Golf

September 2021

‘Comfortable’ Niall Kearney hits the front at the Dutch Open with first-round birdie blitz

Niall Kearney got off to the perfect start in his battle to secure his European Tour card when he birdied two of his last three holes and opened with a bogey-free 65 to lead the Dutch Open.

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Gallery

Joy for Elm Park and Dun Laoghaire at Shandon Park

There’s still the Pierce Purcell Shield to play for this week, but Elm Park can already call the 2021 season a resounding success after their men’s team defeated Moate in the AIG Men’s Barton Shield Final at Shandon Park.

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A quick 18 with Ray Cosgrove: 'Nowadays, recovery sessions are ice baths and foam rolling. Ours was a round of golf and a few pints'

One of the all-time Dublin Gaelic football greats, Ray Cosgrove, treasures his 2002 All-Star award, but when it comes to sporting glory these days, nothing beats a round with pals at Edmondstown in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.

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Josh just what the doctor ordered at Seapoint

Elm Park’s Josh Keazeny is looking to partner his club professional Peter Morgan to victory in the PGA National Pro-Am Championship in Turkey in November.

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Paul Azinger: If Brooks Koepka doesn’t love Ryder Cup, he should pull out

Paul Azinger – one of only two US captains to have won the Ryder Cup this century – has told Brooks Koepka that he should pull out of next week’s matches and “give up his place to someone who would love to play.”

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Kitt the king as Maynooth University dominates in Scotland

Athenry’s David Kitt was the individual winner as Maynooth University clinched an impressive one-two in the opening R&A Student Series event of the season in Scotland.

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T2G Notice Board

GENTS

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Co. Cavan take maiden AIG Men’s Jimmy Bruen Shield victory to top off magical week for Breffni County

Leona Maguire isn’t the only golfer in Cavan and there was great joy at Shandon Park last week as Co. Cavan won the AIG Men’s Jimmy Bruen Shield for the first time.

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Kinsale on song in AIG Junior Foursomes

There’s rarely a bad time for a few bars of “The Banks Of My Own Lovely Lee” and the ladies of Kinsale Golf Club made sure they gave it everything in the singing department after they beat Dun Laoghaire 2-1 to capture the AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes and their first All Ireland title at Shandon Park.

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Big Ben strikes again to take Captain’s Prize

Former Bohemians striker Ben O’Sullivan was the top man as the Professional Footballers Golf Society gathered at St Margaret’s Golf and Country Club for Alan O’Neill’s Captain’s Prize.

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Fintona up to the Challenge with 19th hole win

Tyrone’s Fintona Golf Club claimed the 2021 AIG Women’s Challenge Cup after a dramatic 3.5-1.5 win over Galway club Gort on the final day at Shandon Park.

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Powerscourt a major winner with Minor Cup victory

The ladies of Powerscourt claimed their first All Ireland title after defeating Leinster rivals The Heath 3.5-1.5 in the 2021 AIG Women’s Minor Cup final at Shandon Park.

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Jack’s the lad at Dundalk Scratch Cup

Forrest Little’s Jack McDonnell gave his confidence a boost for this week’s Men’s Home Internationals when he beat local favourite Caolan Rafferty on the first extra hole to win the One Finance sponsored Dundalk Scratch Cup for the first time.

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O’Sullivans capture 3 Brothers Tournament at Kenmare

The 3 Brothers Tournament is one of the highlights of the year at lovely Kenmare Golf Club in Co Kerry and it proved no different this season.

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Leona Maguire sets her sights on No 1 ranking

Leona Maguire has been destined for the top since she was a small girl but it’s only thanks to her incredible determination.

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Douglas makes history with mixed scratch cup

Douglas Golf Club will bring a tremendous 2021 to a close with an innovative mixed scratch cup this Sunday.

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McDowell is going Dutch with emphasis on his mental game

Graeme McDowell insists the mental game is critical for him as he bids to remain competitive into his forties.

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Gallery

Cruit Island go in search of All Ireland treasure

Cruit Island might be the minnows at this week’s All Ireland Cups and Shields Finals but the tiny Donegal club is gunning to cause a shock and win its first national pennant in the AIG Pierce Purcell Shield at Limerick Golf Club.

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Injured Bryson DeChambeau and indifferent Brooks Koepka fuel European hopes for Ryder Cup

A week before the Ryder Cup, America’s two warring golfers are doing their bit to fuel European hopes with Bryson DeChambeau revealing he has “wrecked his hand” preparing for a long-drive contest while Brooks Koepka has called the biennial dust-up “a bit hectic, a bit odd” and expressed frustration that he “can’t take naps”.

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‘Frustrated’ Paul Dunne is drawing inspiration from ‘favourite player’ Jordan Spieth’s return to form

Paul Dunne admits he’s inspired by Jordan Spieth as he bids to bounce back to form in this week’s Dutch Open.

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Gallery

Paul McGinley thinks Shane Lowry can do a ‘Leona Maguire’ on it to upset odds in Ryder Cup

Paul McGinley believes Shane Lowry could be the perfect player to back up Europe’s big guns as they bid to overcome massive odds and retain the Ryder Cup next week.

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‘I’m not biased here. This is right’ – Harrington says he did not pick Shane Lowry because he is his friend

European captain Padraig Harrington insists his friendship with Shane Lowry made it harder for the former Open champion to get on the Ryder Cup team.

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Wildcard Lowry ‘has nothing to prove’, insists skipper Harrington

Pádraig Harrington insisted that Shane Lowry has nothing to prove after overcoming huge pressure to earn one of his three Ryder Cup wildcards for Whistling Straits.

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Pádraig’s picks: A closer look at Europe’s Ryder Cup hopefuls

Europe will attempt to retain the Ryder Cup against the United States at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

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Shane Lowry hails Ryder Cup call-up as 'proudest day of my career so far'

Shane Lowry has received a captain’s pick as Pádraig Harrington named his team for the 2021 Ryder Cup encounter with the US from September 24-26.

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Billy Horschel claims BMW PGA Championship victory

American Billy Horschel birdied the 18th hole to claim the BMW PGA Championship title in a tense finish on Sunday in a tournament with huge implications for Europe's Ryder Cup team.

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Ryder Cup permutations and explainer: What Shane Lowry needs to do to make Harrington’s team

The European Ryder Cup team will be finalised after the BMW PGA Championship today and it has the potential to be a real nail-biter for Shane Lowry and skipper Pádraig Harrington, who must add three wildcards to the nine automatic qualifiers this evening.

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BMW Championship leaderboard: Shane Lowry in the hunt at Wentworth

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Premium

Dermot Gilleece Opinion The only way is up for gifted perfectionist

Three months prior to her 10th birthday, Leona Maguire was to have joined her twin sister, Lisa, at the All-Ireland Swimming Championships at Mosney. Instead, a newly-acquired interest in golf drew her to a four-hole competition at the Castle Hume GC in Enniskillen. Which she won.

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Shane Lowry stays on course for Ryder Cup place

Not for the first time, there’s a strong Irish involvement in knife-edge selections for the Ryder Cup. Except that on this occasion, it’s the European captain, Pádraig Harrington, in the thick of things.