Maguire claims Connacht Men’s Stroke Play at Portumna

Beginning with 75 players on Saturday morning, the field was cut to the top 39 and ties following the first 2 rounds. Jack McDonnell (Forest Little) and Joe Lyons (Galway) held the overnight lead on 4-under par, 3 shots clear of Aaron Marshall (Lisburn).  

 Liam Nolan (Galway) surged into the lead after round three with a sensational 5-under par 67 before Maguire equalled that score in the final round to force a three-hole play-off.  

 ‘36 holes in two days is tough,’ reflected Maguire, who carded three pars in the play-off. ‘Especially around this track, there are a couple of holes that can get you where you can rack up a number, so you have to keep your head, but I’m absolutely delighted to get the win, absolutely delighted.’ 

 Maguire returned from his sophomore year at Florida Athletic University a month ago and posted a 7^th place finish at the ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s Stroke Play last week. ‘I played quite well in Royal County Down the whole week, didn’t get the result I wanted but I’m absolutely thrilled with this. I still can’t believe it; it hasn’t really sunk in yet.’ 

Maguire credited his coach, Donal Scott, for some recent fine tuning prior to the competitive summer.  ‘My coach text me yesterday saying to stay patient tomorrow and get it done, and I did so all credit to him for fixing my wedge play a couple of weeks ago!’

Full Results

283, CHAMPION – Alex Maguire following 3-Hole Playoff in even par to +1 by Liam Nolan. L Nolan (Galway Golf Club), 73, 71, 67, 72; A Maguire (Laytown & Bettystown GC), 72, 73, 71, 67 

285, J McDonnell (Forrest Little Golf Club), 73, 67, 72, 73 

286, J Blake (The Island Golf Club), 73, 72, 70, 71; J Lyons (Galway Golf Club), 70, 70, 72, 74 

287, C Rafferty (Dundalk Golf Club), 75, 73, 67, 72; S Murphy (Portumna Golf Club), 73, 71, 70, 73 

290, D KITT (Athenry Golf Club), 73, 74, 72, 71 

291, T O’Connor (Athlone Golf Club), 75, 72, 72, 72 

292, J McCabe (Roganstown Golf Club), 78, 71, 71, 72; S WALKER (Roscommon Golf Club), 75, 74, 73, 70 

293, T Higgins (Roscommon Golf Club), 76, 74, 68, 75; E Murphy (Dundalk Golf Club), 73, 71, 75, 74; C Denvir (Elm Park Golf Club), 72, 74, 72, 75; C Nolan (Portmarnock Golf Club), 70, 74, 72, 77 

294, J McLaughlin (Portumna), 73, 75, 74, 72; D SHIEL (Powerscourt Golf Club), 73, 73, 76, 72; D O’Sullivan (Tralee Golf Club), 72, 73, 75, 74 

295, E Sullivan (Carton House Golf Club), 79, 70, 74, 72; P Coughlan (Castleknock Golf Club), 75, 71, 73, 76; D Flynn (Carton House Golf Club), 74, 72, 73, 76 

296, C Ryan (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club), 74, 76, 75, 71; G O’Neill (Malahide Golf Club), 74, 75, 75, 72; J Rackard (Enniscorthy Golf Club), 73, 77, 75, 71; T Ford (Co. Sligo Golf Club), 73, 72, 72, 79; C Hickey (Dooks Golf Club), 71, 73, 77, 75 

297, G Dunne (Co. Louth Golf Club), 75, 70, 80, 72; E Griffin (Waterford Golf Club), 71, 77, 75, 74; A Marshall (Lisburn Golf Club), 71, 72, 75, 79 

298, A Ryan (Thurles Golf Club), 72, 74, 74, 78 

299, P Buckley (Cork Golf Club), 73, 73, 81, 72; R O’Doherty (Enniscrone Golf Club), 71, 79, 77, 72 

301, A McCabe (The Links Portmarnock), 77, 71, 74, 79; R Galligan (Elm Park Golf Club), 74, 72, 78, 77; J Mackin (Dundalk Golf Club), 74, 70, 76, 81 

302, S Desmond (Monkstown Golf Club), 71, 77, 77, 77 

303, L Cunningham (Galway Bay Golf Club), 76, 69, 78, 80 

304, D Reddan Jnr (Nenagh Golf Club), 72, 72, 83, 77 

305, H Gillivan (Westport Golf Club), 72, 75, 75, 83 

306, A Hickey (Galway Bay Golf Club), 78, 71, 78, 79 

308, M Deasy (Douglas Golf Club), 75, 75, 77, 81 

311, M Flanagan (Portumna Golf Club), 76, 74, 78, 83; T McLarnon (Massereene Golf Club), 74, 75, 81, 81 

MC 151, S Mc Dermott (Co. Cavan Golf Club), 77, 74; C CAMPBELL (Warrenpoint Golf Club), 77, 74; C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown GC), 77, 74; D Hogg (Belvoir Park Golf Club), 76, 75; D O’Riordan (Fermoy Golf Club), 74, 77; R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club), 74, 77 

MC 152, C O’Sullivan (Killiney Golf Club), 82, 70; J Hill (Galgorm Castle Golf Club), 76, 76; K Murphy (Arklow), 75, 77; J Byrne  (Baltinglass Golf Club), 75, 77; S FLANAGAN (Portmarnock Golf Club), 74, 78 

MC 153, E Shipp (Headfort Golf Club), 78, 75; E McCormack  (Galway Bay), 77, 76; S Downes (Royal Dublin Golf Club), 77, 76; A MCCORMACK (Castletroy Golf Club), 75, 78; S McLoughlin (Co. Sligo Golf Club), 75, 78; D Keating (Seapoint Golf Club), 75, 78 

MC 154, I Lynch (Rosslare Golf Club), 79, 75 

MC 155, G O’Mahony (Fota Island Golf Club), 73, 82 

MC 156, J Temple (Portmarnock Golf Club), 80, 76; A King (Faithlegg Golf Club), 78, 78; E O’Donnell (Tralee Golf Club), 78, 78 

MC 157, L O’CONNOR (Edmondstown Golf Club), 80, 77 

MC 158, P Costello (Galway Golf Club), 81, 77 

MC 159, C Rabbette (Esker Hills Golf Club), 81, 78 

MC 160, G McKENNA (Shandon Park Golf Club), 83, 77; C BUTLER (Kinsale Golf Club), 78, 82 

MC 161, P McGrath (Galway Bay Golf Club), 79, 82 

MC 166, D Foy (Laytown & Bettystown GC), 83, 83 

RTD 79, B MURRAY (Waterford Castle Golf Club) 

WD 79, G Ward (Kinsale Golf Club) 

RTD 0, K McCarthy (Lee Valley Golf Club)