Moran and Walsh claim spoils at Royal County Down
Aideen Walsh and Robert Moran. Picture: Golffile
Castle’s Robert Moran and Lahinch’s Aideen Walsh won the ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play Championships at Royal County Down Golf Club.
The 54 hole event came right down to the wire for the men as Moran and Hermitage’s Rowan Lester, the overnight leader, needed an additional three-hole play-off to separate them.
Moran, who arrived at 3 am the night before play began having travelled from the St. Andrew’s Links Trophy in Scotland, shot a final-round 69 to force the play-off on five-over as Lester shot 76.
“I’m just delighted, I kind of went out with no expectations, I was seven shots behind the leaders but on this golf course you never know what’s going to happen, it’s so hard,” said Moran, who birdied the par-three 10th and then parred the 11th and 18th as Lester Rowan parred all three holes in the aggregate playoff.
“When I finished, I didn’t know what was happening but then I saw the scores and got a little excited.”
The 21-year-old is studying Business at the National College of Ireland but will be studying how his game compares to the world’s best as he tees it up in the ISPS Handa World Invitational next month.
“To get an opportunity to play at the World Invitational, especially as it’s at home in Ireland, is something I’m really excited about. Hopefully, there can be spectators so my friends and family can come but I’m looking forward to seeing where my game’s at and giving it a rip.”
Walsh had a somewhat less stressful finish as she closed out an eight-shot win over Clandeboye’s Jessica Ross, closing with a two-under 74 to win on two-over 230.
“I’d a few birdies to start and was 3-under for the front nine. So, I just tried to continue that on the back, and I finished well. I can’t believe the win to be honest.”
Walsh took a one-shot lead into the final round and her focus throughout the day was to stay present.
“My coach texted me and said it’s just another round of golf and that’s all it was, I tried to stick to that while I was playing and not get ahead of myself,” she explained.
While Walsh has won the Women’s Interprovincial Matches with Munster and the Women’s Senior Cup with Lahinch, this is her first individual win.
“It's a bit mad to be honest. I never thought I would win of these I just sort of played in them, but I can’t believe it. It is different alright not having the team around you but it’s still unbelievable.”
Walsh will join Moran and Lester in the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle and Massereene from July 28 – August 1. The unique global event is part of the European Tour, LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour schedules and promises to attract some of the best players in the men’s and women’s game.
For more information on the ISPS HANDA World Invitational click here.
ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play Championships at Royal County Down Golf Club (Par 71 Men/ Par 76 Women)
Women
1 Walsh, Aideen (Lahinch) +2 77 79 74 230
2 Ross, Jessica (Clandeboye) +10 83 78 77 238
3 Smith, Deirdre (Co. Louth) +14 79 80 83 242
4 Burke, Shannon (Ballinrobe) +15 79 78 86 243
5 Fleming, Emma (Elm Park) +18 86 78 82 246
6 Browne, Jan (Kilkenny) +19 86 79 82 247
7 Dawson, Anna (Tramore) +19 80 82 85 247
8 Thompson, Rachel (Cork) +20 83 79 86 248
9 Clancy, Valerie (Killarney) +20 80 84 84 248
10 Martin, Mairead (Kanturk) +23 87 82 82 251
11 O'Hara, Molly (Clandeboye) +248 58 384 252
12 O'Gorman, Ellen (Milltown) +27 90 80 85 255
13 McElroy, Sheena (Grange) +29 86 85 86 257
14 Dwyer, Kate (Rossmore) +30 94 79 85 258
15 Walsh, Clodagh (Castlewarden) +31 84 90 85 259
16 Griffin, Corrina (Killarney) +32 89 82 89 260
17 Shippam, Caitlin (Ballykisteen) +35 94 83 86 263
18 Laverty, Tara (Royal Portrush) +43 87 86 98 271
Men
1 Moran, Robert (Castle) +5 75 74 69 218
2 Lester, Rowan (Hermitage) +5 70 72 76 218
3 O'Neill, Luke (Connemara) +10 77 75 71 223
4 Boucher, Marc (Carton House) +11 73 74 77 224
5 Denvir, Charlie (Elm Park) +12 79 72 74 225
6 Coughlan, Paul (Castleknock) +12 76 75 74 225
7 Rafferty, Caolan (Dundalk) +13 74 77 75 226
8 Maguire, Alex (Laytown & Bettystown Gc +13 72 74 80 226
9 Flynn, Darragh (Carton House) +14 78 75 74 227
10 Campbell, Colm Jnr (Warrenpoint) +14 75 73 79 227
11 Lappin, Gareth (Belvoir Park) +15 76 76 76 228
12 Hill, Joshua (Galgorm Castle) +15 72 74 82 228
13 Kennedy, Max (Royal Dublin) +16 78 71 80 229
14 Egan, Keith (Carton House) +16 76 75 78 229
15 Murphy, Sam (Portumna) +16 74 75 80 229
16 McClean, Matthew (Malone) +17 76 74 80 230
17 Williamson, Rory (Holywood) +18 74 77 80 231
18 Fahy, Alan (Dun Laoghaire) +19 72 83 77 232
19 Byrne, Joseph (Baltinglass) +20 79 78 76 233
20 McCrory, Ronan (Lurgan) +20 78 77 78 233
21 Whelan, Jake (Grange) +20 74 80 79 233
22 Dunne, Gerard (Co. Louth) +2180 77 77 234
23 O'Doherty, Ryan (Enniscrone) +21 80 76 78 234
24 Murphy, Eoin (Dundalk) +21 77 79 78 234
25 Desmond, Sean (Monkstown) +23 79 79 78 236
26 Fox, James (Portmarnock) +23 77 78 81 236
27 Flanagan, Sean (Portmarnock) +24 82 75 80 237
28 Murphy, Keith (Arklow) +24 80 78 79 237
29 McDonnell, Jack (Forrest Little) +24 79 79 79 237
30 Milne, Rory (Faithlegg) +24 76 78 83 237
31 Sullivan, Eoin (Carton House) +25787981 238
32 O'Keeffe, Peter (Douglas) +25 77 79 82 238
33 Hood, Jordan (Galgorm Castle) +25 76 80 82 238
34 Cleary, John (Elm Park) +25 74 82 82 238
35 Keeling, Patrick (Roganstown) +26 81 76 82 239
36 Conroy, Paul (Enniscorthy) +29 83 73 86 242
Rtd Carter, Shaun (Royal Dublin) 76 78 Rtd
Rtd Sutherland, Jamie (Galgorm Castle) 77 80 Rtd