Paul Coughlan returns to Cork Golf Membership this weekend, aiming to go back-to-back on the C20 Group Munster Males’s Stroke Play Beginner Open Championship following his breakthrough win within the occasion final 12 months..
The Castleknock golfer captured his first championship crown in spectacular style final season, producing a final-day efficiency that noticed him flip a six-shot deficit right into a four-shot victory. Now, as Coughlan returns to the Little Island course, he’ll look to attract on that have as a motivator in the direction of extra success.
“That was my first championship one. I had a few runners-up and close to misses as nicely. It was good to get one over the road”, mentioned Coughlan.
“I would not say I’ve blown the earlier ones, however I’ve form of been caught. I used to be like, I might actually do with simply getting one over the road, simply getting that monkey off my again.”
Coughlan entered the ultimate spherical in 2024 with a slender two shot lead, however with a chasing pack that included Darragh Flynn (Carton Home) and taking part in associate Brian Doran (Millicent) closing in behind him, the plan was to remain robust and proceed with the tactic that had gotten him to the highest of the leaderboard.
“I simply bear in mind having a little bit of a tussle with Brian (Doran) going into the final spherical, it most likely helped me kick on a bit extra, I simply knew I wasn’t secure”, mentioned Coughlan.
“I knew that the boys within the group behind weren’t too far again both, so it was simply play aggressive the entire day.”
That attacking mindset proved essential and is one thing he plans to keep up this time round.
“I’m driving it fairly nicely once more like I used to be final 12 months,” mentioned Coughlan. “I feel it will be form of take the identical techniques. As they are saying, don’t change a profitable formulation.”
A 75-strong subject together with West of Eire champion Dylan Holmes (Greystones), Flogas Irish Boys’ Beginner Open Champion John Doyle (Fota Island) and the just lately returning Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth) may also be trying so as to add their names to the trophy this 12 months.
Whereas Coughlan’s win final season marked his first championship win, it additionally caused a shift in mentality because the as soon as extra cautious and tactical participant now competes with intent to win.
“I’m much more assured in my very own skill now. I can form of simply go at issues to attempt to win the event. It was once a case of simply plot your means round, extra afraid of an error, extra so than attempting to make features, so now you might be simply taking part in to win”, mentioned Coughlan.
The C20 Group Munster Males’s Stroke Play Beginner Open Championship begins at 7:30 am on Saturday as Zack Devlin (Cobh), Conor Hickey (Dooks) and native Cork hopeful Ian O’Rouke get proceedings underway earlier than Coughlan begins the defence of his crown at 9:40 am alongside Keith Egan (Carton Home) and Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock).
The occasion as soon as once more sees 4 rounds of stroke play starting tomorrow, earlier than the highest 30 plus ties make it by means of to Sunday’s remaining two rounds.
View the primary and second spherical tee occasions right here
