Darren Clarke Skills Challenge Final 2009

Hotly contested final

Saturday the 7th November saw the final of the 2009 Darren Clarke Skills Challenge at Carton Golf Academy, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. The winner in the boys section was Thomas Doran of Balbriggan Golf Club, closely followed by Connor McGeever of Clonmel and Peter Taylor of Armagh while Lisa McCloat of Strokestown won the girls narrowly defeating Caoimhe Coleman of Doneraile GC.

The boys and girls (pictured) - who had all completed the Junior Golf Ireland Player Manual 1 coaching programme participated in the Skills Challenge test in unkind weather but this didn't effect the scoring as only one point separated the winners in both the boys and girls category at the end of the 'Challenge'.

5 boys and 5 girls from Cork, Tipperary, Wexford, Tyrone and Dublin came through the regions for a chance to win the Darren Clarke Challenge Cup which will now be presented to the lucky winners by Darren at the Champions Weekend in Spring 2010.

The finalists for Saturday 7th November were:-

South

• Connor McGeever (Clonmel)
• Caoimhe Coleman (Doneraile)

North

• Peter Taylor (Armagh)
• Niamh McAteer (Kilrea)

East

• Stephaine McCaul (Tara Glen)
• Liam Mulcahy (Tara Glen)

West

• Lisa McCloat(Strokestown)
• Ross Burke(Doonbeg)

Dublin

• Thomas Doran(Balbriggan)
• Amy Shanahan(Balbriggan)

Congratulations to the winners, keep up the good work on your golf and we hope you enjoy meeting Darren at the Champions Weekend next Spring (2010), when he will be on hand to present the 'Cup' and Junior Golf Ireland goodie bags.

Junior Golf Ireland and the Darren Clarke Foundation thank all those involved in organising the 'Challenge' locally and we look forward to an even bigger entry next year!