Aaron O’Callaghan from the Douglas Club celebrated his 21st birthday with a superb win in the Men’s Senior Scratch Cup for 2009 at Waterford Golf Club at the weekend.
Glorious sunshine prevailed and combined with excellent course conditions to present a thrilling encounter at the club course in Newrath, Ferrybank for the prestigious Waterford Crystal Trophy.
Entries to the event, which was oversubscribed, was run over two days with 72 holes of challenging golf. There was also a large crowd of spectators - the biggest seen in years.
50 golfers survived the Saturday cut from a field of 96 with Ger Lawlor the overnight leader. Paddy Power bookmakers had Cian Curley as an 11/2 favourite but he finished 10th place. Last year’s winner, Richard O’Donovan, finished a credible third.
It was also the inaugural year for the World Amateur Ranking, which added to the status of the event.
Outstanding performances from local golfer’s Ian Murphy, finishing 4th, and Mark Shanahan created additional excitement going into the final day.
The event was also recorded by the Golf Channel to be broadcast into the SKY TV golf network channels to a world-wide viewing audience of over 200 million viewers.
Presenting the winning trophy to O’Callaghan, Club Captain John Fearon thanked all the competitors for their participation. The Waterford Scratch Cup he said was back in its rightful position as a headline event on the Irish Golfing Calendar.
An appeal for a replacement sponsor for Waterford Crystal was also made to ensure the financial viability of the event. Officials from the G.U.I. also added their endorsement to the professional manner in which the event had been planned, promoted and executed.
Final Result
1st Aaron O Callaghan (Douglas) 71.71,74,71 = 287
2nd David Ruddy (Thurles) 70,72,76,72 = 290
3rd Richard O Donovan (Lucan) 74,70,72,75 = 291
4th Ian Murphy (Waterford) 70,73,77,72 = 292
5th Gerard Lawlor (Newbridge) 67,77,72,76 292
6th Gareth Dillon (The Heath) 78,71,76,69. = 294
7th Mark Shanahan (West Waterford) 71,71,73,79 = 294
8th David Reilly (Westmanstown) 77,73,70,75 = 295
9th John Mitchell (Tramore) 71,72,76,76 = 295
10th Cian Curley (Newlands) 74,78,75,69 = 296
