Cork golfer Sara Byrne got her 2025 season off to a positive start with a top 25 finish on the Ladies European Tour in Morocco.
Byrne bagged over €5,400 but it could have been more as a final round 77 saw her drop a number of places on the leaderboard.
Rounds of 71 and 69 in the opening two days put the Douglas golfer inside the top ten. A final round 77, which included a double bogey on the last.
On a positive note Byrne had 15 birdies for her 54 holes, an impressive total for the three days.
Byrne is unlikely to get into the field for this week’s Saudi Ladies International.
The tournament has a $5m purse and has attracted a top class field. The 2024 Curtis Cup winner has status on the LET and the Epson Tour in the US. It’s likely that Byrne will target the Epsom Tour when it starts in mid March.
Jack Murphy finished his first tournament in Hawaii on -8, but despite having a few good round he only finished in 38th place.
Murphy opened with a level par 72, mainly due to a tough opening nine that saw him record four bogies.
He improved with two rounds in the 60’s, a three under par followed on Thursday and on the final day he shot a 67.
Jack Murphy was in action in Hawaii last week.
That was his second 67 in two week, tying his low score for the season. While the finishing position may not have been notable in itself, what was notable was the 16 birdies and an eagle he carded over the 54 holes.
Murphy’s University of Washington have a break for the rest of the month before returning to action in Las Vegas at the start of March.
Slievenamon Golf Club announced last week that they would be closing and putting land up for sale.
While not in Cork, the Tipperary club had many distance members from Cork and they closure will no doubt come as a disappointment for those golfers.
In a letter addressed to the members of Slievanamon, directors stated that they have concluded that running the golf club is no longer viable. However, they still intend to develop the on-site adventure centre further.
In the letter the directors stated that they had incurred year on year losses since the purchased the property in 2018.
Although Slievenamon referenced the iGolfer scheme in their letter to members, it’s hard to see how this could have an immediate impact on current members.
The also cite, affiliation fees, declining local membership and increased costs as factors in their decision. It is widely known that input costs including energy have increased dramatically over the past four years.
The new Golf Ireland independent golfer scheme does not permit current or recently lapsed club members to join, requiring new joiners not to have been a member of a club for 3 years.
It may have been the case that the owners of Slievenamon saw the new scheme as a potential competitor for new joiners.
Interestingly, the terms and conditions of membership for iGolf clearly mention the 3 year waiting period for Golf Ireland members, but it also includes an exception for clubs which have closed or dis-affiliated from Golf Ireland.
One positive for Slievenamon members based in Cork is that there are several attractive membership offers available from clubs around the city and further into the county.
Kanturk, Fermoy, Blarney and Macroom are some of the local clubs that are open for membership. It could be an ideal opportunity for distance members, who are normally limited to green fees and open day competitions to take out membership locally and avail of a far wider range of times to play at their home course.
Golf Ireland is continuing with its Golf for Everyone strategy, and applications are now open for the 2025 Golf4All Grant programme.
Clubs are invited to apply for grant support between €750 – €1500. The grant can help clubs to establish, expand, or accelerate inclusive participation programmes (A Golf4All Programme) for people with disabilities.
Items that are eligible for grant support include PGA Coaching for a Golf4All Programme, Disability Inclusion Training for the club in preparation for or in support of a Golf4All Programme, small scale equipment to support a Golf4All Programme and social activities to support a Golf4All Programme.
Golf Ireland will provide disability inclusion training as part of the programme, and all Golf Ireland clubs are eligible for inclusion.
