FIPPA Newsletter - July 2007.

Welcome to this edition of the FIPPA Newsletter.

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EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS - 2007

The 5th European Championships will be held later this year at the lovely Chia course in Sardinia from October 17-21.
Ireland, who have won all four titles so far, will be looking to continue their stranglehold over the event and have named a strong team.

IRISH TEAMS for European Championships.

MENS

Derek Courtney (Glenville) captained Ireland to victory in the Quadrangular International at Glenville in 1997 having previously represented Ireland in 1993 at Cement and in 1994 at Fermoy. He won the 1994 National Matchplay championship and has four times helped Dublin to the Inter-County championship (1985, 1989, 1991 and 1999). He is another player to have been part of the Ireland squad in Australia in 1996 and was on Ireland’s winning sextet in the third European Team championship. His international record reads: Foursomes: W4 - L0 – H1; Fourballs: W1 – L0 – H1; Singles: W10 – L1 – H1. Courtney carded a 97 at McDonagh – the leading individual score in the qualifying round for the 2003 European team championship. Derek finished third in the international trial to earn an automatic place in the 2007 team. His Dublin Crystal P.P.U.I. national ranking is 46.

Sean Downes (Stackallen) is ranked No. 2 in Ireland. He captained his country on the trip to Australia in 1996 and also to success against Catalonia in 2000, having been a member of the team that won in Catalonia in '97. Sean represented Ireland in the Lloret Papalus European championship win six years ago and in the II World Cup in 2006. He was National Matchplay champion in 1992 and 1995 and Strokeplay champion in 1993, 1994 and 2005 in addition to twice being runner-up in the National Matchplay (1996 and 1999). He captained Meath to Inter-County success in 1996 and 1998 and was named “Player of the 20th Century” by ‘Backspin’ magazine in 2000. His second position in the recent 108 hole trial secured his place. The most prolific points gatherer in international Pitch and Putt history, his international record reads: Foursomes: W7 L0 H1. Fourballs: W3 L3 H2. Singles: W18 L3 H1. He won the medal for leading qualifying score at the 2001 European Team championship.

Ireland’s No. 1 ranked player Ray Murphy (Templebreedy) captained Ireland to the European championship title at Lloret Papalus in 2001. A winner of five Irish championships in total, (Matchplay in 1998, 2006 and 2007; Strokeplay 2000 and 2006), Murphy set a new all-time record at Stackallen recently by winning a third straight Irish championship, the first time any male player has achieved this feat. He earlier headed the trials process to secure his second European championship appearance. Captain of Ireland again at the October 2006 international against Holland at Papendal, Ray Murphy is one of the most consistent performers ever in Ireland’s National Strokeplay. In addition to his two wins, he boasts two seconds and three thirds for a phenomenal seven top three placings since 1994. In September 2006, Cork won their fourth Irish Inter-County title in a row. Cork maintained their remarkable record of not finishing outside the top two since 1994. Ray Murphy played on every one of those Cork teams. He shared in the 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 title successes as well as a phenomenal seven second places. Winner of the 2004 Dutch Open, Ray Murphy holds a Munster Matchplay and a Munster Strokeplay title in addition to numerous Cork titles. International Record: Fourballs: W6 L0 H0. Fourballs: W4 L2 H1. Singles: W14 L1 H0.

Liam O’Donovan (Bruff) was crowned National Strokeplay champion at E.S.B. in 2002, having finished third in the championship at Lucan in 1998. The Limerick star reached the last four of the Irish Matchplay championship in 2002 and 2003. He won the Munster Matchplay championship in 1997 and the provincial Strokeplay championship in 1999 and 2001. Liam bids for a record fourth European championship medal in October, having been a member of the Irish teams that won at Chelmsford in 1999, at McDonagh in 2003 and at Arnhem two years ago. His international record reads: Foursomes: W10 – L1 - H0; Fourballs: W1 – L1 - H0; Singles: W12 – L2 – H1. Current P.P.U.I. ranking - 27.

The only Irish debutant will be Lakeside’s Paul O’Brien, who was runner-up to Ray Murphy in the recent National Matchplay final. O’Brien also contended at the 2005 Irish Strokeplay championship at Royal Meath, where he was the joint 36 hole leader with new team mate Sean Downes. Paul was a leading juvenile through much of the 1990s, winning three Munster Juvenile Matchplay championships in a row (1994 – 1996) and the provincial Strokeplay championship in 1996. Paul played on the Tipperary National Juvenile Inter-County winning side of 1994. He was adult Munster Matchplay champion in 2005 and helped Tipperary to second place in the 2005 National Inter-County championship at Lakeside.

The line-up is completed by 2003 National Strokeplay champion William Buckley (Erry) whose current Dublin Crystal ranking is 3. William Buckley Junior headed the international trials process in 2003 but was forced to withdraw from Ireland's European championship winning side at McDonagh due to family commitments.  Buckley played for Ireland in two international matches on Catalan soil - at Solius in 1997 and at Sant Cebria in 2002.  William Buckley won the Teia International Open in 2004. William Buckley holds four Leinster championship titles – two Strokeplays and two Matchplays. His international record reads: Foursomes: W3 L1 H0; Fourballs: W2 L2 H0; Singles: W3 L1 H2.



LADIES

Fourth place in the trials secured an international berth for Tara Dillon (St. Bridget’s). Tara has been an influential performer on the Pitch and Putt scene since the early nineties when she contested the Girl's Strokeplay championships. She fired 96 to win the 2004 Leinster Strokeplay championship at Navan and was Leinster Matchplay runner-up in 2002. Tara was a member of the 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006 Kildare winning Inter-County sides.  She teamed-up with Frank Ryan, Ian Dillon and international colleague Chrissie Byrne to win the 2002 National Mixed Team Event for St. Bridget's.  Tara carded 108 at Ashgrove in 1998 to take the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship.  She top-scored for St. Bridget's when they won the 2003 Leinster Club Tournament at Stackallen.  That same year, she was runner-up to international colleague Marian Byrne in the Leinster Matchplay championship at McDonagh. She made her international debut at Overbetuwe in the triangular match in 2005 with Holland and the Rest of the World.

Margaret Hogan’s (Tullamore) career as a top Pitch and Putt player spans three decades. She holds seven national individual titles – four Strokeplays (1977, 1978, 1979 and 2006) and three Matchplays (1980, 1989 and 1997). In addition she has been an All Ireland championship runner-up on no fewer than twelve occasions – that’s a record. Margaret was second in the National Strokeplay in 80, '81, '82, '85, '86, and '88 as well as being runner-up in the Matchplay in '78, '79, '82, '83, '84, '87 and ‘04. 2007 form includes a runner-up performance in the Leinster Matchplay championship at Tullamore, losing the decider to National Matchplay champion Chrissie Byrne. Winner of many provincial and county events over the years, Margaret won the 2001 Leinster Strokeplay in a play-off with international colleague Geraldine Ward at Navan. Her Dublin Crystal P.P.U.I. National Ranking is 3. Margaret played for Ireland against the Rest of Europe in 2003 at McDonagh and in the triangular match in Holland two years ago. Her international record is: Foursomes: W1 - L0 - H0; Fourballs: W0 – L0 - H0; Singles: W1 - L0 – H0.

2007 trial winner Tracey McGrath (Erry) won successive National Girls Strokeplay championships in 1998 and 1999. Her score of 99 at Navan in 1999 is an all-time record low aggregate for the Girls Strokeplay. Tracey was a member of the Erry team that won the National Mixed Team Event at Royal Meath in 2001. Tracey had an excellent run in the 2003 National Matchplay championship – losing at the 38th hole in the semi-final to eventual runner-up Sheelagh Elmes. Tracey was third in the 2000 Leinster Strokeplay, the year she beat team colleague Geraldine Ward in the Leinster Matchplay final. She repeated that third place finish in the 2001 Leinster Strokeplay and finished second to Bernadette Coffey in the Leinster Strokeplay in 2002 before finally getting her hands on that title at Glenville in 2005. Her current P.P.U.I. national ranking is 5. Having played for Ireland at McDonagh in 2003, Tracey’s international record is: Foursomes: W1 - L0 - H0; Fourballs: W0 – L0 - H0; Singles: W1 - L0 – H0.

Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) has won eleven P.P.U.I. national individual championships (eight Matchplays and three Strokeplays) as well as helping Dublin to eleven Ladies Inter-County championships. The eight Matchplay titles included the three-in-a-row on two occasions (1984/85/86 and 1992/92/94) in addition to her success at Athgarvan in 1990 and her 2007 triumph at Stackallen. Geraldine's first Strokeplay win came at Listowel in 1994 (the year she became the fourth player in history to do the Matchplay/Strokeplay double). In addition to her record equalling eight Irish Matchplay titles, Geraldine has been runner-up three times in the championship, in 1998 at Glenville, in June 2000 to Ann Hall at Seapoint and two years ago to Marian Byrne again at Seapoint. Geraldine has served administratively on the National Appeals Panel and as Competitions Secretary of the Dublin County Board. She made her international debut against Catalonia at I.G.B. in 2000 and captained Ireland v. Rest of Europe at Tolcinasco in millennium year. She also played at McDonagh and in Holland. Dublin Crystal P.P.U.I. National Ranking - 4. Ger’s international record reads: Foursomes: W2 - L0 - H0; Fourballs: W2 – L0 - H0; Singles: W3 - L0 – H0.

2003 and 2006 National Matchplay champion Chrissie Byrne (St. Bridget’s) first burst into national prominence as a juvenile when she finished second in the Girls Strokeplay of 1998. She won the 1999 National Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Tullamore on the same day as sister Marian won the senior championship. Chrissie was National Ladies Strokeplay champion in 2005 having finished third in 2003 and runner-up in 2004. She helped Kildare to the millennium Inter-County championship at McDonagh and played on the Kildare winning teams in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Chrissie was Leinster Junior Strokeplay champion in 1999, provincial intermediate Matchplay victor the same year and won the Leinster Matchplay championship in 2003. 2006 Leinster Strokeplay champion, Chrissie helped St. Bridget’s to the 2002 National Mixed Team Event. Her P.P.U.I. National Ranking is 1. International Record (McDonagh 2003, Overbetuwe 2005, II World Cup 2006, Ireland v. Holland October 2006): Foursomes: W4- L2 - H0. Fourballs: W2 - L0 - H0. Singles: W6 - L2 - H0.

Marian Byrne (St. Bridget's) won 2 National Girl's titles in 1991 and 1994, Marian was National Ladies Matchplay champion (at Glenville) in 1998 and National Ladies Strokeplay champion (at Tullamore) in 1999. She regained the National Matchplay crown in 2004 at Killarney and retained the title the following year at Seapoint. Marian played on the Kildare teams that won the Ladies Inter-County championships of 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006. She was also a member of the Kildare teams that finished second in the Inter-County championships of 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2004. Marian has also won numerous Kildare and Leinster championships. She lost the 1992 National Juvenile Strokeplay championship in a nine-hole play-off. She won the 2000 Italian Open at Milan. Marian made her international debut against Catalonia at I.G.B. and played in the previous Rest of Europe matches as well as in the October 2006 Holland match. Current Dublin Crystal P.P.U.I. National Ranking - 2. Marian’s international record is: Foursomes: W3 - L0 – H1; Fourballs: W2 – L2 - H0; Singles: W5 – L2 – H0.