The recent announcement of the 2011 Team Ireland Golf Trust Grants included none of the eight players from the Irish Region that will play in the Irish Open in Killarney in the summer – the European Tour sanctioned event in Ireland – where an automatic exemption earned from the top eight places in the 2010 Lexus Race to Mount Juliet Order of Merit gives then playing rights in the summer.
Although none of those eight players qualified through European Tour School this year, most are eligible to play the EUROPRO Tour and the European Challenge Tour with the Killarney event the only chance for Irish golfers to play with the main tour professionals. Two of the eight players, David Higgins and David Mortimer, will also play at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the flagship event of the season and only one of two European Tour events still being hosted in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Although none of those eight players qualified through European Tour School this year, most are eligible to play the EUROPRO Tour and the European Challenge Tour with the Killarney event the only chance for Irish golfers to play with the main tour professionals. Two of the eight players, David Higgins and David Mortimer, will also play at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the flagship event of the season and only one of two European Tour events still being hosted in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Understandably 2010 European Tour card holder Simon Thornton gets recognition as the former Royal County Down Assistant professional plans his comeback through the European Challenge Tour this year, having played his maiden season last year on the European tour. Fellow Stage 3 Tour School undergraduate last December, Niall Kearney, quite rightfully receives the maximum grant for €15,000 as he remains the best hope from the current crop of players after making it to the final stage at the PGA Catalunya along with Damian Mooney.
This Q School assault was a part of a comeback after a season hampering shoulder injury that precluded him from playing half of last season, so much so plays the 2011 courtesy of a medical exemption having missed so many events last year. The 2009 Walker Cup player, and winner of the Brabazon Trophy the same year, has shown an ability to shoot low scores that in time should reap much reward.
On the Ladies European Tour Rebecca Coakley and Martina Gillen rightfully received top recognition for their efforts last season, an important golfing year, with the Solheim Cup hosted at Killeen Castle later this year. Coakley has already played the Asian sweep after two events in Australia and one in New Zealand so far and this week returns to action on the Ladies European Tour in Spain for the European Nations Cup in Denia.
Martina Gillen lost her playing rights last year following a finish of 105th in the Henderson Money and after returning to the two stages of the LET qualifying school at La Manga regained her Tour Card for 2011 after finishing tied 18th.
The financial support of €15,000 from the Team Ireland Golf Trust is deserved given the current level of competition at the LET Q School and her achievement at La Manga.
Jonathan Caldwell receives the same level grant level after securing 106th place in the 2010 Challenge Tour Rankings and failing to qualify past Stage 2 of European Tour School last November. In the previous year Caldwell finished 112th place and making only four cuts in 14 starts on the European Tour. Having been part of the Horizon Sports Management team for a number of years Caldwell now faces this season without that backup and support of that successful team.
In 2007 Caldwell joined Rory McIlroy in the Walker Cup team that also included Rhys Davies and Lloyd Saltman, both of whom have made the leap to the European Tour. In the case of Davies he ended last season in the top 60 players, playing in the season finale Race to Dubai.
A grant of ten thousand euro goose to Gareth Shaw who finished 145th last season in the European Challenge Tour rankings. Having yet to qualify for the European Tour and with finishes of 105th in 2009 and 11th in 2008 it seems that it will be a tougher task for the Lurgan golfer. He also is also no longer under the Horizon Sports stable as they have released all the players outside the European Tour rankings.
Last season Shaw received €15,000 and failed to pass stage 2 at Tour School and on the EUROPRO Tour finished in 35th place in the rankings.
Michael McGeady last year received €10,000 and played only five events on the Challenge Tour. In September at Stage 2 of Q School at Arcos Garden in Spain the McCambridge Duffy sponsored golfer ended on 19 over par overall after signing for a final day 76. McGeady has been seeking the holy grail of the European Tour since 2005 without success. His best finish on the Challenge Tour was 42nd in 2006.
Paul O’Hanlon receives a grant for €7,00) on the back of the same grant last season in a year in which the Curragh Golf Club golfer secured 27th pace on the unrated EURO PRO Tour. In England last September at the European Tour qualification O’Hanlon missed out at Stage 1.
Richard Kilpatrick receives seven thousand euro for another consecutive year and plays the Alps Tour again this season. The former Irish international and East of Ireland champion fell short in his quest at the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School Section B in France last September. Having played on the Alps Tour last season Kilpatrick finished 18th in the order of merit with three top ten finishes in the season. In 2009 he played four events in the Challenge Tour, including the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley, where he finished in 54th place.
A native of Banbridge, Northern Ireland, Richard Kilpatrick, like many other talented amateurs, spent his college years in the United States on a golf scholarship. Kilpatrick was awarded a Degree in Finance from University of Toledo, Ohio, before returning to Europe. However he has struggled to make the breakthrough to the professional ranks so far.
Brendan McCarroll of Letterkenny last season finished 25th in the EURO Pro Tour with his best finish a share of second place, behind veteran amateur Gary Wolstenholme, at Stoke-by-Nayland in July. At the EuroPro PGA Tour Final he also shot a course record 63 at Aphrodite Hills, in Cyprus. Rounds of 76,74, 68 and 77 at Tour School Stage 1 saw him tied 40th and miss out on progressing to next level in Spain.
Tara Delaney gets support of €10,000, despite losing her card at the end of last season on the Ladies European Tour [LET], and then missing out at Stage 1 of LET Q School. However the new Access Series on the Ladies European Tour this year Delaney can remain competitive in order to regain playing rights at the end of the year once again and the decision to support the Carlow native is very wise.
Seamus Power plays the eGolf Tour in the United States this year after the West Waterford Golfer earned his grant having missed out on the final day of the USPGA Qualifying School Stage One in Lantana Texas by one place. Power receives €10,000 in his quest to make the leap from the eGolf Tour to the main stage.
Fellow US College graduate Niall Turner also failed to qualify past Stage 2 of European Tour School last year, then missed out on the USPGA but decided to take his chances at the Asian Tour School last January where after an opening 73 the Minnesota Graduate held his nerve to amongst the top 40 automatic places.
In his first two outings this season the Muskerry golfer has secured top 20 finishes with 12th place at the SAIL Open in India and then a 16th finish at the Panasonic Open (India) a month later. Niall Turner receives a valuable €15,000.
The promising GUI National Panel players Dara Lernihan and Cian Curly rightfully receive grants of seven thousand euro to help make the next step towards the professional ranks. In 2009 Lernihan was part of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad, alongside Niall Kearney, who was the only Irish player to make the team.
Lernihan qualified for the 2011 Alps Tour along with Brendan McCarroll and Gareth Shaw after finishing in a share of 6th place following rounds of 67, 67 and 71, having missed at on Q School Stage 1 at Wychwood Park in Crewe last September.
Cian Curley of Newlands GC receives €7,000 after the experience of the European Tour Qualifying School last September where he missed making the final group after rounds of 79, 74 and 75.
The Team Ireland Golf Trust Committee was established to oversee the operation of the Trust Scheme and to consider applications received under the Scheme. The Trust Committee consists of a representative each from the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Irish Sports Council, Fáilte Ireland, the Irish PGA, the GUI, the ILGU, and the private sector.
The objective of the Scheme is to support golfers who have the potential and programme to become established players on the main international tours, such as the European Tours and US PGA Tours. The Team Ireland Golf Trust is designed to provide support, both financial and non-financial, to selected young professional golfers to help them realise their potential to perform successfully at international level.
Golfers, who are being supported by the Trust, will be expected to show and maintain a reasonable level of progression in their performances on a yearly basis. This level of progress will determine future funding decisions by the Trust.
In a year of severe cut backs this year’s grants the standards seem to have altered substantially from the stated objectives noted above as the allocations of public money now include support for the Alps Tour, eGolf Tour and EURO Pro Tour. So why not The Hooters Tour?
The NGA / Hooters Professional Golf Tour, formerly the Hooters/Jordan Tour, dates back to 1988 with T.C. "Rick" Jordan was owner and founder. He had envisioned a golf tour that would provide professional golfers an opportunity to compete in a professional atmosphere as well as achieve financial success.
With alumni such as 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink, 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Vaughn Taylor, Mark Wilson, Lee Janzen, John Daly, Jim Furyk, Tom Lehman, David Toms, Will MacKenzie, Chad Campbell and Champion's Tour players Tom McKnight and Walter Hall, it has become clear that Rick Jordan's dream has become a reality.
FOREIreIand ©
