Golfer Adam Ahern banishes 2024 loss with Muskerry win
Adam Ahern, winner of the Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy, sponsored by RBC Brewin Dolphin. Picture: Niall O'Shea
Adam Ahern is the latest winner of the Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy. From an original entry list of well over 200 golfers.
Adam qualified in the top 64 to qualify for the matchplay stage and the Muskerry man was the last undefeated golfer after six grueling rounds of match play golf over the three days.
The winner was overjoyed to claim one of the most valued trophies in Cork golf, fulfilling a longstanding family quest.
“To be honest, I was very relieved to win I guess. It's something that maybe my grandfather would always have loved to have won,” said Ahern after his win.
“My uncle would have tried a couple of times to win it as well so yeah it's something that I kind of always want to win as well, especially growing up as a juvenile being a Muskerry member.
"Seeing it and hearing about it down through the years and knowing the names that are on the trophy already before me is great.”
Ahern’s achievement is all the more special because of his experience last year.
The Muskerry golfer was the beaten finalist in a match that went all the way to the final hole.
It’s rare to make the final twice, not to mind in consecutive years so Ahern was delighted to finish on top this time.
“Yeah it's almost more of a relief because of the way I kind of lost in the final last year on the 18th to Aaron Olden.
"I just remember his chip on the 18th hole last year in the final was unbelievable and deserving of the win to be fair.
"I said I’d come back this year hungrier and once I got to the final it was only going one way really.
With the event now pushed back from its former date over Easter, many golfers have more time to prepare and come into form, and while Adam didn’t think his form was great he knew he’d be competitive.
“I didn't feel like I was playing good golf coming into the competition. I suppose that depends on the standards and expectations you set yourself but I knew it would be able to compete and I spent a good bit of time in the weeks running up to the event chipping and putting because that's kind of what it comes down to at the end of the day.
"And I think my opponents would probably agree that some of my ups and downs heartbreaking for them but that's kind of what it's all about I suppose.”
As for his play during the six rounds, Adam was happy with the over level.
“I played okay I played what I needed to. in my first game is drove out of bounds on the 17th when I was dormy 2 up. I put my second drive down the middle and put a 5 iron to about 3 feet and I birdied the second ball to half the hole and win.”
“I was under pressure at times, Enda Keane in the second round brought me to the 20th hole but I was able to dig deep and birdied the second play off hole.
"I much prefer match play to stroke play. I'd be liable to a 7 or an 8 as you could see from my most recently handed in cards and when you're playing off two or three that's your handicap done for the day, whereas when you're playing in match play it’s only one down and I'm able to kind of just bounce back from that 7 or 8.”
Ahern joins a prestigious list of winners that dates back to 1970.
He’s the 17th Muskerry member to win and will be hoping to join the likes of John McSweeney, Liam Harte and Gerard O’Shea who have all won on more than one occasion.
O’Shea gave himself a chance of a third win, the 1999 and 2006 champion made the semi-final before losing out to the eventual winner.
The beaten finalist was Mark Cremin who beat Lee Valley’s Pat Power in the other semi-final.
The competition was sponsored by RBC Brewin Dolphin.
App?
