Sharvin wins Team Ireland event; Leona changes return schedule
Cormac Sharvin, pictured at the Team Ireland event at Carton House. Picture: © Golffile | Thos Caffrey
Cormac Sharvin edged out Ronan Mullarney in the first of a new series of 36-hole tournaments for Team Ireland supported golfers at Carton House on Tuesday.
Played without any fanfare to avoid the risk of attracting a crowd, Sharvin followed a five-under 68 on the O’Meara Course with a three-under 69 on the Montgomerie Course to top the 12-strong field by a shot from Galway’s Mullarney (70-68) on eight-under
Naas’ Conor O’Rourke was third, four strokes behind Sharvin on four-under with Leona Maguire tied for fourth with Gary Hurley and Dermot McElroy on two-under in an event with a €5,000 prize fund.
Maguire was expected to return to the LPGA Tour on Sunday but she has now changed her schedule and will remain in Europe to contest the now confirmed Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open (August 13-16) and the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon (20-23 August).
The Slieve Russell professional will then return to the US for a long run of events, starting with the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G at Pinnacle Country Club in Arkansas from August 28-30.
Team Ireland Golf was established in 1999 to assist Irish golfers, both male and female, in the early stages of their professional careers on tour. Over 100 players have benefitted from the scheme, including players such as Shane Lowry, Paul Dunne and Michael Hoey.
On March 5, Team Ireland Golf announced it was splitting €221,000 evenly between 13 up and coming Irish touring professionals in 2021.
With no tour golf available for the grant recipients due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Neil Manchip (one of the Team Ireland Golf Performance Managers alongside David Kearney) explained that Sharvin was the player who suggested that Team Ireland organise some events.
The 12 players paid an entry fee of €250 each (€3,000) with Team Ireland Golf topping up the kitty with another €2,000.
Future events will have a similar prize fund with a €2,000 top-up from Team Ireland Golf on whatever entry fees are collected.
“It really came out of a conversation with Cormac Sharvin, who suggested that we could get some events up and running, just for the Team Ireland players, many of whom are left without any tournaments to play in throughout the season,” Manchip said.
“Leona Maguire is here and she is going to start back in the Ladies European Tour soon and the other players are hopefully starting back on the Challenge Tour or European Tour, or Alps Tour — all the various third-tier tours that they play on.
“So it’s just to fill in that gap and give them some good competition between now and when they resume. It’s a good idea to give them some 36-hole events like we are having today at Carton House, one round on the O’Meara, one on the Montgomerie and hopefully see some low scores.
“Since the hiatus they’ve had of not having any tournament golf for the last few months, it is very important to get back playing. Every player here is a fantastic player so even though we only have a field of 12, everyone is a very good player. So it is great competition for them all and hopefully get them back in good form before they head back out on their various tours.”
Supported by Sport Ireland, more than €4 million in grants has been awarded to members of Team Ireland Golf scheme since it was set up in 1999.
“Sport Ireland are amazing,” Manchip added. “They always keep us going with really good funding to help the players pay their expenses in the very expensive career of playing professional golf both on the ladies tours and the men’s tours. Their support for us is invaluable, especially at this stage, where we can afford to help the players out a little bit before they get back out on tour.”
Team Ireland Golf - Event 1, Carton House (O’Meara Par 73; Montgomerie Par 72)
1 Sharvin, Cormac -8 68 69 137 (€1,800)
2 Mullarney, Ronan -7 70 68 138 (€1,350)
3 O'Rourke, Conor -4 70 71 141 (€900)
T4 Maguire, Leona -2 70 73 143 (€317)
T4 Hurley, Gary -2 72 71 143 (€317)
T4 McElroy, Dermot -2 71 72 143 (€317)
7 Carey, David -1 71 73 144
T8 McBride, Paul +1 75 71 146
T8 Galbraith, John Ross +1 70 76 146
10 Purcell, Conor +2 72 75 147
11 Caldwell, Jonathan +4 74 75 149
12 Grehan, Stuart +10 80 75 155
