Jason O’Connor reflects on a successful weekend for players from Killarney and Tralee at the National Scotch Foursomes Championships and looks forward to a very special weekend ahead for one Killarney star at the World Cup in Pitch and Putt Championships in Barcelona
Pride of place at the National Scotch Foursomes Championships at the weekend went to Deerpark Killarney’s Eileen McCarthy and Tralee’s Darren Goodall as they became the first Kerry pair since 2013 to win the mixed event.
Their 11 under par 36-hole total yielded them a one-shot victory in the end at the Lakeside in Templemore, Co Tipperary.
The stroke total converted to 93 nett points, one clear of Riverdale duo Sean Minogue and Margaret Hennessy to give them the win.
They are the first Kerry pair since Damien Fleming and Mary Murphy of Deerpark 11 years ago to win this event as Eileen’s successful return to the game this year continues with more success.
There was a second Kerry prize on the day last Saturday as husband and wife Jason and Bernadette O’Regan won the second session prize with 90 points.
On Sunday in the non-mixed event meanwhile recent Kerry team-mates Damien Fleming and Jason Cregan were only one shot off winning the gross prize for the day as their 20 under par total of 92 points was only bettered by Cork duo Frank Dineen and John Walsh.
Father and son Tony and Jamie Blake nearly won the second session prize as well with their score of 91 points just one short of the total of 92 that won that particular prize.
Special mention from last Sunday must also be given to the all ladies’ pair of Eileen McCarthy and Charlotte Blake for shooting a 90-point score, nine off the winning score.
While there is no major local fixture this weekend there is the small matter of Damien Fleming travelling with the Irish squad to El Vendrell in Barcelona for the first World Cup in Pitch and Putt since 2016.
Ireland are the defending champions and Damien travels as the team’s official sub to the three-player side of Kieran Earls (Limerick), Ian Dillon (Kildare) and Padraic Sarsfield (Louth) for the three days of play from Friday until Sunday next weekend.
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