Nenagh’s David Hunt was presented with a bronze medal by Fiona Delargy (incoming president of Golf Ireland) following the Irish Senior Close Championships. PHOTOs: INPHO/Bryan Keane
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Nenagh’s David Hunt was presented with a bronze medal by Fiona Delargy (incoming president of Golf Ireland) following the Irish Senior Close Championships. PHOTOs: INPHO/Bryan Keane Picasa
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Portumna’s Suzanne Corcoran competed in the Women’s Close Championships. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
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Nenagh’s Peter Baker in action at the Irish Senior Close Championships ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
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Players on the 14th green in the glistening sun on day 2 of the Irish Close Championships at Nenagh Golf Club ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Published:
Fri 22 Aug 2025, 9:10 AM
By Shane Brophy
Nenagh Golf Club never looked or played better than it did last week as it played host to the Irish Senior Amateur Close Championships.
The arrival of the warm and sunny weather had the course looking as well as it ever has as the best veteran players from right around the county descended on the North Tipperary course.
The home supporters had plenty to get excited about as one of their own members threatened to claim success as David Hunt reached the semi-finals of the Men’s competition. He was the leader in the qualifiers scoring 70 and 68 on Monday and Tuesday. In the first of the matchplay rounds, David beat Tony Cleary (East Clare) 1-up.
He followed this up with a 2&1 win over Mark Ford (Cork) in the quarter finals. However, his terrific campaign came to a halt on Friday morning in a semi-final defeat to Irish Senior Men’s Open champion Andrew Morris from Royal Portrush, 2&1.
Morris progressed to a heavyweight final against Irish Senior Men’s Close Stroke-play champion Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay). McCormack would get in front early and was 6-up through nine holes, before sealing his 7&6 victory to become the first player to win both the Irish Close Stroke-play and Match-play in the same season.
McCormack was previously a finalist in the Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship twenty years ago to a certain Rory McIlroy.
In the Women’s event, Deirdre Smith walked away with silverware, as the County Louth golfer overturned the disappointment of losing last year’s decider to claim a dramatic win on the 19th hole of her playoff against Sinead Benedetti (Roscommon).
Karl Bornemann (Douglas) retained his Veteran Men’s Amateur Close Championship, and it was Fionnuala Halpin (Dun Laoghaire) who claimed the Senior Women’s Amateur Close Plate.
Nenagh Golf Club were also represented by club members who took part in the qualifiers on Tuesday and Wednesday: David Jones, Peter Baker and Anba Subramaniam, while Suzanne Corcoran from Portumna Golf Club was also among the participants.
It was a very successful event for the club with everyone praising the condition of the course and the facilities.
Published:
Fri 22 Aug 2025, 9:10 AM
