Rafferty completes historic provincial career Grand Slam with North of Ireland win
Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) and his daughter Maisie celebrate their win at Portstewart. Photo: Laszlo Geczo / Inpho.
Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty etched his name in the history books when he closed with a one under 70 to win the North of Ireland Championship and become the first man to win all four of Irish amateur golf’s provincial titles.
Tied for the lead at halfway, he shot a third round 72 in the morning to lead by a shot from Lahinch’s South of Ireland champion Jonathan Keane on two under.
Huntstanton’s Ben Willis and Castlerock’s Andrew Mulholland closed with 68s to set the target at two under, but Rafferty overcame a bogey at the 15th with a birdie-par finish to win on three under.
While it has only been possible to win all four provincial titles since the North was first played in 1947, Rafferty was one of nine men with three of the four legs having won the South in 2018, the West in 2019 and East last year.
Golf Ireland reported:
“I can’t believe that’s the first time it’s been done,” said Rafferty.
“It’s a nice feeling, got to look over and see her (Maisie) in the corner, little hoodie, look like a teddy bear. I was laughing.
“She’s not going to have any idea what’s going on but there will be plenty of pictures to show her the first trophy that daddy won.
“It just takes my mind away from what you’ve done, there’s a lot more to life now than golf as well. It’s always nice to have that moment afterwards to just walk away and get a little cuddle.”
Rafferty was tied at the top of the standings with Cathal MacCanna (Carton House) at the beginning of the third round, with their playing partner Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) just one shot behind on one-under. He was T3 alongside the only other players who were under-par, David Shiel (Enniscrone) and David Kitt (Athenry).
Last year’s East of Ireland champion used his vast links experience to keep himself at the head of the standings, they began their rounds on the back nine and he birdied 11, 13 and 15 to quickly move to five-under.
However, he dropped two shots on the last two holes of his front nine, and a further bogey at the sixth meant he finished with a third round of 71, and a three-under par total.
At that stage Shaw-Radford was still well in contention on level par, while MacCanna was one shot worse off after a third round of 74.
South of Ireland winner, Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), had emerged from the chasing pack with a stunning round of 66, which included six birdies and an eagle. However, Rafferty was one ahead with 18 holes remaining and he began the front nine with eight pars and one birdie for 35 shots on the way out.
Shaw-Radford and Dylan Keating (Seapoint) closed in, on one-under just two shots in arrears, but while many faltered in behind, Rafferty kept his cool throughout the back nine.
There was a blip at 11, where his par putt slipped just by but he hit back with a birdie on 13 and while Willis and Muholland finished their weeks on two-under, it left three tied at the top.
Rafferty had to dig deep, and he did that on 17, with a brilliant birdie, meaning he had two putts to secure his piece of history on the 18th green.
“We had a great birdie on 13 and then it was just a sloppy iron shot into 15 that put me under pressure, actually hit a good putt, thought I held it,” said Rafferty.
“But to finish the way I did and probably the hardest hole that we played out there this week. Birdie it to get myself back in the lead and then it’s just a case of let’s make four down the last.
“Easy on a normal day but a little bit more stressful when you know what it’s for.”
North of Ireland Amateur Open, Portstewart (Strand, Par 71)
Final
281 1 -3 Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 68 72 71 70
282 T2 -2 Ben Willis (Hunstanton) 77 69 68 68; Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) 70 73 71 68
284 4 E Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 74 71 71 68
285 T5 +1 Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) 71 75 69 70; Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) 71 70 72 72; David Kitt (Athenry) 69 72 75 69
286 T8 +2 David Reddan (Castleknock) 74 71 70 71; Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 73 73 66 74
289 10 +5 Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 76 72 69 72
290 T11 +6 Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 78 70 71 71; Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 76 71 71 72
291 T13 +7 John William Burke (Ballyhaunis) 75 74 73 69; Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 75 71 71 74; James Marriott (West Surrey) 73 72 71 75; Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore) 70 75 77 69
292 T17 +8 Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 73 75 70 74; James Hewitt (Tandragee) 71 72 76 73
293 T19 +9 Lee Carew (Chelsfield Lakes) 78 69 75 71; Keith Egan (Carton House) 75 70 69 79; Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 74 74 74 71; Conor Byers (Langley Park) 73 74 72 74; Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) 72 76 73 72; Ryan Symington (Lisburn) 71 78 73 71
294 25 +10 Edward Farr (Monkstown) 74 68 78 74
295 T26 +11 William O’Riordan (Greystones) 76 71 78 70; Harry Fanagan (Milltown) 73 73 74 75; Sam Murphy (Portumna) 73 71 75 76; Ollie McEvoy (Ballycastle) 71 75 76 73
296 30 +12 Conor Hickey (Dooks) 78 71 76 71
297 T31 +13 Freddie Bracken (Portmarnock) 75 74 73 75; Cormac Ó Muirithe (Belmullet) 73 76 74 74; Harris Fleming (Galgorm Castle) 71 73 80 73; David Shiel (Enniscrone) 70 71 82 74
298 T35 +14 Conor Madigan (Kanturk) 74 75 68 81; Cathal MacCanna (Carton House) 68 72 74 84
300 37 +16 Cian Harkin (Letterkenny) 78 71 72 79
301 38 +17 Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey/Stranorlar & Royal Dublin) 70 77 85 69
302 39 +18 Jack McIlhatton (Massereene) 74 74 77 77
306 40 +22 Paddy Quill (Cork) 71 74 80 81
309 41 +25 Charlie Smyth (PGA National Slieve Russell) 73 76 81 79.
After 54 holes
211 1 -2 Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 68 72 71
212 2 -1 Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 73 73 66
213 3 E Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) 71 70 72
214 T4 +1 Ben Willis (Hunstanton) 77 69 68; Keith Egan (Carton House) 75 70 69; Andrew Mulholland (Castlerock) 70 73 71; Cathal MacCanna (Carton House) 68 72 74
215 T8 +2 David Reddan (Castleknock) 74 71 70; Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) 71 75 69
216 T10 +3 Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 74 71 71; James Marriott (West Surrey) 73 72 71; David Kitt (Athenry) 69 72 75
217 T13 +4 Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 76 72 69; Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 75 71 71; Conor Madigan (Kanturk) 74 75 68
218 T16 +5 Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 76 71 71; Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 73 75 70
219 T18 +6 Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 78 70 71; Conor Byers (Langley Park) 73 74 72; Sam Murphy (Portumna) 73 71 75; James Hewitt (Tandragee) 71 72 76
220 T22 +7 Edward Farr (Monkstown) 74 68 78; Harry Fanagan (Milltown) 73 73 74
221 T24 +8 Cian Harkin (Letterkenny) 78 71 72; Lewis Gowdy (Bangor) 72 76 73
222 T26 +9 Lee Carew (Chelsfield Lakes) 78 69 75; Freddie Bracken (Portmarnock) 75 74 73; John William Burke (Ballyhaunis) 75 74 73; Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 74 74 74; Ollie McEvoy (Ballycastle) 71 75 76; Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore) 70 75 77; Ryan Symington (Lisburn) 71 78 73
223 T33 +10 Cormac Ó Muirithe (Belmullet) 73 76 74; David Shiel (Enniscrone) 70 71 82
224 35 +11 Harris Fleming (Galgorm Castle) 71 73 80
225 T36 +12 Conor Hickey (Dooks) 78 71 76; William O’Riordan (Greystones) 76 71 78; Jack McIlhatton (Massereene) 74 74 77; Paddy Quill (Cork) 71 74 80
230 40 +17 Charlie Smyth (PGA National Slieve Russell) 73 76 81
232 41 +19 Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey/Stranorlar & Royal Dublin) 70 77 85
