GUI announce Irish teams ahead of European Championships

The Golfing Union of Ireland have named the Ireland teams that will contest the upcoming European Amateur Team Championships from July 9-13.

At men’s level, the Ireland team includes recently crowned Amateur champion, Mallow’s James Sugrue who will tee up at the Irish Open Pro-Am prior to joining Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Conor Purcell (Portmarnock), and Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk). Purcell, who won the Australian Amateur Championship in January, earned automatic selection as the highest ranked Irish player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

At the European Boys Team Championship, the Ireland side features Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass), Max Kennedy (Royal Dublin), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Joshua McCabe (Roganstown), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), and Luke O’Neill (Connemara). Kennedy and O’Neill earned automatic selection having finished in the top two on an order of merit selection criteria for the championship.

Both championships run from Tuesday 9 July through to Saturday 13 July. Ljunghusen, located on Sweden’s southern tip above the Baltic Sea, hosts the men’s event while Chantilly, France stages the boys tournament.

After two rounds of stroke play qualifying, the top eight teams progress to Flight A for the match play stages. The winners of Flight A will be crowned European champions.

The Ireland men’s team will be accompanied by Ireland captain John Carroll (Bandon), Niall MacSweeney (Athenry) and GUI National Coach Neil Manchip.

The Ireland boys team will be accompanied by Ireland boys captain Alasdair Gibson (Knock), Peter English (Limerick) and coach Stephen Hood.

The GUI’s High Performance Programme is supported by Sport Ireland, Sport NI and The R&A.

Ireland – European Amateur Team Championship (9-13 July; Ljunghusen, Sweden):

Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Conor Purcell (Portmarnock), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), James Sugrue (Mallow).

Ireland – European Amateur Boys Team Championship (9-13 July; Chantilly, France):

Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass), Max Kennedy (Royal Dublin), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Joshua McCabe (Roganstown), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), Luke O’Neill (Connemara).