Stuart Grehan. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Sportsfile
Caolan Rafferty
The Argus
Fri 21 Nov 2025 at 13:30
There is strong local representation on the Golf Ireland High Performance Panels announced today.
Included among the 25 players selected are the history-making duo of Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open and AIG Irish Men’s Close champion Stuart Grehan (Co Louth) and regional Grand Slam winner Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) who earned automatic selection to the Men’s Panel having finished first and second respectively on the Bridgestone Men’s Tour for 2025.
Grehan’s clubmate and fellow Walker Cup star Gavin Tiernan is also in the panel along with Fota Island’s David Howard who won this year’s East of Ireland Championship at the Baltray course.
Laytown & Bettystown clubman Mark O’Sullivan is a selector for the Men’s Panel.
Included in the Women’s Panel is another County Louth player, Ellen O’Shaughnessy.
Golf Ireland High Performance director Neil Manchip commented: “Irish amateur golf enjoyed another exceptional year in 2025, with outstanding team and individual performances from our Women’s and Men’s HP players,” said
“One of the highlights was seeing the historic Vagliano Trophy win for Great Britain and Ireland, and it was fantastic to see Beth Coulter and Áine Donegan play such pivotal roles under Captain Maria Dunne’s leadership.
“Having a record 16 Irish players tee it up at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, including nine amateurs, speaks volumes about the strength of our Women’s and Girls’ programmes.
“Róisín Scanlon’s victory at the Helen Holm and the impressive runner-up finishes from Gavin Tiernan at The Amateur Championship, John Doyle at the St Andrews Links Trophy and Olivia Costello at the Spanish Amateur underlines the progress our players are making on the global stage.
“To see Stuart Grehan and Gavin Tiernan represent GB&I at the Walker Cup in Cypress Point was a proud moment and a fitting way to cap a hugely successful year across all levels of Irish golf.”
