Lyons targets Connacht Stroke Play on home turf

Joe Lyons (Galway) will tee it up at the Connacht Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship this weekend. Photo: INPHO | Ben Brady

Joe Lyons will be hoping that home advantage pays off this weekend as the experienced Galway golfer takes on a stacked field at the Murray Timber Group Connacht Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship.

Originally from Offaly, Lyons began his playing career at Birr Golf Club, where he is now an honorary life member, but has called Galway his home club for the past 22 years and as the championship tees off on Friday, his local knowledge could provide a valuable edge.

The 53-year-old is the sole Galway Golf Club representative in the 69-man field and with his home just up the road in Salthill, this is a date that has long been marked on his calendar.

“The fact that it's on in Galway, definitely I was going to play in it,” said Lyons. “It’s one of my most important events of the year.”

A strong test awaits competitors on the west coast and while Lyons admits he may not have the distance to match some of his rivals, that may not be a disadvantage this weekend.

“It's not the longest course in the world, but it plays longer than its yardage because of the wind and it's tight,” said Lyons.

“It's more important to keep it straight than it is to be bombing it. In a lot of cases, there's trouble on both sides, so I feel that I could probably compete with the younger fellas around Galway.”

Among those teeing it up at the 54-hole event are in-form players David Kitt (Athenry), Robert Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) and Gerard Dunne (Co Louth), all of whom impressed at last week’s East of Ireland Championship and arrive in Galway with plenty of momentum behind them.

A decorated amateur, Lyons has a CV that includes the West of Ireland Championship, two Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Close Championships, and most recently, the Portuguese Senior Men’s International Championship and while much of his focus is now on senior events, he would relish a win at his home provincial championship.

“To win a Golf Ireland Championship around my home club would mean a lot to me,” said Lyons.

“The fact that it's in Galway number one, but also the fact that it's a men's event, and it would be a little boost to know I can still compete with the young fellas. I know, if I play well, and I hole a couple of putts, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that I would win it, but in saying that I'm not expecting to win it. I would just like to play well.”

The Connacht Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship gets underway at 7.30am on Friday, with Ross Latimer (Knock), Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little), and Lorcan O’Connor (Edmondstown) getting proceedings underway before Lyons begins his challenge at 8.14am, alongside Abernethy and Morgan Crowe (Elm Park).

View tee times and scoring here