Shay’s Short Game: Kilkenny take first Irish Senior Cup in seven years

Irish Senior Cup

Mary Leahy Browne used all her matchplay experience to come back from four down after nine to beat Cork’s Paul Walsh 2 and 1 and give Kilkenny their first ILGU Irish Senior Cup success since 2009.

Played in tough, wet and windy conditions at Greystones the Kilkenny women mastered the conditions best to beat Cork 3½-1½ in the All Ireland final.

The top match between Cork’s former Curtis Cup player Claire Coughlan Ryan and Kilkenny’s Mary Dowling was nip and tuck throughout with never more than a hole between the pair with Dowling winning on the 18th. .

Cork’s Irish Girls international Rachel Thompson had a close tussle against Orla Dunphy before Thompson secured a 2 and 1 win for Cork’s first point.

When Katie Aherne beat Cork’s Michelle Tobin 3 and 2, Kilkenny were within a point of overall victory and secured it with Leahy Browne’s dramatic comeback.

The final match between Cork’s Orla Murray and Kilkenny’s Jan Browne (Mary’s daughter) was called in once Kilkenny had that precious third point.

US Amateur Championship

Curtis Luck, of Perth, Australia, won eight consecutive holes to gain a commanding lead and defeated Brad Dalke, of Norman, Oklahoma, 6 and 4, in the 36-hole final of the US Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club’s South Course, which has hosted six US Opens.

With the victory, Luck, 20, became the third Australian to win the US Amateur, joining Walter J. Travis (1900, 1901, 1903) and Nick Flanagan (2003).

Two birdies in the last three holes from American Bryson Nimmer ended Ireland’s Jack Hume’s hopes of progression in the opening round.

Leading woman

Leona Maguire was presented with the 2016 Mark H McCormack Medal by current world number one and three-time winnner of the medal Lydia Ko during the women's Olympic Golf event at Rio 2016 last week.

The 21-year-old won the medal for the second consecutive year as the leading women’s player in the 2016 World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Garth McGimpsey (Royal Portrush) has retained the Ulster Seniors Open Championship after scores of 74 and 74 for aa 148 total at Castlerock. McGimpsey won by 2 shots from Richard McDowell also Royal Portrush and Con Boyce Rossapenna.

Jacques Leglise Trophy

Three Irish players, Mark Power, Kevin LeBlanc and Thomas Mulligan have been named in the nine-strong Britain and Ireland team to face the Continent of Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy match at Prince’s in Kent on Friday and Saturday next.

The team is: Toby Briggs (16) Dunston Hall, England; Alex Fitzpatrick (17) Hallamshire, England; Harry Goddard (16) Hanbury Manor, England; Kevin LeBlanc (18) The Island, Ireland; Thomas Mulligan (17) Co Louth, Ireland; Marco Penge (Captain) (18) Golf at Goodwood, England; Mark Power (16) Kilkenny, Ireland; Jamie Stewart (16) Old Ranfurly, Scotland; Charlie Strickland (17) Ham Manor, England.

The B&I team, which will be managed by Peter McEvoy OBE, will be looking to retain the Jacques Leglise Trophy for the fourth consecutive match after last year’s contest at Royal Dornoch finished 12 ½ - 12 ½.

Irish Under-16 Championship

Rosslare’s John Brady carded a final round 70 to win the Irish Under-16 Championship by six shots at Clonmel.

John Brady cruised to his third victory of the season with rounds of 70, 64 and 70 for a total of 204.

Kilkenny’s Mark Power, winner of the Irish Under-18 Championship in July, was Brady’s closest challenger but he couldn’t keep pace and found himself five behind after making three bogeys on the front nine.

The highlight of Brady’s most recent win was undoubtedly a second round 64, which propelled him into the lead. Once in front, he stayed there and with Power unable to make inroads, Brady clinched his first national crown.

Dundalk’s Eoin Murphy produced the low final round of 68, to finish third.

Blue Ireland Killeen Pro-Am

David Higgins, from Waterville Links, fired a six under par round of 66 to win the Blue Ireland Killeen Pro-Am in association with Killaree Lighting Services on Friday.

The 43-year-old collected eight birdies and two bogeys to beat Joe Dillon (Headfort GC), Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) and Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC) by two shots at the Co. Kildare venue.

“I putted lovely in tough conditions and on a tough track,” said Higgins who shared first prize with Simon Thornton at the Athenry Pro-Am on Thursday.

The pair fired four under par rounds of 66 at the Co Galway course to win by two shots from Mount Juliet’s Brian Doheny and Glen Robinson.

The PGA in Ireland captain, Gary Chambers (Killymoon), guided his amateur partners - Kevin Burns, Margaret Murphy and Veronica McDermott - to victory in the team event with 93 points.