County Louth golfer Gerard Dunne has been crowned Bridgestone Men’s Order of Merit Champion after a
The 38-year-old is now an automatic selection
Dunne began his campaign with a T3 finish at the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship,
A second T3 followed at the
Dunne’s strong run of form continued throughout the summer and a runner-up finish at the Ulster Men’s Stroke Play saw him take the lead, moving 99 points clear at the top.
A run to the last 32 at the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship helped Dunne extend his advantage, and despite strong finishes towards the end of the season from David Howard (Fota Island), Dylan Holmes (Greystones) and Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) he maintained his position at the top.
Amassing a 798-point total, Dunne finished 52 points ahead of Howard to claim his first Bridgestone Men’s Order of Merit title.
On the women’s side, the lead has changed hands once again, with Royal Portrush golfer Hannah Lee-McNamara moving to the top of the Bridgestone Women’s Order of Merit.
Lee-McNamara’s runner up finish at the AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship earned her 250 points and moved her from fifth to first, with just the Dun Laoghaire Scratch Cup remaining on the women’s calendar.
With 180 points available to the winner of the final ranking event, five players remain in contention for the Order of Merit title, with Lee-McNamara joined by Ella Cantwell (Esker Hills), Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe), Olivia Costello (Roscommon) and 2025 winner Aideen Walsh (Lahinch).
The Bridgestone Women’s Order of Merit season will conclude with the Dun Laoghaire Scratch Cup taking place from 5 to 6 September.
View the latest Bridgestone Order of Merit rankings here
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