Officers from Blarney Golf Club travelled to Antrim recently, to mark the exploits of a 14-year-old golfer back in 2017.
That golfer was current PGA Tour Card holder Tom McKibbin, and when the Down star was just 14 he won the Munster Boys U16 in Blarney. McKibbin came from one behind after the opening round to win the event by three shots after a closing 69.
It was one of the first Munster Championships to be hosted by Blarney and the 2017 President Paul O’Neill was delighted to recall the
Led by 2024 Captain Ronan O’Riordan, the club decided to honour the DP World Tour winner, making a presentation to him and with the support of Blarney Golf Club owners, they also made him an honorary member of the club.
McKibbin was identified as a child prodigy for a few years prior to 2017, but his win in Blarney was one of his first in Ireland in a GUI competition. McKibbin went on to turn pro in 2021 and at the end of 2022 he graduated from the Challenge Tour to the DP World Tour.
In 2023 he went on to win the Porsche European Open, securing his card for two years, and this year on the final day of the season he secured a PGA Tour Card for 2025 after finishing 18th in the Order of Merit.
“It started when Tom McKibbin won the Porsche European Open and Eddie McGrath got the idea,” explained Ronan.
“Earlier this year we found out that Tom would be hosting the Northern Ireland Open and we decided at that stage to take at trip up to the event. In fairness to Eddie, he had contacted Tom’s family and arranged to meet with Tom.”
Along with Eddie McGrath who has worked at European Tour events for over two decades, Ronan as the club’s Captain and Paul O’Neill, President from 2017 went to Galgorm to meet the Tour Winner to bring back memories from seven years ago.
O’Neill remembers the work that the club put in to hosting the event seven years ago, it was the first Munster Championship to be held at the course, and the whole club got behind it.
“I remember the week well, in fact I remember feeling intimidated by a lot of the golfers that week” said Paul.
“I remember on the 16th we’d be breaking our arms trying to get to the tree, and these guys were hitting the ball out over the tree and hitting pitching wedges to the green.
“That was the type of golf that these guys had and they were only 15 and 16. As a group of young fellows they all appreciated that the stewarding was being done properly.”
Blarney did a great job that week, and when the well-known 14-year-old won, there was hopes he would go far in the game.
The course in Blarney is now nearly 20 years old and the John Daly signature design is a popular place for members and for guests.
Things are looking bright for the club in Blarney, the new owners of the course have just rebranded their logo and it marks the start of a new chapter.
Ed Hannon joined the green-keeping team earlier in the year and with Ed’s experience and further investment from the owners, the course has improved and is in great condition currently considering the rainfall over the last two months.
A new caterer is taking over the restaurant shortly and work is also due to be completed on the golf shop and coffee area which will provide a big boost for members and guests.
With the AGM now completed, Ronan has handed over the Captaincy to Sean McDonnchadha and he has plenty of memories about the year just finished.
One of which was the club’s first senior scratch cup which was named in honour of a past member, Christy Horgan.
The club boasts a total membership of around 500, and it is now open for membership applications for 2025.
Blarney has no joining fee which adds to the proposition, and there are a number of types of memberships available including five day and intermediate options.
