Barry Fennelly hopes that R&A Student Tour Series Order of Merit leaders, Ryan Griffin and Kate Lanigan, both of Maynooth University, can win the season long ranking award at the final event in St Andrews this week.
Fennelly, who runs the golf programme in Maynooth University has had plenty of winners to celebrate throughout the four regular events this season with Eoin Murphy (Dundalk), Allan Hill (Athenry) and Lanigan (Hermitage) picking up victories.
Griffin and Lanigan lead the men’s and women’s Order of Merits respectively heading into the Old Course on Sunday and Fennelly feels their positions are rewards for the consistency they have shown this season.
“I have to say they have been the most consistent performers for us this year. To be fair to Ryan he came from behind to win the Order of Merit last year. He really turned it on last year, winning in Spain and was leader in the final round in St Andrews last year,” explained Fennelly who will lead the International side in Lahinch this July at the Arnold Palmer Cup
“He’s matured a lot as a player this year and he has really finished strongly, particularly in Portugal shooting 69 in the final round to finish a shot off the leader and even in France he was three-under on the back nine, the tougher nine to finish solo second. He’s turned it on when the pressure has been on which is great to see.
“Kate is a really solid player and has been in the national setup for a while. She is really hungry to topple Lorna and her big goal is to win the Tour Series and play in the Palmer Cup.
“Ryan and Kate have been the most consistent but it’s about playing really well in the final. When you have the lead you can get ahead of yourself so a big focus on our preparation has been to put in the work on links courses we did a few days at Royal Dublin and Portmarnock because we are expecting West of Ireland conditions in St Andrews.”
Fennelly will be hoping the pair can secure their spots on the International Palmer Cup team in Lahinch this summer. However, a change in qualifying criteria for this edition means the order of merit winners are not automatically exempt onto the team, rather the top-5 names in both the men’s and women’s standings after the Student Tour Series final will be sent forward to a selection committee.
“If you can get in the top five you are in the shakeup for selection and then there’s a conversation around team fit and whose the best player that we want. My gut would be that the committee and selectors, myself included, it’s a nice thing to see the winner get the spot. They have won the Order of Merit and they’ve earned it.”
While it does remain more than likely the Order of Merit winners will be given the available spots, Fennelly feels Maynooth University have a number of stars ready to make late pushes for selection and burst into the top-5 at the eleventh hour.
“We have a number of players who have played well this year, Eoin Murphy won the first event in Spain. He’s a quality player and I would not be surprised if he won the final this week. Allan Hill struggled with a wrist injury a lot and it has hampered his development with us the last couple of years. He played very little last summer to try and get a full season in with us and I’m delighted to see him healthy and injury free. To get the win has been brilliant for him.
“We have a couple of guys on the fringes who could make a run for it, Simon Walker as well. He won in Portugal last year and had the best round of the week in France with 66 so if he can put it all together he can be one to watch.”
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