Tee to Green news round-up: New Ross men claim Audi Ireland quattro Cup

The New Ross pair came out on top as 54 teams teed it up at the Bernhard Langer-designed links.

Farrell and Murphy, qualifiers from the Audi Waterford regional event, racked up 45 points to win by three points from fellow Waterford pair Aidan Cowan and Kevin Walsh as Fergus O’Brien and Noel O’Connor from the Wexford regional final claimed third place with 40 points.

The Audi Ireland quattro Cup National Final is the culmination of the Irish leg of the season, which saw nine regional qualifiers taking place at some of Ireland’s leading championship golf clubs.

More than 1,000 amateur golfers competed for the honour of representing Ireland at the 2024 World Final in Muscat, Oman from November 15-19.

Farrell and Murphy overcame rain and high winds to win the event before enjoying the gala dinner and prize-giving, where Audi Ireland Brand Ambassador and former Irish rugby star Rob Kearney chatted with special guests and former teammates Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki.

The Audi quattro Cup is a team-based competition open to Audi customers and their chosen teammate. The maximum handicap is 36 (index) per player and 56 (index) per team. The handicap difference between the players in a team must not exceed 20.

Audi Ireland quattro Cup 2024: 1, Patsy Farrell & Sean Murphy 45; 2, Aidan Cowan & Kevin Walsh 42; 3, Fergus O’Brien & Noel O’Connor 40. Longest drive: Ladies, Eileen Doyle; Gents, Alan Devine. Nearest the pin (9th) Valerie Hassett.

Connacht crowned U18 Boys champions at Bundoran

Connacht claimed the U18 Boys’ title at the Underage Interprovincial Championships at Bundoran.

In their rescheduled tie, Connacht took on Ulster with Sean Cloonan and Fergal Coyle combining for a 2-up victory over Rafael Poli and Bruce McDonald in that e afternoon foursomes.

In the singles, Caelen Coleman defeated Luka Rogers 1 up and despite wins for Finlay Eager and Jenson Boyce, a 4&2 win for Conor Stapleton over Evan Hogg helped Connacht to a 3-2 success.

That meant they ended up level on points with Munster, but Connacht were crowned champions for just the sixth time as a result of their 3-2 triumph over Munster.

Leinster dominated the other three categories in August, winning the U14 Boys’, U16 Boys’ and U18 Girls’ events.

Jack McDonnell wins Sutton Senior Scratch Cup

Royal Dublin’s Jack McDonnell claimed victory in the Sutton Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday.

The Irish international shot a level par 70 on the charming Cush Point links to win by a shot from Sutton’s Shane McGlynn.

Paraic Connolly from Portmarnock’s Jameson Links shot a 72 to finish third.

With the wind a massive factor, Sean Ryan had enough with a 73 to finish fourth while Matt Dodd and Brendan Smyth shot 74s to finish fifth and sixth.

William Eikholt, Andrew Goulding, Paul Reilly and Bruno Lupo completed the top 10 with 75s.

Sutton also recently hosted the Annseley Williams Skoda PGA Matchplay 9-hole Championship which saw Brian McElhinney, the former Amateur champion from North West, beat reigning Irish PGA champion Niall Kearney after a playoff.

Junior International teams named

The Irish U16 Girls’ and Boys’ teams have been selected for their matches against England at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

The event takes on Saturday, 5 October, with morning foursomes at the Somerset venue.

Ella Cantwell (Esker Hills), Hannah Lee McNamara (Royal Portrush), Gemma McMeekin (Royal Portrush), Kayleigh Mulholland (Moyola Park), Niamh O’Grady (Royal Dublin) and Jessica Reynolds (Co. Sligo) will represent Ireland in the Girls’ event.

Eoin Burrows (Belvoir Park), Adam Fahey (Portmarnock), John Moran (Portmarnock), Isaac Oliver (Ballinasloe), Harry O’Hara (Clandeboye) and John William Burke (Ballyhaunis) will represent the Boys.

Meanwhile, Anna Abom (Edmondstown), Olivia Costello (Roscommon) and Kate Dillon (Oughterard) represent Ireland in this week’s World Junior Girls Championship in Canada.

The trio participated in September’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House and will play at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Ontario.

The 72-hole stroke play tournament features individual and team events, with the first round scheduled for Wednesday.

David Howard claims East Cork Scratch Cup with sensational 64

Fota Island’s David Howard fired a sensational five-under-par 64 to claim the East Cork Senior Scratch Cup.

This year’s Connacht’s Men’s Amateur Stroke Play runner-up triumphed by three strokes from Cahir Park’s Paul Tuohy and by four from Eric Cunningham at the Midelton venue.

Douglas’ Barry O’Connell shot 70 to finish fourth, with Muskerry’s John Waldron and Cork’s Fergal Deasy fifth and sixth, respectively, with 72s.

East Cork was founded in 1968 when Eamonn Moloney and his wife Peg decided to evict their prize dairy herd and convert their farm, bordered by two rivers on the outskirts of Midelton, into a golf course.

The course was officially opened in 1969, and it has since matured into one of Munster’s most attractive and challenging parklands.

Tara Gribben moves to Laytown and Bettystown

Tara Gribben has golf in her veins and the PGA Professonal from Warrenpoint has now embarked on an exciting new phase of her career with a teaching post at Laytown and Bettystown.

She joins the club from Quinta Do Lago Golf in Portugal and will be taking an active role in all Golf Operations and coaching under head professional Gavin Byrne, working alongside senior teaching professional Karl Goodwin.

It’s a big step for Gribben, a daughter of former Walker Cup player Paddy and cousin of Irish international Colm Campbell, at a club where the late Bobby Browne was a hugely respected teaching professional for 48 years before he retired in 2015.

Having played at Ulster U15 and U18 level and represented Ireland at U16, U19 and U21 level, Gribben worked for four years at her home club in Warrenpoint.

Her dream is to become a Head Professional some day and given the experience she has built up’ so far, Laytown and Bettystown may prove an inspired move.