2009 Irish Amateur Champion
ENNISCRONE, COUNTY SLIGO, IRELAND (June 10, 2009)--Pat Murray (Limerick), pictured above, won the Irish Amateur Close Championship, sponsored by Golfsure, when he beat Cian Curley (Newlands) by 5 and 4 in the final at Enniscrone Golf Club.
Murray got off to a good start with a winning par at the first hole where Curley missed the green on the left and took two more to find the putting surface. After halves at the par five 2nd hole, Murray went two up with a birdie two at the 208 yards par three 3rd hole.
The par five fourth was halved in pars and the Limerick man increased his lead to three holes with a birdie three at the 450 yards 5th hole. Curley hit back with a winning birdie three at the 424 yards 6th hole to cut his deficit to two holes.
The pair halved the 7th and 8th in pars, but Murray increased his lead to three holes with a birdie three at the 449 yards par four 9th hole. The 10th, 11th and 12th holes were halved in pars, but at the 13th hole Curley mistakenly played Murray’s ball and lost the hole to go four down.
The match ended at the 14th when Curley conceded Murray’s putt for a winning birdie four.
In this morning’s semi-finals Curley scored a one hole victory over Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) while Murray defeated Andrew Hogan (Newlands) by 6 and 5.
In the first semi-final, Curley lost the opening hole when he drove out of bounds, but went back to level at the 2nd hole. O’Kane won the short 3rd and Curley levelled again at the 4th . The Moyola Park golfer won the 6th and increased his lead to two up at the 8th However Curley fought back with wins at the ninth and 10th holes.
The next three holes were halved, but O’Kane edged ahead with a winning birdie four at the 14th. Curley, however hit back with a winning birdie three at the 15th and went one ahead with a birdie two at the 17th.
Curley was in heavy rough off his tee shot on the 18th but played a spectacular shot to within fifteen feet of the flag. O’Kane, on the fairway, came up short in two and though he chipped dead for his par, Curley rolled his putt close to win by one hole.
In the second semi-final Pat Murray (Limerick) scored a 6 and 5 victory over Andrew Hogan (Newlands). Murray, having halved the first hole, won the next five holes. Hogan won the 7th, but lost the 8th which left the Limerick golfer five up at the turn.
Murray lost the par three 11th hole , but restored his five holes advantage by winning the 12th hole and clinched victory with a birdie three at the 13th hole.
Final - Wednesday, 10th June
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Cian Curley (Newlands) 5/4
Semi Finals - Wednesday, 10th June
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) 1 hole
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Andrew Hogan (Newlands) 6/5
Quarter Finals - Tuesday, 9th June
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Michael Sinclair (Knock) at 19th
Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) bt Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) 1 hole
Andrew Hogan (Newlands) bt Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) 19th
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Rory Leonard (Banbridge) 3/2
Third Round - Tuesday, 9th June
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Eddie McCormack (Galway) 5/4
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt James Monaghan (The Island) 3/2
Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) bt Paul Dunne (Greystones) 3/2
Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) bt Paul Cutler (Portstewart) 3/2
Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) bt Aaron O’Callaghan (Douglas) at 20th
Andrew Hogan (Newlands) bt Richard Bridges (Stackstown) 8/7
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) 1 hole
Rory Leonard (Banbridge) bt Craig Martin (Kilkenny) at 20th
Second Round – Monday, 8th June
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Stephen Webster (Castle) at 22nd
Eddie McCormack (Galway) bt Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 6/5
James Monaghan (The Island) bt Darragh O’Sullivan (Strandhill) at 21st
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt Connor Doran (Banbridge) at 19th
Paul Dunne (Greystones) bt Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) 3/1
Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) bt Ciaran McAleavey (Banbridge) 2/1
Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) bt Alex McCloy (Ballymena) 4/3
Paul Cutler (Portstewart) bt Niall Gorey (Lee Valley) 3/2
Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) bt Simon Ward (Co. Louth) 3/2
Aaron O’Callaghan (Douglas) bt Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park) 5/4
Richard Bridges (Stackstown) bt Rory McNamara (Headfort) 1 hole
Andrew Hogan (Newlands) bt David Kelleher (Portmarnock) 3/2
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) 4/2
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Robert Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown) 2 holes
Rory Leonard (Banbridge) bt Reeve Whitson (Mourne) 5/3
Craig Martin (Kilkenny) bt Dara Lernihan (Castle) 1 hole
First Round – Monday 8th June
First Quarter:
Cian Curley (Newlands) bt Ryan Symington (Lisburn) 5/4
Stephen Webster (Castle) bt J P Hughes (Douglas) 2/1
Eddie McCormack (Galway) bt Patrick Sheehy (Lahinch) 5/4
Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) bt Michael Durcan (Co. Sligo) 4/3
James Monaghan (The Island) bt Nicky Grant (Knock) 3/1
Darragh O’Sullivan (Strandhill) bt Mark Shanahan (West Waterford) 4/2
Michael Sinclair (Knock) bt Declan King (Tramore) at 19th
Connor Doran (Banbridge) bt Ross Oliver (Carrickfergus) 2/1
Second Quarter:
Paul Dunne (Greystones) bt Mark Collins (Mahon) 2/1
Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) bt Jayson McIntyre (City of Derry) 6/5
Ciaran McAleavey (Banbridge) bt Stephen Moloney (Castletroy) 5/3
Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park) bt Dave O’Donovan (Muskerry) 6/4
Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) bt Byron Campbell (Malone) 1 hole
Alex McCloy (Ballymena) bt Daniel Beattie (Whitehead) 1 hole
Niall Gorey (Lee Valley) bt David Reilly (Westmanstown) 4/3
Paul Cutler (Portstewart) bt Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) at 22nd
Third Quarter:
Simon Ward (Co. Louth) bt Garreth Bohill (Co. Louth) 3/2
Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo) bt Fergal Rafferty (Dungannon) 2/1
Aaron O’Callaghan (Douglas) bt Kenneth Irwin (Castlebar) 2/1
Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park) bt Ciaran O’Connor (Athlone) 3/2
Rory McNamara (Headfort) bt Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) 2/1
Richard Bridges (Stackstown) bt Jonathan Gourley (Holywood) 2 holes
David Kelleher (Portmarnock) bt Simon McConnell (Ballyclare) at 20th
Andrew Hogan (Newlands) bt Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) 4/2
Fourth Quarter:
Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) bt James Patterson (Knock) 3/2
Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Liam Mulligan (Stackstown) 4/3
Robert Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown) bt Joe Lyons (Galway) 3/2
Pat Murray (Limerick) bt James Fox (Portmarnock) 1 hole
Reeve Whitson (Mourne) bt Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) 3/2
Rory Leonard (Banbridge) bt Thomas O’Flynn (Fota Island) 2/1
Craig Martin (Kilkenny) bt Stephen Dwyer (Newlands) 5/4
Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Kieran Canty (Douglas) 4/3
Qualifying Scores:
150: D Lernihan (Castle) 81 69
151: M McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 81 70
152: S Crowe (Dunmurry) 78 74, J Gourley (Holywood) 75 77
153: M Durcan (Co. Sligo) 85 68, P Dunne (Greystones) 79 74, M Sinclair (Knock) 76 77
154: C Doran (Banbridge) 82 72, S Ward (Co Louth) 82 72, D Crowe (Dunmurry) 79 75, K McDonagh (Athlone) 79 75, P Cutler (Portstewart) 77 77
155: P Murray (Limerick) 81 74, P O'Kane (Moyola Park) 81 74, S McConnell (Ballyclare) 80 75, C Curley (Newlands) 80 75, R McNamara (Headfort) 78 77
156: J Fox (Portmarnock) 87 69, E McCormack (Galway) 83 73, J Lyons (Galway) 81 75, N Grant (Knock) 81 75, D Beattie (Whitehead) 81 75, M Shanahan (West Waterford) 80 76, C Selfridge (Moyola Park) 79 77
157: J McIntyre (City of Derry) 84 73, C O'Connor (Athlone) 84 73, A O'Callaghan (Douglas) 83 74, N Gorey (Lee Valley) 82 75, R Bridges (Stackstown) 81 76, S Loftus (Lahinch) 77 80
158: D Kelleher (Portmarnock) 85 73, F Rafferty (Dungannon) 83 75, C Martin (Kilkenny) 80 78, B Campbell (Malone) 79 79, R Symington (Lisburn) 78 80, L Mulligan (Stackstown) 78 80
159: T O'Flynn (Fota Island) 87 72, R Leonard (Banbridge) 83 76, G O'Flaherty (Cork) 82 77, R Cannon (Laytown & Bettystown) 81 78, M Collins (Mahon) 80 79, S Dwyer (Newlands) 78 81
160: R Oliver (Carrickfergus) 86 74, G McDermott (Co. Sligo) 86 74, J Hughes (Douglas) 81 79, C McAleavey (Banbridge) 79 81
161: A McCloy (Ballymena) 88 73, S Webster (Castle) 87 74, D McElroy (Ballymena) 84 77, A McCormick (Scrabo) 82 79, E Arthurs (Forrest Little) 82 79, K Canty (Douglas) 81 80, D O'Sullivan (Strandhill) 80 81
162: G Bohill (Co. Louth) 85 77, S Moloney (Castletroy) 84 78, J Patterson (Knock) 80 82
163: D Reilly (Westmanstown) 85 78, J Monaghan (The Island) 85 78, P Sheehy (Lahinch) 82 81, D King (Tramore) 82 81, D O'Donovan (Muskerry) 81 82
164: R Whitson (Mourne) 87 77, K Irwin (Castlebar) 86 78, A Hogan (Newlands) 86 78
Non-qualifiers:
164: G Barry (Muskerry) 86 78, K Crowley (Lee Valley) 83 81, S Barry (Lee Valley) 83 81, J Tobin (Carrick-on-Suir) 82 82, S Morrison (City of Derry) 82 82, D Boyle (Cruit Island) 82 82
165: G McGrane (The Royal Dublin) 88 77, P O'Hara (Kilkenny) 86 79, G Kelly (Co. Louth) 86 79, A Morris (Belvoir Park) 86 79, D Coghlan (The Royal Dublin) 85 80, G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 82 83
166: S Healy (Claremorris) 87 79, B Walton (The Island) 84 82
167: T McGowan (Strandhill) 90 77, A Moran (Tuam) 87 80, R O'Sullivan (Fota Island) 85 82, E Maguire (Seapoint) 84 83
168: G Dunne (Seapoint) 91 77, E O'Connor (Ballybunion) 87 81, J Timony (Headfort) 87 81, C O'Malley (Westport) 86 82, M Mullen (Wexford) 85 83, A Harty (West Waterford) 83 85, F O'Sullivan (Tralee) 83 85, L Reilly (Galgorm Castle) 83 85, D Keating (Kinsale) 79 89
169: D Moran (The Island) 92 77, D Ruddy (Thurles) 91 78, D McInerney (Lahinch) 87 82, D Morgan (Mullingar) 87 82, D Winters (Seapoint) 86 83, K Sheehy (Athlone) 84 85
170: C Carvill (Belvoir Park) 97 73, B Loftus (Ennis) 90 80, J Ward (Westmanstown) 88 82, E Long (Monkstown) 88 82, D Coyne (Tuam) 88 82
171: R McKeown (Enniscrone) 94 77, T Fay (Rush) 85 86, R Finn (Curragh) 84 87
172: J Cullen (Tuam) 93 79, L Ashby (Killerig Castle) 92 80, M Hammond (Moyola Park) 89 83, G Boyd (Donaghadee) 87 85
174: G O'Connor (Malahide) 94 80, G McGee (Malone) 93 81, C McCarthy (St. Anne's) 91 83, D O'Neill (Carton House) 89 85
175: J O'Sullivan (Co. Louth) 97 78
176: D O'Neill (Newlands) 92 84, S Coyne (Athenry) 90 86, D O'Sullivan (Youghal) 88 88
179: N Woods (East Clare) 99 80
180: B Fennelly (The Royal Dublin) 93 87
NR: D Ryan (Grange), J Hopkins (Skerries), T Cleary (East Clare), M Ryan (Grange), B Keating (Clonmel), C Drumm (Rosslare), F O'Hagan (Edenmore), A Taylor (City of Derry) 96 NR, C Moulds (Lisburn) 92 NR, G Lawlor (Newbridge) 96 NR, A Dooley (Glasson) 89 NR, B Fitzpatrick (Headfort) 83 NR
DQ: L Lennox (Moyola Park), D Byrne (Douglas), R Forsythe (Ballyclare), C Molloy (Ardee) 91 DQ
RTD: D Lally (Tuam), D McCusker (Moyola Park), N Molloy (East Clare) , K Metcalfe (Mullingar) 81 RTD
CSS: Round 1: 76 (Reduction Only); Round 2: Non-qualifying.