JACK MURPHY is the 2022 Leinster Under-16 Boys Open after winning a three-hole play-off at Tullamore GC. 

The Douglas golfer defeated Massereene's Michael Wilson by a shot, after the pair finished on level par for their two rounds. 

It was a great result for Murphy, as he retained the title he won last year in Delgany.

Murphy held a two shot lead after the opening round, but he opened with a bogey as he started his second round. 

Two birdies on the front nine (4th & 8th) got him back on track and the teenager had a three shot lead heading into the back nine. 

He was motoring nicely but bogies on the 16th and 17th meant that he finished in a tie with Wilson. 

The Ulster golfer shot a 67 including birdies on the 16th and 17th to get himself in a position for the playoff.

The opening hole of the play-off proved crucial with Murphy's birdie on the par-5 15th, giving him a three-shot lead. 

He went on to win by one, despite a double-bogey on the 18th. Murphy is the second Cork golfer to come home with silverware from Tullamore. Peter O’Keeffe won the AIG Irish Close title there in August.

Fota Island’s Matthew Kelleher finished in 8th place after a level par 70, and Sean Reddy, Frankie Walsh and Barry O’Connell were all in the top thirty. Sean Deasy and Ronan O’Keeffe made the cut for the second round but finished down the field.

Cork interest in the West of Ireland finished on Monday. Peter O’Keeffe qualified for the matchplay which started on Monday but be lost out on the final green in the first round. 

O’Keeffe was hovering just outside the top twenty in the opening rounds and would have targeted a top 16 finish in Sunday’s final Strokeplay round. The Douglas member had a steady opening nine holes, and he put together a great level par back nine. 

That would prove enough as many of those around him dropped shots in the last nine holes. O’Keeffe will now be targeting a defence of the Munster Strokeplay which takes place in two weeks time in Cork Golf Club.

There were plenty of other Cork golfers in action in Co Sligo last weekend. Charleville’s Jordan Bowles won a place in the field thanks to leading the qualifying event last week, and he went on to finish in 18th place just missing out in the matchplay. 

Mel Deasy did challenge for a matchplay finish for a while but ended up in the top forty. Dran O’Riordan, Robbie Walsh, Morgan Cain and James Walsh all finished the 54 hole Strokeplay stage outside the top fifty.

This was the first time a championship was played under the 54/16 format, the traditional West would see the top 64 advance after two rounds of strokeplay. 

The event is still staged over five days which still requires a big commitment from the amateur field, and it will be interesting to see if Co Sligo retain the new format or if it’s used for other championships.

The Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy returned to it’s usual Easter date this year, but the weather on Sunday meant that the semi-finals could not go ahead. 

The extensive rain in the early hours of Sunday morning flooded several areas of the course, and that resulted in the course superintendent closing the course for the following day as well. 

As a result the semi-finals and final will now be played next Saturday. The four rounds that were completed saw the field of 64 qualifiers whittled down to just four, and after Saturday there will be a new name on the famous trophy. 

The first semi-final will see Thomas Hughes (Fota Island) take on Barry Keane (Muskerry) with that match teeing off at 7.10am. 

Muskerry’s Mark O'Flynn will face Lee Valley’s Liam Power in the second semi-final.

Kinsale held the first Boy’s Open of the season last week, The Meredith Talbot Cup. 

The competition was won by James Walsh who shot a very impressive 71 in very difficult conditions. 

Attention now turns to the Munster Strokeplay which returns to Cork Golf Club over the May Bank Holiday weekend. 

The event does clash with the Lytham Trophy in England but there is a top quality field confirmed for the event. 

The 72 hole Strokeplay tournament is part again part of the Golf Ireland Bridgestone Tour. 

Last year Peter O’Keeffe retained his title, and he’ll be in with a chance to be the first golfer in over 80 years to win the title for a third year in a row. 

Former winners Cathal Butler and Joe Lyons are also in the field as well as close to twenty local golfers who will be hoping to add their name to the Cork Scratch Cup.