Olivia Mehaffey R.C.D. Ladies won the sixth Faldo Series Ireland Championship by two shots with consecutive rounds of 72 over the Faldo Course at Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland. The Ireland girls’ squad member beat 134 competitors to the title, the largest ever field for the event.
“I can’t wait to play in another final, it was a great experience last year and I had so much fun,” said a delighted Mehaffey who finished fifth in the Girls’ Under-16 division at the 2012 Grand Final. “I learnt a lot from Sir Nick during the week, hopefully I can take on even more advice this time.”
15-year-old Mehaffey from Royal County Down in Northern Ireland will be joined at the 17th Faldo Series Grand Final by Boys’ Under-18 winner Karl McCormack. McCormack from Portarlington won a three-way play-off to qualify for the 54-hole World Amateur Golf Ranking event, hosted by Faldo at the end of the season.
Joint overnight boys’ leader Ross McKeever (Castle) won the Boys’ Under-16 category thanks to a second successive 73. Elsewhere Mary Doyle from Heath claimed the Girls’ Under-21 division and Kieran Shaw, a finalist back in 2010, won the Boys’ Under-21s.
Supported by The R&A, ISPS Handa and the European Tour, the 2013 Faldo Series Europe schedule features a record 20 tournaments in 14 countries including six in England plus others in Ireland, Abu Dhabi, Chile, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Austria, Wales, Brazil, Italy, The Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia and Greece.
Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.
In September 2013, Faldo will begin taking students at a full-time residential academy for education and golf development in America. The first ever Faldo Series Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona is also home to the Faldo Series USA and marks the next significant step in the programme’s history.
[Photo caption: Olivia Mehaffey (left) with Lynn McCool, Director of Golf at Lough Erne Resort]
Leading final scores:
Boys’ Under-21:
151 – Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen) 76-75
156 – David Shaw (Belvoir) 81-75, Declan Reidy (County Sligo) 78-78
Boys’ Under-18:
149 – Karl McCormack (Portarlington) 73-76, Conor Stone (Carlton House) 76-73, Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint) 77-72
Boys’ Under-16:
146 – Ross McKeever (Castle) 73-73
148 – Marc Norton (Belvoir) 73-75
154 – Declan Kelly (Hermitage) 79-75
Girls’ Under-21:
148 – Mary Doyle (Heath) 77-71, Ariana Coyles (Elm Park) 70-78
Girls’ Under-16:
144 – Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down) 72-72
182 – Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) 89-93
