Ray Murphy and Marian Byrne have ended the season as Ireland's top-ranked pitch and putt players.
It is the first time that the consistent Murphy from the Templebreedy club in Crosshaven has headed the list which is based on performances over a three-year period. Although the major national titles eluded him in 1999, he is a prolific scratch cup winner and has also starred for Cork at inter-county championship and for Templebreedy in the national club tournament.
Byrne went into the season at the top of the women's list on the back of winning the National Matchplay title at Glenville in 1998 and she strengthened her position by finishing runner-up to clubmate Bernadette Coffey this year and taking the National Strokeplay championship at Tullamore. She is also a useful exponent of the `long game' and has represented Curragh in the Senior Cup.
Ranking Sponsors Waterford Crystal will present both Murphy and Byrne with specially commissioned trophies next Saturday.
MENS'S TOP 10: R Murphy (Templebreedy) 258.42, S Harkins (St Bridget's) 229.12, L O'Donovan (Bruff) 228.12, J Walsh (Collins) 220.12, C Scannell (Collins) 216.37, N Cuffe (Kilbeggan) 213.00, D McCarthy (Deer Park) 199.75, F O'Donoghue (Templebreedy) 181.25, T Hanratty (Cement) 156.42, S Downes (Stackallen) 156.10.
WOMEN'S TOP 10: M Byrne (St Bridget's) 287.25, B Coffey (St Bridget's) 264.38, A Hall (Royal Meath) 124.12, J Cooney (Bissell) 117.63, G Ward (Portmarnock) 113.12, P Campbell (Glenville) 109.50, M Hogan (Tullamore) 106.25, M O'Rourke (Cloghogue) 95.00, C Murphy (ESB) 73.75, A Murphy (ESB) 69.00.
