Amateur golfBrian KeoghMunster Strokeplay Championship, Cork GC, Azalea Invitational, Mid West Alliance, World Amateur Golf Ranking2 Comments

Round-up: Strokeplay or Matchplay; Greene Azalea; Munster Strokeplay deadline

Amateur golfBrian KeoghMunster Strokeplay Championship, Cork GC, Azalea Invitational, Mid West Alliance, World Amateur Golf Ranking2 Comments
Round-up: Strokeplay or Matchplay; Greene Azalea; Munster Strokeplay deadline

Cole Hammer

Greene Azalea

Portmarnock's John Greene is in Charleston, South Carolina, for some warm weather golf following last weekend's icy West of Ireland at Rosses Point.

The former South of Ireland champion, who made the matchplay stages at County Sligo (making an eagle two at the second along the way) but fell early in the matchplay.

However, he will be an interesting third in a stellar threeball at the Country Club of Charleston today when he tees it up alongside teenagers Andy Zhang and Cole Hammer, who players qualified for US Open when barely out of short trousers.

At the age of 15 years, 9 months and 21 days, Hammer became the third youngest player to compete in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay last year.

China's Zhang, 18, is the youngest player to ever participate in the U.S. Open at the age of 14, teeing it up at the Olympic Club in 2012.

Greene, 30, is enjoying life as a gentleman amateur and showing signs of his old form by coming through the gruelling qualifying process at the West last week.

Shaun Carter receives the Munster Strokeplay trophy last year

Shaun Carter receives the Munster Strokeplay trophy last year

Munster Strokeplay deadline is Saturday

The closing date for Munster Stroke Play Championship is Saturday 2nd April 2016.  Enter online www.golfnet.ie

Now in its 11th year, the 72-hole event has consistently attracted a top class field with golfers travelling from all over Ireland as they aim to capture the prestigious Munster title.

Conor Doran (Banbridge) won the inaugural event in 2006, and fellow Banbridge member Rory Leonard won in 2010.

Munster and Irish International Niall Gorey is the only multiple winner, he won the title in 2007 and 2008, and again in 2011.

Current professional golfer Brian Casey won in 2012, and the winners list also includes Pat Murray and Kieran McCarthy.

The past two years were dominated by The Royal Dublin with Barry Anderson winning in 2014 and Shaun Carter winning last year.

In 2015, more than 50 golfers played off a plus handicap and a similar field is expected this year. Entries are now open via Golfnet, with the lowest 75 golfers qualifying to play on the May Bank holiday weekend.

The Munster Stroke Play developed from the Cork GC Senior Scratch Cup. The Cork Senior Scratch was the oldest competition of its type in Ireland and the Cup is still presented to the winner of the Munster Stroke Play.

The Championship will bring to a conclusion four weeks of high profile events, with Muskerry, Lee Valley and Douglas all hosting their Senior Scratch Cups in the preceding weeks.

County Sligo, home of the West of Ireland Amateur

County Sligo, home of the West of Ireland Amateur

Strokeplay or Matchplay? Or both?

Is strokeplay better than matchplay for Ireland's amateur events? Or is a mixture of the two, as used in big event in Australia, a better model?

Members of MidWest Alliance think a 54 hole strokeplay event, followed by a 16-man matchplay tournament is the fairest way of attracting the best field and maximising World Amateur Golf Ranking Points. Have your vote in their poll.