honour.
