Portmarnock seek first European Club Trophy
Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan. Picture: Pat Cashman
AIG Senior Cup winners Portmarnock will begin their quest for the club's first victory in the European Club Trophy in France today.
Geoff Lenehan, Stephen Walsh and Darragh Coghlan tee it up at Golf du Médoc Resort on the outskirts of Bordeaux hoping to follow in the footsteps of Limerick (1980) and Shandon Park (2000 & 2001) and become the third Irish club to win the coveted title.
Galway Golf Club took the silver medal at the Bordeaux venue last year, finishing ten strokes behind Racing Club de France.
With the best two cards to count each day, Racing Club return as defending champions seeking their seventh win in the event with Frederic Lacroix, who represented Europe at the Bonallack Trophy and won the St Andrews Trophy with the Continent of Europe this year, the only survivor from last year's team.
Lenehan, Walsh and Coghlan have been in a rich vein of form, but they face fierce competition on the 'Les Châteaux' course.
Spain's El Prat can count on Eduard Rousaud, who played in the Jacques Léglise Trophy alongside Portugal's Daniel Da Costa Rodrigues, who is playing for Miramar Golf Club this week.
As for Denmark's Gyttegaard Golf Club, they can count on reigning European Amateur champion, Nicolai Hojgaard who tees it up alongside twin brother, Rasmus and Jens Christian Tvergaard hoping to complete a memorable season with another win.
The 17-year old Junior Ryder Cup players won the Toyota Junior World Cup and then lifted the Eisenhower Trophy with John Axelsen at Carton House in September.
