Top field set for 63rd Mullingar Scratch Trophy
The 63rd Mullingar Scratch Trophy gets underway on Sunday with 90 elite amateurs vying to add their name to an illustrious list of former champions.
The prestigious 72-hole Stroke Play event was first won by the legendary three-time Amateur Championship winner J.B. Carr in 1963.
“You have all the top talent, over the last 50 or so years have come through and performed and inevitably become a champion in this trophy,” said Leonard O’Mahony, Chair of the Mullingar Scratch Trophy.
“I think it's a very honest event being 72 holes, only the top talent can have the resilience and the ability to be able to keep it going, especially when you consider how competitive the field is.”
Since its inception in 1963, the event has proven a springboard for some of Irish golf’s finest, with Darren Clarke (1989), Padraig Harrington (1994), Rory McIlroy (2006) and Shane Lowry (2008) all winning at Mullingar before becoming major champions.
“All the elite amateurs that enter, this is one of one of the major events on their calendar each year,” said O’Mahony.
“With the likes of Rory McIlroy being a past champion who is now a Grand Slam winner. Really the top Irish golfing talent have been past champions of this event.”
Millicent’s Brian Doran - pictured above by Golffile’s Thos Caffrey - returns to defend his title following his two-stroke victory over Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.
“We were delighted to have Brian as the champion in 2024,” said O’Mahony.
“We generally see really top talent come through in our event.”
Among those joining Doran in the hunt are Greystones’ Dylan Holmes, the reigning West of Ireland champion, while O’Neill, last year’s runner-up, will be looking to go one better this this year.
Co Louth’s Gerard Dunne will also be among the top contenders, having impressed at the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship and the East of Ireland, while Athenry’s David Kitt arrives with two top ten finishes at the East and Connacht Men’s Stroke Play, alongside a recent quarter-final run in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.
Adam Smith, Mullingar’s sole representative, will carry home hopes. He tied for seventh in 2024 and will aim to build on that this year.
“I was chatting with Adam only yesterday. He really has only one focus in mind, and he's not interested in top 10s.” said O’Mahony.
“He really wants this trophy in his house by the end of the weekend. It would be very special for us as a club to be able to pass that trophy to Adam.”
The event will see competitors take on 36 holes of Stroke Play on Sunday before the top 39 plus ties advance to the final two rounds on Monday.
Co Sligo‘S Ruairi O’Connor, Muskerry’s Brian Lane and Lahinch’s Danny Lyne get proceedings underway at 6.30am.
View tee times and scoring here.