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Irish Amateur Open Championship

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Irish Amateur Open Championship
Tournament information
LocationIreland
Established1892
FormatStroke play
Current champion
John Gough

The Irish Amateur Open Championship is an amateur golf tournament held annually in Ireland and organised by the Golf Ireland. The championship has been played as a 72-hole stroke-play event since 1958. Previously it was played as a match-play tournament.

Golf Ireland also runs the Irish Amateur Close Championship which is restricted to players born in (or with a parent born in) Ireland or, at the discretion of Golf Ireland, resident in Ireland for at least five years.

History

[edit]

The Golfing Union of Ireland was founded in late 1891 and organised their first championship meeting at Portrush in 1892, which included an open amateur championship. The championship was held from 7 to 9 September. There were 32 entries, with two 18-hole match-play rounds on each of the first two days and an 18-hole final on the third day.[1] Two Scottish golfers contested the final, with Alexander Stuart beating John Andrew by one hole.[2]

The 1893 championship was held from 13 to 15 September. There were 35 entries which meant that three preliminary matches were required.[3] The final was extended to 36 holes. Considerable interest was added by the entry of John Ball, a three-time winner of the Amateur Championship and the 1890 Open champion. He went on to win the event, winning the final 8&7.[4] Ball reached the final again in 1894 at Royal Dublin, this time winning the final 9&7, adding the title to the Amateur Championship he had won earlier in the year.[5] On six occasions between 1894 and 1901, the Irish Championship Meeting included a professional tournament as well as the Amateur Championship. The 1895 championship at Portrush attracted 64 entries and the event was expanded to four days. Ball played again but lost at the last-32 stage to Ranald Gilroy, a young Scottish golfer.[6] Gilroy lost in the semi-final to William B. Taylor who went on the win the final 13&11.[7] Taylor retained the title in 1896, again winning the final by a large margin, this time 9&8.[8]

Harold Hilton made his first appearance in 1897 at Royal Dublin and won the title.[9] William B Taylor won the third time in 1898, although only beating Richard Dallmeyer at the 37th hole. All his three successes came in the absence of John Ball and Hilton.[10] Ball and Hilton both played in 1899 at Portmarnock. Hilton was surprisingly beaten in the semi-final by John Williamson, losing at the final hole.[11] Ball beat Williamson 12&11 in a one-sided final.[12] Ball was unable to defend his title in 1900 as he was serving in the Second Boer War. Hilton won the title, beating Sidney Fry 11&9 in the final.[13] Hilton retained the title in 1901 and again in 1902, his fourth win.[14][15] Hilton played again at Portmarnock in 1903 but lost in the quarter-finals to local player Henry Boyd. Boyd completed the first 8 holes in 30 strokes to be 5 holes up and eventually won 3&2.[16] Boyd became the first Irish finalist but lost a close match to George Wilkie by one hole.[17] The 1904 final was contested between James Worthington and James Mitchell. Mitchell led by 3 holes after the morning round but Worthington won 9 of the 14 holes in the afternoon to win 6&4.[18]

The 1905 meeting was moved to early August to try to attract more of the leading British golfers. However it failed to do so and Henry Boyd and James Mitchell, the losing finalists in 1903 and 1904 met in the 1905 final. Boyd won the match 3&2 and became the first Irish winner.[19] Herbert Barker won in 1906, beating the 1904 champion, James Worthington, in an all-English final.[20] Two Scots won in 1907 and 1908, Douglas Brown followed by James Mitchell, the 1904 and 1905 runner-up.[21][22] Lionel Munn became the second Irish winner in 1909, beating the Scot, Robert Garson, in the final. Munn led by 5 holes after the morning round and was still 4 up with 9 holes to play. The match, however, went to the final hole, Munn winning by two holes.[23] Munn retained the title in 1910, beating Gordon Lockhart in the final. Munn led by 8 holes after the morning round and won 9&7.[24] Munn won the third successive time in 1911, beating Michael Scott in the final. Scott was recently returned from Australia where he had enjoyed considerable success. Munn led by one hole after the morning round but dominated in the afternoon, winning 7&6.[25] There was an all-Scottish final in 1912, with Gordon Lockhart winning.[26] Charles Palmer won in 1913, beating Lou Phillips, an ex-Welsh rugby union international, in the final.[27]

The championship resumed in 1919 and was won by the English golfer Carl Bretherton who beat Tommy Armour in the final at Portrush.[28] Political troubles in Ireland saw a reduction in the number of leading non-Irish amateurs competing and the 1920 event produced the first all-Irish final with Noel Martin winning.[29] Martin won again in 1923 and with Charles Hezlet winning in 1926 and 1929 and Wilson Smyth, Alfred Lowe, Edwin Spiller and Roy McConnell also winning, the 1920s produced eight Irish winners. the two non-Irish winners were Tony Torrance, who won in 1925 and Seymour Noon who won in 1928.[30][31] The early 1930s produced a series of non-Irish winners. William Sutton won an all-English final in 1930 and there were five successive Scottish winners from 1931 to 1935.[32] Eric McRuvie won in 1931 with Jack McLean winning in 1932 and 1933 and Hector Thomson in 1934 and 1935.[33][34][35] The 1936 event clashed with the Walker Cup in which McLean and Thomson were playing and the championship produced an all-Irish final won by Joe Brown.[36] There were further Irish winners in 1937 and 1938 with wins by Johnnie Fitzsimmons and Jimmy Bruen.[37][38] The 1939 event was due to start at Portmarnock on 4 September but was cancelled following the start of World War II.

The event resumed in 1946. A Scot, Alex Kyle, reached the final in 1946 but otherwise all finals from 1946 to 1957 were contested by Irish players.[39] Joe Carr won four times and was in three other finals. Cecil Ewing won twice in 1948 and 1951, while Norman Drew won in 1952 and 1953.[40][41] In an attempt to attract more overseas players, the championship became a 72-hole stroke-play event in 1958. Planned for three days in late-August it was extended to four days by bad weather, and was won by Tom Craddock.[42] Johnny Duncan won in 1959, five strokes ahead of Archibald Gordon.[43] In late June 1960, Portmarnock hosted the Canada Cup. The Irish close championship was moved to the late August date and the amateur open was cancelled. Later in 1960 the GUI decided to discontinue the event, despite protests from the Leinster delegates.

The event was revived at Fota Island in 1995 and was won by Pádraig Harrington. Louis Oosthuizen won in 2002 while Rory McIlroy lost in a playoff in 2006.

Winners

[edit]
Year Champion Score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Venue Ref
2024 Northern Ireland Matthew McClean 273 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Liam Nolan County Sligo
2023 England John Gough 280 1 stroke England Dylan Shaw-Radford The Island
2022 Northern Ireland Colm Campbell 289 Playoff Northern Ireland Matthew McClean The Island
2021 Republic of Ireland Peter O'Keeffe 217 Playoff Switzerland Nicola Gerhardsen European Club
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland [44]
2019 England James Newton 275 5 strokes Republic of Ireland Conor Purcell County Sligo
2018 Republic of Ireland Robin Dawson 282 4 strokes Republic of Ireland Alex Gleeson
England John Gough		 Royal County Down
2017 Republic of Ireland Peter O'Keeffe 286 3 strokes Scotland Chris Maclean
England Tom Sloman		 County Down
2016 Northern Ireland Colm Campbell 272 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Jack Hume Royal Dublin
2015 Republic of Ireland Gavin Moynihan 284 3 strokes Northern Ireland Cormac Sharvin Royal Dublin
2014 Scotland Jamie Savage 288 2 strokes Isle of Man Tom Gandy
Republic of Ireland Gary McDermott
Northern Ireland Cormac Sharvin
Netherlands Robbie van West		 Royal Dublin
2013 Republic of Ireland Robbie Cannon 295 Playoff Republic of Ireland Gavin Moynihan
Scotland Graeme Robertson		 Royal Dublin
2012 Republic of Ireland Gavin Moynihan 295 1 stroke Netherlands Robin Kind Royal Dublin
2011 Wales Rhys Pugh 294 Playoff Scotland Gordon Stevenson Royal Dublin
2010 Northern Ireland Alan Dunbar 292 1 stroke Scotland Kris Nicol Royal Dublin
2009 Scotland Gavin Dear 289 2 strokes Scotland Wallace Booth Royal Dublin
2008 Portugal Pedro Figueiredo 278 7 strokes Northern Ireland Conor Doran
England Billy Hemstock
Scotland Keir McNicoll		 Royal Dublin
2007 Scotland Lloyd Saltman 291 2 strokes Northern Ireland Richard Kilpatrick Royal Dublin
2006 Finland Antti Ahokas 291 Playoff Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy Portmarnock
2005 Scotland Richie Ramsay 283 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Darren Crowe Carton House (O’Meara course)
2004 Wales Craig Smith 289 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Sean McTernan Carton House (Montgomerie course)
2003 Republic of Ireland Noel Fox 282 2 strokes Wales Stuart Manley Royal Dublin
2002 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen 283 1 stroke England Paul Bradshaw Royal Dublin
2001 England Richard McEvoy 277 Playoff Northern Ireland Michael Hoey Royal Dublin
2000 Republic of Ireland Noel Fox 284 3 strokes Republic of Ireland Ken Kearney
Republic of Ireland Michael McDermott		 Royal Dublin
1999 Republic of Ireland Gary Cullen 282 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Jody Fanagan Royal Dublin
1998 Northern Ireland Michael Hoey 286 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Gary Cullen Royal Dublin
1997 Republic of Ireland Keith Nolan 279 6 strokes Republic of Ireland Richie Coughlan
Republic of Ireland Noel Fox		 Fota Island
1996 Republic of Ireland Keith Nolan 286 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Peter Lawrie Fota Island
1995 Republic of Ireland Pádraig Harrington 283 4 strokes Northern Ireland Garth McGimpsey Fota Island
1960–94: Not played
1959 Northern Ireland Johnny Duncan 313 5 strokes Scotland Archibald Gordon Royal County Down [43]
1958 Republic of Ireland Tom Craddock 294 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Joe Carr
Republic of Ireland Billy Hulme		 Royal Dublin [42]
1957 Northern Ireland Ian Bamford 37 holes Republic of Ireland Billy Meharg Royal Portrush [45]
1956 Republic of Ireland Joe Carr 1 up Republic of Ireland James Mahon Portmarnock [39]
1955 Republic of Ireland John Fitzgibbon 1 up Republic of Ireland Billy Hulme Royal County Down [46]
1954 Republic of Ireland Joe Carr 6 and 4 Republic of Ireland Cecil Ewing Royal Dublin [47]
1953 Northern Ireland Norman Drew 4 and 3 Republic of Ireland Billy O'Sullivan Killarney [41]
1952 Northern Ireland Norman Drew 5 and 4 Northern Ireland Cecil Beamish Royal Portrush [48]
1951 Republic of Ireland Cecil Ewing 2 and 1 Republic of Ireland Joe Carr Portmarnock [40]
1950 Republic of Ireland Joe Carr 40 holes Republic of Ireland Cecil Ewing County Sligo [49]
1949 Republic of Ireland Billy O'Sullivan 2 up Republic of Ireland Brennie Scannell Killarney [50]
1948 Republic of Ireland Cecil Ewing 1 up Republic of Ireland Joe Carr Royal County Down [51]
1947 Republic of Ireland John Burke 1 up Republic of Ireland Joe Carr Royal Dublin [52]
1946 Republic of Ireland Joe Carr 3 and 1 Scotland Alex Kyle Royal Portrush [53]
1940–45: Not played due to World War II
1939 Cancelled due to declaration of war Portmarnock
1938 Republic of Ireland Jimmy Bruen 9 and 8 Republic of Ireland James Mahon Royal County Down [38]
1937 Northern Ireland Johnnie Fitzsimmons 4 and 3 Scotland Robert McKinna Royal Dublin [37]
1936 Republic of Ireland Joe Brown 39 holes Republic of Ireland Billy O'Sullivan Portmarnock [36]
1935 Scotland Hector Thomson 5 and 4 Scotland Jack McLean Royal Portrush [35]
1934 Scotland Hector Thomson 3 and 2 England Harry Bentley Portmarnock [54]
1933 Scotland Jack McLean 3 and 2 England Eric Fiddian Royal County Down [34]
1932 Scotland Jack McLean 9 and 8 Republic of Ireland Joe Brown Royal Dublin [55]
1931 Scotland Eric McRuvie 7 and 5 Northern Ireland Donald Soulby Royal County Down [33]
1930 England William Sutton 4 and 3 England Douglas Fiddian Portmarnock [32]
1929 Northern Ireland Charles Hezlet 1 up Scotland Jack Lang Royal Portrush [56]
1928 England Seymour Noon 1 up Northern Ireland Edwin Spiller Royal Dublin [31]
1927 Northern Ireland Roy McConnell 5 and 3 Northern Ireland Donald Soulby Royal County Down [57]
1926 Northern Ireland Charles Hezlet 7 and 6 Northern Ireland Roy McConnell Portmarnock [58]
1925 Scotland Tony Torrance 4 and 3 Northern Ireland Charles Hezlet Royal Portrush [30]
1924 Northern Ireland Edwin Spiller 3 and 1 Republic of Ireland John MacCormack Royal Dublin [59]
1923 Northern Ireland Noel Martin 1 up Northern Ireland Charles Hezlet Royal County Down [60]
1922 Northern Ireland Alfred Lowe 6 and 4 Northern Ireland James Henderson Royal Portrush [61]
1921 Northern Ireland Wilson Smyth 2 up Republic of Ireland Joe Gorry Royal County Down
1920 Ireland Noel Martin 6 and 5 Ireland Charles Robertson Portmarnock [29]
1919 England Carl Bretherton 4 and 3 Scotland Tommy Armour Royal Portrush [28]
1914–18: Not played due to World War I
1913 England Charles Palmer 4 and 3 Wales Lou Phillips Royal Dublin [27]
1912 Scotland Gordon Lockhart 11 and 9 Scotland Patrick Jenkins Royal County Down [26]
1911 Ireland Lionel Munn 7 and 6 England Michael Scott Portmarnock [25]
1910 Ireland Lionel Munn 9 and 7 Scotland Gordon Lockhart Royal Portrush [24]
1909 Ireland Lionel Munn 2 up Scotland Robert Garson Royal Dublin [23]
1908 Scotland James Mitchell 3 and 2 Ireland Hugh Cairnes Royal County Down [22]
1907 Scotland Douglas Brown 2 and 1 England Sidney Fry Portmarnock [21]
1906 England Herbert Barker 6 and 4 England James Worthington Royal Portrush [20]
1905 Ireland Henry Boyd 3 and 2 Scotland James Mitchell Royal Dublin [19]
1904 England James Worthington 6 and 4 Scotland James Mitchell County Down [18]
1903 Scotland George Wilkie 1 up Ireland Henry Boyd Portmarnock [17]
1902 England Harold Hilton 5 and 3 Scotland William Hamilton Royal Portrush [15]
1901 England Harold Hilton 6 and 4 Scotland Peter Dowie Royal Dublin [14]
1900 England Harold Hilton 11 and 9 England Sidney Fry County Down [13]
1899 England John Ball 12 and 11 Scotland John Williamson Portmarnock [12]
1898 Scotland William Taylor 37 holes England Richard Dallmeyer Royal Portrush [10]
1897 England Harold Hilton 6 and 5 Scotland Stuart Anderson Royal Dublin [9]
1896 Scotland William Taylor 9 and 8 Scotland David Anderson County Down [8]
1895 Scotland William Taylor 13 and 11 Scotland John Williamson Royal Portrush [7]
1894 England John Ball 9 and 7 Scotland David Low Royal Dublin [5]
1893 England John Ball 8 and 7 Scotland Stuart Anderson County Down [4]
1892 Scotland Alexander Stuart 1 up Scotland John Andrew Royal Portrush [2]

The 1892 final was played over 18 holes. From 1893 finals were played over 36 holes.

Source:[62][63]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Irish amateur championship meeting at Portrush". Belfast News-Letter. 8 September 1892. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "The Irish amateur championship meeting at Portrush". Belfast News-Letter. 10 September 1892. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Irish amateur championship meeting". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1893. p. 9.
  4. ^ a b "The Irish amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1893. p. 9.
  5. ^ a b "The Irish amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1894. p. 9.
  6. ^ "The Irish open amateur championship meeting". The Glasgow Herald. 11 September 1895. p. 7.
  7. ^ a b "The Irish amateur championship meeting". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1895. p. 11.
  8. ^ a b "The Irish championship meeting". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1896. p. 3.
  9. ^ a b "Irish amateur golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1897. p. 9.
  10. ^ a b "Close of Irish open championship – Victory of W. B. Taylor". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1898. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 1 September 1899. p. 10.
  12. ^ a b "The Irish amateur open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 2 September 1899. p. 8.
  13. ^ a b "The Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1900. p. 10.
  14. ^ a b "The Irish championship – Victory for Mr. Hilton". The Glasgow Herald. 6 September 1901. p. 11.
  15. ^ a b "The Irish championship". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1902. p. 10.
  16. ^ "Irish open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1903. p. 11.
  17. ^ a b "Irish open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 September 1903. p. 11.
  18. ^ a b "The Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 5 September 1904. p. 9.
  19. ^ a b "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1905. p. 10.
  20. ^ a b "The Irish open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1906. p. 12.
  21. ^ a b "The Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 September 1907. p. 12.
  22. ^ a b "Irish open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 5 September 1908. p. 10.
  23. ^ a b "The Irish open golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1909. p. 7.
  24. ^ a b "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1910. p. 7.
  25. ^ a b "Irish golf champion". The Glasgow Herald. 2 September 1911. p. 7.
  26. ^ a b "Irish golf amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1912. p. 7.
  27. ^ a b "Golf in Ireland". The Glasgow Herald. 6 September 1913. p. 11.
  28. ^ a b "Irish championship". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1919. p. 4.
  29. ^ a b "Irish amateur open championship". The Glasgow Herald. 11 September 1920. p. 9.
  30. ^ a b "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1925. p. 15.
  31. ^ a b "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 15 September 1928. p. 12.
  32. ^ a b "New Irish golf champion". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1930. p. 3.
  33. ^ a b "Scottish golfer's triumph". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1931. p. 16.
  34. ^ a b "Brilliant golf final". The Glasgow Herald. 25 September 1933. p. 9.
  35. ^ a b "H. Thomson retains Irish title". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1935. p. 3.
  36. ^ a b "J. C. Brown wins Irish golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1936. p. 6.
  37. ^ a b "Erratic Scot misses Irish golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 11 September 1937. p. 3.
  38. ^ a b "Britain's best amateur". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1938. p. 3.
  39. ^ a b "J. B. Carr wins Irish title". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1956. p. 9.
  40. ^ a b "Ewing wins Irish title". Birmingham Post. 8 September 1951. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ a b "Drew retains Irish Championship". The Glasgow Herald. 14 June 1953. p. 9.
  42. ^ a b "Narrow win for Craddock". The Glasgow Herald. 30 August 1958. p. 8.
  43. ^ a b "Irish title won by five shots". The Glasgow Herald. 27 August 1959. p. 10.
  44. ^ "GUI revises schedule - cancels Irish Amateur and four provincial championships; Irish Close in October". Irish Golf Desk. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  45. ^ "Irish Amateur Champion". The Glasgow Herald. 2 September 1957. p. 4.
  46. ^ "Bright Irish final". The Glasgow Herald. 19 September 1955. p. 4.
  47. ^ "Irish "Amateur"". The Glasgow Herald. 6 September 1954. p. 9.
  48. ^ "Irish title winner". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1952. p. 9.
  49. ^ "Carr's Irish title". The Glasgow Herald. 9 September 1950. p. 6.
  50. ^ "Irish title for O'Sullivan". The Glasgow Herald. 24 September 1949. p. 2.
  51. ^ "Ewing wins Irish title". The Glasgow Herald. 11 September 1948. p. 4.
  52. ^ "Burke new Irish champion". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1947. p. 4.
  53. ^ "Kyle beaten in Irish golf final". The Glasgow Herald. 7 September 1946. p. 4.
  54. ^ "Thomson wins Irish championship". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1934. p. 19.
  55. ^ "Jack M'Lean wins at Dublin". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1932. p. 9.
  56. ^ "The Irish amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1929. p. 17.
  57. ^ "Irish amateur golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1927. p. 13.
  58. ^ "The Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 11 September 1926. p. 17.
  59. ^ "The Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1924. p. 5.
  60. ^ "Irish amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 15 September 1923. p. 15.
  61. ^ "Irish open amateur championship". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1922. p. 10.
  62. ^ "Past winners of the Irish Amateur Open Championship" (PDF). Golfnet.ie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  63. ^ "Irish Amateur Open". Irish Golf Desk. Retrieved 12 May 2022.Irish Amateur Open Championship
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