West of Ireland Championship to test 54-16 format in 2020-21
The 13th at County Sligo’s Championship links at Rosses Point.
Calls for a 54-16 format — three strokeplay rounds with the top 16 to battle it out in matchplay — have fallen on deaf ears in Irish golf in recent years.
But that’s set to change after the West of Ireland Championship Committee opted to try to new format at Rosses Point in 2020 and 2021.
The Committee reflected on what was the acknowledged success of the first 72-hole stroke play staging of the championship last year, when Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty triumphed by four strokes.
In keeping with the strong traditions of the Championship and the excellent partnership in the hosting and running of the championship between County Sligo Golf Club and Connacht Golf, the Championship Committee have unanimously agreed, on a two year trial, to amend the traditional format of 36 hole stroke play followed by match play knockout for the leading 64 players.
In 2020 and 2021, the Championship shall be decided by 54 holes of stroke play over three consecutive days from which the leading 16 players shall then compete in knockout match play over the remaining two days to determine the champion.
The championship shall therefore remain as a five-day event starting on Good Friday and finishing on Easter Tuesday.
The now customary 18 Hole stroke play qualifier shall remain and will take place on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.
The 2020 West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship shall be played from April 10th – 14th inclusive and marks the first of ten events in the GUI’s Bridgestone Order of Merit.
The change is designed to make the event more attractive for competitors, who will be guaranteed three strokeplay rounds, and also to ensure a high quality matchplay field with the cream more likely to rise to the top.
“The change acknowledges how much the players like the strokeplay format and bearing in mind nearly 100 years of matchplay history, we are trying to find something that works for both parties — ourselves and the players,” said Enda Lonergan, Executive Officer at Connacht Golf.
“It could be a brilliant solution or it may not work out but you never know until you try so that’s why we are having this two-year trial. If it is a disaster, then we have the option to go revert to the traditional format after a year.
“The only difference is that the Sunday is another round of strokeplay instead of two rounds of matchplay, going from 64 down to 16, which gives players 54 holes to prove their value and the leading 16 will then do what they’ve always done and play mano a mano to decide who is the worthy West of Ireland champion.”
County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point
Advocates of the 54-16 format believe it will force the leading players thinking of a move into the professional ranks to do more than just go through the motions in qualifying and improve their strokeplay skills.
The championship will also benefit from what should prove to be a higher quality last 16 draw than might have been the case under the traditional format.
“Tradition is a strong part of any sport so while strokeplay is important to the players, it’s a spectator championship and numbers were down last year watching the strokeplay,” Enda added.
“That might have also been because of the early April date last year, when we had to move away from the Easter holiday and bring the Championship forward by two weeks to leave the six-week gap before the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.
“The really good players will be delighted and the lads who fancied their chances from 17th to 64th and having a crack at an Irish panellist may not be as happy. But you are going to have a very high quality last 16 which will only add to the value of lifting the trophy.”
The event will be a counting event for the Bridgestone Order of Merit, which should motivate the entire 132-strong field to give their all for 54 holes.
The format should also add to the atmosphere in Rosses Point with at least 132 players set to spend three or four days in the village and the members, who are the lifeblood of the event in terms of organisation and support, far more likely to take to the links to watch the matchplay duels on Monday and Tuesday.
As an added bonus, those who enter the 18-hole qualifier on April 8 will be 72 holes away from a dream spot in the last 16.
