Castle’s Robert Moran and Lahinch’s Aideen Walsh won the ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play Championships at Royal County Down Golf Club. 

The 54 hole event came right down to the wire for the men as Moran and Hermitage’s Rowan Lester, the overnight leader, needed an additional three-hole play-off to separate them.  

Moran, who arrived at 3 am the night before play began having travelled from the St. Andrew’s Links Trophy in Scotland, shot a final-round 69 to force the play-off on five-over as Lester shot 76.  

“I’m just delighted, I kind of went out with no expectations, I was seven shots behind the leaders but on this golf course you never know what’s going to happen, it’s so hard,” said Moran, who birdied the par-three 10th and then parred the 11th and 18th as Lester Rowan parred all three holes in the aggregate playoff.

“When I finished, I didn’t know what was happening but then I saw the scores and got a little excited.”  

The 21-year-old is studying Business at the National College of Ireland but will be studying how his game compares to the world’s best as he tees it up in the ISPS Handa World Invitational next month. 

“To get an opportunity to play at the World Invitational, especially as it’s at home in Ireland, is something I’m really excited about. Hopefully, there can be spectators so my friends and family can come but I’m looking forward to seeing where my game’s at and giving it a rip.” 

Walsh had a somewhat less stressful finish as she closed out an eight-shot win over Clandeboye’s Jessica Ross, closing with a two-under 74 to win on two-over 230.

“I’d a few birdies to start and was 3-under for the front nine. So, I just tried to continue that on the back, and I finished well. I can’t believe the win to be honest.” 

Walsh took a one-shot lead into the final round and her focus throughout the day was to stay present. 

“My coach texted me and said it’s just another round of golf and that’s all it was, I tried to stick to that while I was playing and not get ahead of myself,” she explained.

While Walsh has won the Women’s Interprovincial Matches with Munster and the Women’s Senior Cup with Lahinch, this is her first individual win. 

“It's a bit mad to be honest. I never thought I would win of these I just sort of played in them, but I can’t believe it. It is different alright not having the team around you but it’s still unbelievable.” 

Walsh will join Moran and Lester in the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle and Massereene from July 28 – August 1. The unique global event is part of the European Tour, LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour schedules and promises to attract some of the best players in the men’s and women’s game. 
For more information on the ISPS HANDA World Invitational click here. 

ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play Championships at Royal County Down Golf Club (Par 71 Men/ Par 76 Women)

Women

Detailed scores

1 Walsh, Aideen (Lahinch) +2 77 79 74 230

2 Ross, Jessica (Clandeboye) +10 83 78 77 238

3 Smith, Deirdre (Co. Louth) +14 79 80 83 242

4 Burke, Shannon (Ballinrobe) +15 79 78 86 243

5 Fleming, Emma (Elm Park) +18 86 78 82 246

6 Browne, Jan (Kilkenny) +19 86 79 82 247

7 Dawson, Anna (Tramore) +19 80 82 85 247

8 Thompson, Rachel (Cork) +20 83 79 86 248

9 Clancy, Valerie (Killarney) +20 80 84 84 248

10 Martin, Mairead (Kanturk) +23 87 82 82 251

11 O'Hara, Molly (Clandeboye) +248 58 384 252

12 O'Gorman, Ellen (Milltown) +27 90 80 85 255

13 McElroy, Sheena (Grange) +29 86 85 86 257

14 Dwyer, Kate (Rossmore) +30 94 79 85 258

15 Walsh, Clodagh (Castlewarden) +31 84 90 85 259

16 Griffin, Corrina (Killarney) +32 89 82 89 260

17 Shippam, Caitlin (Ballykisteen) +35 94 83 86 263

18 Laverty, Tara (Royal Portrush) +43 87 86 98 271

Men

1 Moran, Robert (Castle) +5 75 74 69 218

2 Lester, Rowan (Hermitage) +5 70 72 76 218

3 O'Neill, Luke (Connemara) +10 77 75 71 223

4 Boucher, Marc (Carton House) +11 73 74 77 224

5 Denvir, Charlie (Elm Park) +12 79 72 74 225

6 Coughlan, Paul (Castleknock) +12 76 75 74 225

7 Rafferty, Caolan (Dundalk) +13 74 77 75 226

8 Maguire, Alex (Laytown & Bettystown Gc +13 72 74 80 226

9 Flynn, Darragh (Carton House) +14 78 75 74 227

10 Campbell, Colm Jnr (Warrenpoint) +14 75 73 79 227

11 Lappin, Gareth (Belvoir Park) +15 76 76 76 228

12 Hill, Joshua (Galgorm Castle) +15 72 74 82 228

13 Kennedy, Max (Royal Dublin) +16 78 71 80 229

14 Egan, Keith (Carton House) +16 76 75 78 229

15 Murphy, Sam (Portumna) +16 74 75 80 229

16 McClean, Matthew (Malone) +17 76 74 80 230

17 Williamson, Rory (Holywood) +18 74 77 80 231

18 Fahy, Alan (Dun Laoghaire) +19 72 83 77 232

19 Byrne, Joseph (Baltinglass) +20 79 78 76 233

20 McCrory, Ronan (Lurgan) +20 78 77 78 233

21 Whelan, Jake (Grange) +20 74 80 79 233

22 Dunne, Gerard (Co. Louth) +2180 77 77 234

23 O'Doherty, Ryan (Enniscrone) +21 80 76 78 234

24 Murphy, Eoin (Dundalk) +21 77 79 78 234

25 Desmond, Sean (Monkstown) +23 79 79 78 236

26 Fox, James (Portmarnock) +23 77 78 81 236

27 Flanagan, Sean (Portmarnock) +24 82 75 80 237

28 Murphy, Keith (Arklow) +24 80 78 79 237

29 McDonnell, Jack (Forrest Little) +24 79 79 79 237

30 Milne, Rory (Faithlegg) +24 76 78 83 237

31 Sullivan, Eoin (Carton House) +25787981 238

32 O'Keeffe, Peter (Douglas) +25 77 79 82 238

33 Hood, Jordan (Galgorm Castle) +25 76 80 82 238

34 Cleary, John (Elm Park) +25 74 82 82 238

35 Keeling, Patrick (Roganstown) +26 81 76 82 239

36 Conroy, Paul (Enniscorthy) +29 83 73 86 242

Rtd Carter, Shaun (Royal Dublin) 76 78 Rtd

Rtd Sutherland, Jamie (Galgorm Castle) 77 80 Rtd