Barry Anderson will be among a strong local contingent set to tee it up at the C20 Group Munster Men’s Stroke Play Amateur Open Championship, where he will aim for a hat-trick of victories at Cork Golf Club.
Anderson is one of three Cork Golf Club members in the field, alongside Paddy Quill and Jonathan O’Sullivan, while the entire county is also well represented, with a fifth of the field hailing from Cork.
The Sligo native has called Cork Golf Club home for the past three years but was no stranger to success around the Little Island course prior to joining, having lifted this trophy in both 2014 and 2017.
His victory nine years ago came just eleven days after his historic win at the West, where he claimed a one-shot victory over Ronan Mullarney (Galway) and Peter O’Keefe (Douglas).
“I remember the weather was really tough and just grinding it out,” said Anderson.
“On the last hole I remember I had to get up and down from the front edge of the green, and I chipped up to four feet and holed that putt. That was nice to seal the deal on the last hole.”
By his own admission, Anderson does not compete in as many events as he once did during those 2010s successes, with his focus shifting more towards family life, but he remains no less competitive. He comes into this weekend off the back of a run to the last 16 at Rosses Point.
“I was very happy with how things went at the West, probably exceeded my expectations. I just wanted to play and if I made the cut and won a couple of matches, it was great and that’s how it worked out,” said Anderson.
“This weekend is something similar. Just try to enjoy it and enjoy the buzz of being around the championship and nice that it’s a local one. If I play well that would be great.”
“The year I won it in 2017 I was in a similar mindset of trying to go out and enjoy it and ended up marrying up low expectations with playing well and feeling comfortable so that worked out in the end.”
Having enjoyed success around this course, Anderson knows the type of game that is needed to contend this weekend.
“There’s a couple of stretches that you need to try and make hay when you have them. There’s the par 5 second and the drivable par 4 third and a couple of other holes you just need to take advantage of,” said Anderson.
“Good approach play is key. Short irons and wedges, if you’re sharp in that department, you can give yourself a lot of birdie chances.”
“Someone who’s got their eye in and has good distance control on short irons and wedges will have a lot of birdie chances.”
Anderson will lead the field out on Saturday morning when he tees off first alongside Adam Smith (Mullingar) and Robert Walsh (Kinsale) at 7.30am.
“It’s nice to get the open field in front of you and the freshness of the greens,” said Anderson.
“Sometimes that early in the morning the wind hasn’t quite got up yet, so you can maybe take advantage of that.”
“Early starts don’t bother me now when you’ve got a baby at home you are well used to getting up at five or six in the morning so shouldn’t be a problem.”
The 75-strong field also includes 2024 champion Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), reigning Irish Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion Gary Collins (Rosslare) and 2025 Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship runner-up John William Burke (Ballyhaunis), who finished second at this venue.
The championship will once again be played over four rounds of stroke play, with the top 30 plus ties progressing after Saturday’s opening two rounds to Sunday’s final 36 holes.
View the first and second round tee times here
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