Nenagh win Bobby Browne inspired PGA Junior Pro-Am
Nenagh's Eanna Jones and his young team of Ronan Ducie, Shane Flynn and Jessica Reddan at Powerscourt
Nenagh's Eanna Jones and his young team of Ronan Ducie, Shane Flynn and Jessica Reddan won the inaugural PGA Junior Pro-Am Grand Final at Powerscourt.
Their score of 98 points proved too hot to handle for the rest of the field at the event which was created in memory of the late PGA professional Bobby Browne.
Bobby introduced many thousands of young people to the game and this event gave junior golfers the chance to play and compete alongside their club professional.
The tournament is open to junior boys and girls – 10-18 yrs of age – with an official ILGU/GUI handicap.
Three venues hosted regional qualifiers – Headfort, Royal Curragh and Dundrum House Resort – with 23 teams lining up at Powerscourt for the final.
The Coollattin team of professional Peter Jones and team of Owen Young, Johnny Young and Cormac Redmond finished second with 91 points, edging out the Powerscourt professional Paul Thompson and juniors Conor Roe, James Kos and Jennifer Magee..
“It was a brilliant day and exactly the type of event that Bobby would have loved to see,” said John Kelly, Chairman of the PGA in Ireland Southern Branch.
“Bobby's wife Carmel attended as did his son Sean. The professionals really enjoyed it andEanna Jones' team played some great golf to win. We even had a hole in one from Seapoint's Darragh McCann, a seven handicap.
“We really want to grow this event over the coming years, making it bigger and better.”
Winning professional, Eanna Jones, agreed with John's sentiment adding that he saw the chance for his young charges to test themselves at a different venue as particularly important.
“It was a great idea. Most juniors don't get much of a chance to play golf outside of their home course these days,” added the 29-year-old.
“Transport seems to be an issue. Certainly, I remember growing up that my junior convenor often hired a minibus to take us to other courses but that doesn't seem to happen as much these days.
“So I think the kids welcomed the chance to play in a qualifier – at Dundrum House – and then on to finals day at Powerscourt.”
The PGA Junior Pro-Am Grand Final, Powerscourt GC
- Nenagh GC – professional Eanna Jones – Ronan Ducie (7), Shane Flynn (16), Jessica Reddan (35).
- Coollattin GC – professional Peter Jones – Owen Young hcp 18, Johnny Young hcp 20, Cormac Redmond hcp 20
- Powerscourt GC – professional Paul Thompson – Conor Roe hcp 4, Jennifer Magee hcp 14, James Kos hcp 26
