NOBODY dominated the men's amateur golf season in Ireland during 2016 as the many titles were spread around the country, although there were some notable performances from players.
Of course, there has been a drain again of top players deciding to try their luck on the professional scene, Ballymena boy Dermot McElroy among them.
As usual, the Irish amateur season teed off, at Easter, in earnest with the West of Ireland Championship, at Co Sligo, and Jonathan Yates (Naas) collected his first 'regional open' title. In the semi-finals he overcame defending champion Dermot McElroy by one hole and then took the title with a 2&1 win against David Holland (Castle).
Holland was a surprise 5&4 winner over Colm Campbell junior, as the Warrenpoint man was expected to be the one who would seriously challenge McElroy. The leading qualifier was local Sean Flanagan, who gave warning of what was to come later from him.
One of the biggest amateur tournaments of the year is the Flogas Irish Open, at Royal Dublin. Warrenpoint stalwart Campbell emerged the hero as he beat off the international challenge to win the championship on 272, one stroke ahead of Jack Hume with German Maximilian Borgel third on 276.
With a 23-strong entry in the British Championship at Royal Portcawl, it was expected that the Irish would make a brave effort for honours but it didn't work out that way. Only Paul McBride (The Island) made a big effort. He reached the semi-finals before losing to Scot Robert McIntyre in a two-hole shootout. Only Caolan Rafferty, Jack Hume, Dermot McElroy, Sean Flanagan and McBride survived the cut and Scot Gregory (Corhampton) won the title.
One of the biggest victories for an Irish player was carded by Tramore's Robin Dawson as he won the World Universities' Men's Championship, in France, during June. Dawson, Eugene Smith (Ardee) and Cathal Butler (Kinsale) took second place in the team event. Packed into the summer months is, of course, a long list of major events, including the men's interprovincial championships and the Cathedral Eye North of Ireland Championship.
The former was staged at Fota Island on June 4 to 6 and Leinster retained the men's title for the first time from 1972. They beat Connacht and Munster and drew with Ulster on the final day when the honours were decided, Ulster having beaten Munster and Connacht, also. A countback of matches won made the difference and it was Conor Purcell's 18th green birdie, in the last match, for a one hole win over JR Galbraith, that clinched the title for Leinster.
Because of being away the previous week with Ireland in the European Team Championship in France, Colm Campbell and Conor O'Rourke (Naas) didn't have to qualify for the North. History was made in the annual Twelfth Week competition as qualifying was held at Portstewart, for the first time, because The Valley course, at Royal Portrush, was under re-development.
The weather wasn’t too kind but the competition was keen and Sean Flanagan, from Rosses Point, emerged a dark horse. In the semis, he zipped past his Maynooth University room mate Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) by 4&3 before ousting Tiernan McLarnon (Massereene) by 3&1 in the final. McLarnon ended Dermot McElroy's amateur career with a semi-final 3&2 win, as the Ballymena player signed off on his amateur career.
One of the major achievements of the year was Ireland completing a hat-trick of wins with a Triple Crown success in the men's Home Internationals, at Nairn. After beating Wales and Scotland, Ireland edged past England 8-7 on August 12, with Conor O'Rourke, JR Galbraith, Robin Dawson and Colm Campbell winning the last four singles matches for victory, on the day and overall.
The East of Ireland Championship was won in June, at Co Louth, by Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) from local Gerard Dunne while Conor Purcell, after a one hole semi-final win against Colm Campbell, went home from Lahinch the South Championship winner, having overcome Rowan Lester (Hermitage) in the final.
Despite very few appearances in Ireland, Leona Maguire has been the top woman amateur during 2016 and, for the second year, finished World Number One, ahead of Hannah O'Sullivan (USA) and Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down).
Playing out of Duke University, Cavan girl Maguire won a string of college titles and went elbow-to-elbow with professionals, as well. In the WPGA Rioch Open in California she won the Smyth Salver as top amateur and she carded four points for GB&I in the team's exciting 11.5 to 8.5 defeat of the USA in the Curtis Cup, at Dun Laoghaire, in June.
Leona, after partnering pro Stephanie Meadow in the Olympics, also raced through the USPGA Qualifying School in Florida, to reach the final stage but pulled out. She decided to finish her college degree, saying she wanted to qualify along with her collegiate colleagues, including her twin sister Lisa.
Neither Leona nor Olivia Mehaffey played in the Women's Ulster Open Championship, at Royal Belfast, and it was Lisa Maguire who collected the silverware. In the final, she defeated Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 3&1 after beating Georgie Carr (Milltown) in the semi-finals.
It was quite a year for Tandragee teenager Mehaffey, too, before she went off to study in the States. She began, in April, at The Island with victory in the Irish Strokeplay Open, heading the leaderboard on 223, eight shots ahead of Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) with Chloe Williams (Wales) third on 232.
Next month, at Conwy, she retained the Welsh Open by six shots from Donaghadee's Jessica Ross. Mehaffey also won the Irish Close title at Lahinch with a one hole victory over Louise Coffey (Malone).
The Irish Senior Women's Close crown was retained by Gertie McMullan (The Island) with victory over England-based Laura Webb, originally from Cairndhu.
In July, Ulster won the Ladies' interpros at Slieve Russell while Leinster took the girls' title and one of the biggest results of the season was Ireland beating Belgium 3-2, in Poland, thanks to a 50 foot winning putt at the 21st by Mary Sheehy (Tralee) in the Senior European Championship.
