The Team Ireland Golf Trust announced grants totaling €140,000 to fourteen aspiring golfers who are pursuing their careers on professional golf tours.

More than €3 million has been provided to golf professionals since the scheme was introduced in 1999. The Team Ireland Golf Trust aims to contribute to an increase in the presence of Irish golf professionals on the various international tours.

Peter Lawrie, Damian McGrane, Michael Hoey and Shane Lowry are some of the graduates of the Trust who are enjoying extended and successful careers as touring professionals. They ensure Ireland has a strong Irish presence on the major international tours which is important for the sport of golf in Ireland. In addition the success of professional golfers on tour also helps to promote Ireland as a golf tourism destination worldwide.

The total budget for Team Ireland Golf in 2013 is €164,000, a reduction of €16, 000 on 2012 and is made up of €134,000 from the Irish Sports Council and €30,000 from Fáilte Ireland. The budget includes allocations for the GUI Academy and for the ILGU and GUI Performance Managers who work with the golfers on the Trust.

There are no new entrants from the amateur ranks to the Trust in 2013. Four golfers have been allocated the maximum grant of €15,000; Danielle McVeigh, Niall Kearney, Gareth Shaw and Niall Turner. A grant of €12,000 has been awarded to Paul Cutler who is going into his second year as a professional following an outstanding amateur career.

Danielle McVeigh (€15,000), who will compete on the Ladies European Tour and LET Access Tour in 2013, welcomed the grant: “Iam delighted to get the financial support from the Team Ireland Golf Trust for the 2013 season. With this support I can play golf without worrying how I will fund my schedule this year. This will allow me to compete on tour and perform to the best of my ability to achieve my goal of a full tour card.”

Team Ireland Golf grant allocations 2013
€15,000 Niall Kearney Challenge Tour/Asian Tour
€15,000 Gareth Shaw Challenge Tour
€15,000 Niall Turner Asian Tour
€15,000 Danielle McVeigh Ladies European Tour/Access Tour
€12,000 Paul Cutler EuroPro Tour
€10,000 Seamus Power E Golf Tour United States
€10,000 Simon Thornton Challenge Tour
€10,000 David Higgins European Tour
€7,000 9. Chris Devlin Challenge Tour
€7,000 Jonathan Caldwell EuroPro Tour
€7,000 Tara Delaney LET Access Tour
€7,000 Brendan McCarroll Alps Tour
€5,000 Cian Curley EuroPro Tour
€5,000 Peter O’Keeffe Challenge Tour/EuroPro Tour
€140,000 TOTAL