Golf Ireland has announced the Men’s High Performance and Girls Under 17 Performance Development Panels for 2020-2021.

This follows on from the announcement earlier this month of the new Golf Ireland Pathway for High Performance and other panel selections.

Automatic selection criteria sees Alan Fahy, Marc Boucher, Hugh Foley, James Sugrue, Caolan Rafferty, Mark Power and Tom McKibbin added to the Men’s panel, with six others selected to join them.

Speaking about his inclusion, the winner of the Bridgestone Order of Merit Alan Fahy is looking forward to the opportunities that may arise.

“It was my goal to make the Panel at the start of the season. I’ve been eyeing it up for the last couple of years. I’ve been on the Leinster team the last two years but getting on that Irish team is the next level. What comes with it, from the trips away to the opportunity to practice at the Academy at Carton House,  it’s a huge boost, especially with the floodlit practice greens for the winter. I’m just delighted to get it.”

Thirty-six girls have been selected for the Under 17 Performance Development Panel, demonstrating the significant talent emerging at that age group. 

The Performance Development Panel members will have access to coaching and mentoring supports as part of the Golf Ireland Pathway which aims to develop players and help them to achieve their full potential.

Speaking about her selection Chloe Maples-Gaffney said: “I am so happy to be selected for the U17 Performance Development Panel. It is such a privilege and I could hardly believe it when I found out, the hard work has paid off.  I cannot wait to learn and grow as a golfer amongst the other girls and gain the experience of what High Performance golf is about”.

Applications for the Funded Performance Programme are now open. This fund aims to assist players in gaining international experience and help them to develop their skills towards improved tournament performance.

Funded awards will be granted in November 2020 and details on how to apply can be found attached

The Golf Ireland Development and High Performance Programmes will be supported by Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and The R&A.

Aim

HP Funded Programme

To assist players in gaining International experience and helping them to develop their skills towards improved tournament performance.

Objectives

• Empower players to become self-sufficient in the design and execution of their personal performance (training and competition) plan

• Provide financial assistance that supports player’s participation in international amateur events

• Assistance reward managed by the HP Manager/Performance Director/Golf Ireland Selection

  Committee and appropriate to players planned programme needs

• Support players as they strive to balance competing at international level with commitments

  outside of the sport, such as careers and education

Work closely with the Sport Ireland Institute in providing relevant transition support when

appropriate

Application Process

Applicants will be required to state:
1. For which part of their game they would like financial assistance.
2. Details of their envisaged 2021 schedule including International events.
3. Internationally based players are entitled to apply for a summer tournament support package, bearing in mind this should not be exhaustive.

Please note that this funding should be for something outside a personal coaching programme and should be designed to add to a player’s skillset or support their international tournament schedule.

All applications will be considered and must include the following information:

1. Assessment of previous season’s play, progress & achievements.

2. Outline Winter Training programme including the areas of your game in which you receive

   coaching.

3. Aims and targets for the upcoming season and beyond (up to 2022).

4. 2021 schedule including international events.

5. Any relevant golfing references.

Applications will close on Tuesday, November 10th with applicants being notified of the outcome of their application on November 30.

Any unsuccessful candidate will be furnished with feedback so they can attempt to apply again in 2021 for the 2022 season if they chose to do so. (Note: exemptions may be made on a case by case basis throughout the season).

Applications should be emailed to James Corcoran (james@gui.ie) by the closing date.

Men’s High Performance Panel

Bridgestone Order of Merit Top-3

• Alan Fahy (1st, Dun Laoghaire);

• Marc Boucher (2nd, Carton House);

• Hugh Foley (3rd Royal Dublin)

Top-4 Players from Ireland in the World Amateur Golf Ranking

• James Sugrue (8th, Mallow);

• Caolan Rafferty (23rd , Dundalk);

• Mark Power (39th , Kilkenny);

• Tom McKibbin (82nd , Holywood)

Selected by the Senior Selection Committee

• Rowan Lester (Hermitage);

• Matthew McClean (Malone);

• Robert Moran (Castle);

• John Murphy (Kinsale);

• Liam Nolan (Galway);

• Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas)  

Women’s High Performance

• Anna Foster (Elm Park),

• Paula Grant (Lisburn),

• Julie McCarthy (Forest Little),

• Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL),

• Jessica Ross (Clandeboye),

• Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden),

• Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) 

Girls Under 17 Performance Development Panel

• Anna Abom (Edmondstown),

• Ninamay Brady (Rosslare),

• Aoife Browne (Lurgan),

• Alicia Burke (Killarney),

• Niamh Carroll (Royal Tara),

• Vicki Conlon (Enniscrone),

• Olivia Costello (Roscommon),

• Kate Dillon (Oughterard),

• Kate Fleming  (Elm Park),

• Rebekah Gardner  (Carnalea),

• Annabel Greham  (Ballina),

• Hannah Guerin (Royal Tara),

• Marina Joyce-Moreno (Royal Portrush),

• Tara Laverty (Royal Portrush),

• Hannah Lee-McNamara (Foyle),

• Ellen Lonergan (Westport),

• Chloe Maples-Gaffney (Royal Tara),

• Charlie Maxwell (Royal Curragh),

• Olivia McCrystal (Holywood),

• Caoimhe McKeon (Stackstown),

• Meadbh McLoughlin (Co. Sligo),

• Gemma McMeekin (Massereene),

• Zoe Miller (Royal Belfast),

• Emma Morrow (Galway Bay),

• Kayleigh Mulholland (Moyola Park),

• Emily Murray (Co. Louth),

• Sarah O'Brien (Elm Park),

• Caoimhe O'Grady (Black Bush),

• Niamh O'Grady (Black Bush),

• Molly O'Hara (Clandeboye),

• Ellen O'Shaughnessy (Castleknock),

• Evelyn Park  (Edmondstown),

• Michelle Sharkey (Monkstown),

• Sophie Sharp (Royal Tara),

• Caitlin Shippham (Ballykisteen),

• Ciara Waldron (Naas)​

U18 Boys High Performance

• Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass),

• Luke Cunningham (Galway Bay),

• Mel Deasy (Lee Valley),

• Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle),

• Thomas Higgins (Roscommon),

• Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park),

• Alex King (Faithlegg),

• Sean McLoughlin (Co. Sligo),

• Gavin O'Neill (Malahide),

• Morgan O'Sullivan (Ballyneety)

U18 Girls High Performance

• Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle),

• Anna Dawson (Tramore),

• Aine Donegan (Lahinch),

• Emma Fleming (Elm Park),

• Corrina Griffin (Killarney)

U16 Boys High Performance

Aodhagan Brady (Co. Sligo), Adam Challoner (Galway Bay), Fionn Dobbin (Malone), Sean Keeling (Roganstown), Lucas Lyons (Limerick), Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint), Jack Murphy (Douglas), Corey Scullion (Moyola Park), James Walsh (Kinsale), Michael Wilson (Massereene)

Connacht Boys Performance Development

U17 – Liam Boyce (Oughterard), Tom Cafferky (Ballinasloe), Aaron Gilligan (Athenry), Charlie Kelly (Athlone), Padraic McNeela (Oughterard)

Leinster Boys Performance Development

U17 – Thomas Abom (Edmondstown), Alex Byrne (Waterford), Jake Foley (Elm Park), Ethan Garvey (Laytown & Bettystown), Matthew Giles (Greenore), Aiden O’Carroll (Powerscourt), Calum Ward (Carton House)

U15 – Sean Cooper (Enniscorthy), Calum Duane (Royal Curragh), Adam Fahey (Seapoint), Greg Healy (Bray), Dylan Holmes (Greystones), Matthew Lynch (Greenore), Daniel McKenna (Laytown & Bettystown), Evan Monaghan (Tullamore), Neil Patterson (Baltinglass)

Munster Boys Performance Development

U17 – Eoghan Cassidy (Kinsale), Zak Collins (Muskerry), Charlie Flavin (Youghal), Louis Galvin O’Carroll (Kinsale), Eoin Magill (East Clare), Iestyn Winn (Ballyneety)

U15 – Donncha Cleary (Tipperary), John Doyle (Fota Island), Mark Gazi (Tralee), Matthew Kelleher (Fota Island), Ronan O'Keeffe (Monkstown), Paddy Quill (Cork), Sean Reddy (Douglas), Gordon Sillett (Ballykisteen)

Ulster Boys Performance Development

U17 - Kaeden Anderson (Galgorm Castle), Matthew Ball (Rathmore), Noah Bickerstaff (Masserene), Adam Buchanan (Malone), Max Carson (Royal Belfast), Adam McLaughlin (Moyola Park), Charlie Parke (Knock), Michael Rocks Jnr (Lisburn), James T Sweeney (Dunfanaghy)

U15 - Eoin Burrows (Holywood), George Craigan (Malone), Finn Eager (Royal Belfast), Thompson Gedge (Bangor/Holywood), Evan Hogg (Belvoir), Scott McCabe (Masserene), Stuart Nesbitt (Hilton Templepatrick), Charlie Smyth (Slieve Russell)