GOLF | Fifth Dundalk Scratch Cup success for Caolan Rafferty
Serial winner Caolan Rafferty made full use of home advantage again to land the Dundalk Scratch Cup for the fifth time on Saturday
The event, sponsored by One Finance and hosted by Dundalk Golf Club, might not have the same profile as the majors on the top sports betting sites, however, local pride makes it a superb occasion nonetheless.
The competition’s trophy - the Carroll Cup - which has been lifted in the past to Padraig Harrington, was presented to Rafferty this year by Dundalk Golf Club President Gerry Campbell and Martin McDonell, Managing Director of One Finance.
Rafferty has been a star performer in the Scratch Cup down through the years and the 32-year-old tasted success for a fifth time in this year’s iteration, finishing as the only under-par player across the 36-hole tournament.
Having already won the East of Ireland Championship last month as well as the scratch cup competitions at Layton, Ardee and Bettystown, Rafferty had confidence and good form aplenty ahead of play on Saturday, and he coped well with a surging breeze and some rapid greens to deliver the goods again.
Raffety clinched first place by four shots ahead of Harry McArdle, with last year’s champion, Eoin Murphy finishing another two shots back in third place.
With an opening round of 71, Rafferty showcased his class early on and the experience he gained while competing on the Great Britain & Ireland team at the St. Andrew’s Trophy earlier in the year, seemed to aid his cause.
During that one under par first go around, Rafferty landed birdies on the third, seventh and 14 holes, which helped to mask bogeys at the sixth and the last.
Holding a three-shot advantage at the turnaround, Rafferty battled the breeze to maintain his consistency and opened his back nine with a birdie at the par-five tenth.
Another birdie at the 15th followed allowing him to close for business with his second 71 of the day. McArdle was far from disgraced in his efforts, but never really moved into a position to challenge the comfortable leader and eventual winner.
McArdle managed to clip in five birdies, but three bogeys and a double bogey conspired to keep him to a par 72.
Beaten defending champion Eoin Murphy, started slowly and was as far out as seven over after 13 holes before clawing back for a final tally of 78.
Murphy’s second round was a proper mixed bag and he matched his haul of six birdies with just as many bogeys, earning a score of 70 that would allow him to sneak into third.
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