Pitch & Putt IrelandNational Seniors Stats Review
By John Manning
John Manning takes a look at the stats review from last weekend in St Stephen's where the National Ladies and gents senior Championships took place.
Weeshie Murphy is the third player in history to win two National Gent’s Over-55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay championship titles.
The 12 year gap between Weeshie’s first (2012) and most recent (2024) win is an all-time record.
Weeshie made it four Cork wins in a row and an eighth in all for Leeside club representatives.
Brendan Rothwell is the first player from Killineer and the third from Louth to finish runner-up in the National Gent’s Over-55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay championship.
Michael Long is the first St. Anne’s player to achieve a podium finish in the National Gent’s Over-55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay championship.
Raffeen Creek/Pfizer has now produced three wins in the National Gent’s Over-55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay (Weeshie Murphy’s two and John Tett in 2019), moving the Ringaskiddy club ahead of Fermoy (2), Templebreedy (2) and Erin’s Isle (2).
Kieran O’Driscoll is the first member of Ballinlough to win any National Over-55 Strokeplay championship.
Kieran O’Driscoll is the fourth Cork player to claim the National Gent’s Over-55 Junior Grade Strokeplay Cup.
It was a third National Gent’s Over-55 Junior Grade victory in a row for Cork clubs – the best run by any county in the 20-year history of the championship.
John Power is the first Claycastle club member to be runner-up in the National Gent’s Over-55 Junior Grade Strokeplay championship.
Edward Kenny is the first St. Anne’s player to achieve a podium finish in the National Gent’s Over-55 Junior Grade Strokeplay championship.
For second successive year and only the second time in history, the champion and runner-up in the same year have represented the same county.
In 2024, for the first time ever, all three Junior A medallists represented the same county – Cork.
2024 saw the third-ever tie for the Junior A championship.
John Power claimed Claycastle’s, Cork’s and Munster’s first success in the newlyintroducedNational Gent’s Over-55 Junior B Grade Strokeplaychampionship. In so doing, he set the new record low winning aggregate for the championship with his 116 return.
Pat Desmond filled runners-up slot in the National Gent’s Over-55 Junior B Grade Strokeplayas he achieved Bishopstown’s first podium finish in any of the seven National Over-55 Strokeplay categories.
Barry Henchion becomes the first player ever to gather a National Gents Over 55 Junior B Grade third place finish over his home course.
Geraldine Ward moves on to a brace of National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship successes.
She retained her title, the second player in history to do so. Her next quest will be to emulate club colleague SheelaghElmes who annexed three successive titles – in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Margaret Hogan took second place in the National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship for the second time, joining Mairead O’Toole, Kathleen Geraghty and Maree O’Toole atop the all-time list.
Ger Ward becomes the third player in history to hold at least two National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay gold medals and at least one silver medal. The others are Margaret Hogan and Mairead O’Toole.
Margaret Hogan has now been winner twice, second twice and third twice in the National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship.
Ger Ward finished in the top three for the third successive year, equalling Margaret Hogan (2014, 2015, 2016) but still shy of Sheelagh Elmes (four top threes in succession from 2010).
Breda White how holds two wins and two third places in the National Ladies Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship.
The ladies senior 1-2-3 was the same as at Bellewstown two years ago but in different order.
Paula Nolan joins Mary Murray as a Rocklodge winner of the National Ladies Over-55 inter grade Strokeplay.
Margaret Forde now boasts a win (junior 2012), a second place (inter 2015) and two third spots (junior 2011 and inter 2024) in the National Ladies Over-55 Strokeplay championships. That’s in addition to Intermediate Best Nett in 2018.
Vera McCarthy was third at senior level in Cement thirteen years ago before claiming the intermediate bronze medal at St. Stephen’s.
Lorraine Creed is the first Hillview player (and the fourth from Tipperary) to win the All Ireland Ladies Over-55 junior grade Strokeplay championship.
Lorraine is the first All-Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup runner-up to win the National Ladies Over-55 junior grade Strokeplay title. (Betty Cody claimed the Intermediate Cup in 2014).
Margaret O’Donovan’s love affair with the National Ladies Over-55 junior grade Strokeplay championship continues. The Bruff lady captured second spot at St. Stephen’s five years on from her triumphant performance at E.S.B.
Georgina Harte ensured a host club third place achievement in the All Ireland Ladies Over-55 junior grade Strokeplay championship for the second consecutive year.
Richard Jordan becomes Raffeen Creek’s and Cork’s first ever winner of the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship.
Richard is the first winner of the Championship Best Nett (which he garnered at Cloghogue in 2017 and at McDonagh the following year) to graduate to overall honours.
Richardis the first former National Gents Junior Strokeplay champion (Cement 1986) to go on to winthe National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship.
Raffeen Creek club how has a complete set of podium finishes in the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship. (First, second, third and Best Nett).
Raffeen Creek is the first club to deliver the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay champion and the intermediate equivalent in the same year.
Declan Freeman is the second Cork player to contest a play-off for the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship, following the late Mick Cahill RIP (Lakeside 2010).
The National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship was decided by the play-off route for the fourth time in history.
Declan Freeman now holds a second and a third place finish, mirroring Dermot Nolan (Shandon) and Tommy Mason (Loughlinstown). Dermot Nolan also lost a play-off in his runner-up year (2008, Hillview).
Chris Scannell delivered a second third place finish in a row for Cork when he narrowly missed the St. Stephen’s play-off.
Chris is the fourth former All-Ireland -Matchplay champion and the second National Strokeplay kingpin to achieve a third place finish in the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship.
It was a home county 1-2-3 in the National Gents Over-55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship – the same as at McDonagh, Co. Kildare six years ago.
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