The 63rd Mullingar Scratch Trophy will get underway on Sunday with 90 elite amateurs vying so as to add their title to an illustrious record of former champions.
The celebrated 72-hole Stroke Play occasion was first received by the legendary three-time Beginner Championship winner J.B. Carr in 1963.
“You’ve gotten all the highest expertise, during the last 50 or so years have come via and carried out and inevitably develop into a champion on this trophy,” stated Leonard O’Mahony, Chair of the Mullingar Scratch Trophy.
“I believe it is a very trustworthy occasion being 72 holes, solely the highest expertise can have the resilience and the power to have the ability to preserve it going, particularly when you think about how aggressive the sector is.”
Since its inception in 1963, the occasion has confirmed a springboard for a few of Irish golf’s most interesting, with Darren Clarke (1989), Padraig Harrington (1994), Rory McIlroy (2006) and Shane Lowry (2008) all successful at Mullingar earlier than turning into main champions.
“All of the elite amateurs that enter, that is one in all one of many main occasions on their calendar annually,” stated O’Mahony.
“With the likes of Rory McIlroy being a previous champion who’s now a Grand Slam winner. Actually the highest Irish {golfing} expertise have been previous champions of this occasion.”
Millicent’s Brian Doran – pictured above by Golffile’s Thos Caffrey – returns to defend his title following his two-stroke victory over Malahide’s Gavin O’Neill.
“We have been delighted to have Brian because the champion in 2024,” stated O’Mahony.
“We usually see actually high expertise come via in our occasion.”
Amongst these becoming a member of Doran within the hunt are Greystones’ Dylan Holmes, the reigning West of Eire champion, whereas O’Neill, final 12 months’s runner-up, can be seeking to go one higher this this 12 months.
Co Louth’s Gerard Dunne can even be among the many high contenders, having impressed on the Flogas Irish Males’s Beginner Open Championship and the East of Eire, whereas Athenry’s David Kitt arrives with two high ten finishes on the East and Connacht Males’s Stroke Play, alongside a latest quarter-final run within the South of Eire Championship at Lahinch.
Adam Smith, Mullingar’s sole consultant, will carry dwelling hopes. He tied for seventh in 2024 and can intention to construct on that this 12 months.
“I used to be chatting with Adam solely yesterday. He actually has just one focus in thoughts, and he is not taken with high 10s.” stated O’Mahony.
“He actually desires this trophy in his home by the top of the weekend. It might be very particular for us as a membership to have the ability to cross that trophy to Adam.”
The occasion will see rivals tackle 36 holes of Stroke Play on Sunday earlier than the highest 39 plus ties advance to the ultimate two rounds on Monday.
Co Sligo‘S Ruairi O’Connor, Muskerry’s Brian Lane and Lahinch’s Danny Lyne get proceedings underway at 6.30am.
View tee occasions and scoring right here.
