Team Ireland Golf Trust is doing great

job of helping rookie professionals

By PAUL SYMES, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
The Challenge Tour’s Irish contingent will hope to ride the crest of the wave created by Shane Lowry’s thrilling victory in The 3 Irish Open when they tee up in the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley from June 11-14.
Lowry dedicated his maiden win to the Golfing Union of Ireland which has, in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council, supported a number of the home-grown players who will tee up at Moyvalley Golf and Country Club in County Kildare, Ireland.
This year Jonathan Caldwell, Richard Kilpatrick, Michael McGeady, Colm Moriarty, Alan Murray, Gareth Shaw and Simon Thornton all received a share of the €231,000 which was awarded by the Team Ireland Golf Trust to 18 aspiring Irish golfers.
Like European Tour champions Michael Hoey and Peter Lawrie and Challenge Tour graduate Gareth Maybin, all seven benefited from the scheme which since 1999 has awarded €2.3million in financial support to ease the transition of young Irish golfers from the amateur game to the professional ranks.
Caldwell, a leading member of the amateur side which successfully retained the 2008 European Team Championship, received €20,000 to assist in his efforts to keep The European Tour card he earned at the Qualifying School – Final Stage last November.
He said: “The support I have received from the Team Ireland Golf Trust has been very important to me, and not just from a monetary point of view. The additional support the Trust provides to those who receive grants for coaching and support services is invaluable. I came through the Golfing Union of Ireland system and turned professional straight after winning my European Tour card at Qualifying School, so to have the Trust supporting me from the start of my professional career has been a great help.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Gareth Shaw, currently the highest-ranked Irish player in the Challenge Tour Rankings, who received €12,000 from the Trust.
Shaw said: “The helping hand I’ve had from the Irish Sports Council and the Team Ireland Golf Trust has been brilliant. Without their funding, and the support of the Golfing Union of Ireland, it’s probably fair to say I wouldn’t be where I am today. The same applies to a lot of other guys. It’s partly thanks to their help that Irish golfers have enjoyed so much success in recent seasons, and Shane’s win gave everyone another massive lift. I played a lot of amateur golf with Shane, so I was absolutely delighted to see him win. It just shows what can be done with hard work and dedication.
“To see him beat a world-class field has inspired us all, and made me more determined than ever to join him on The European Tour. It was an unbelievable achievement, and made all the more special because it was done in Ireland. Winning any event would be fantastic, but it would mean so much to me to win the Challenge of Ireland. It was the first tournament I looked for when the schedule was published. I’ve been fairly happy with my form so far this season, but hopefully if I can play well at Moyvalley, it’ll give me the confidence to kick on for the rest of the season.”
Similarly Michael McGeady, who received €15,000 from the Trust, will hope to add the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley to the SWALEC Wales Challenge title he captured last year, when he finished 42nd in the final Rankings.
He said: “The support I’ve had from the Team Ireland Golf Trust since turning professional has been a real benefit. The financial support is very helpful, because playing on the Challenge Tour can be an expensive business. The coaching and other services are also a real benefit, as golfers in this day and age are seeking specialist science and medical support more and more. Over the years the Trust has supported many of the top Irish players, including Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, so to be selected on the scheme is a big boost.”
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, said: “The Irish Sports Council is delighted to be associated with the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley. It’s an important element in the package of support we offer Irish golfers through the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Team Ireland Golf Trust. The event provides an excellent opportunity for our Challenge Tour golfers to compete on home soil. In addition, the Challenge Tour’s presence in Ireland gives home spectators the chance to see the stars of the future, and also gives Ireland the opportunity to showcase some of its outstanding championship courses.”
In addition to the professionals teeing up at Moyvalley Golf and Country Club, four amateurs will also be sent to compete by the Golfing Union of Ireland: Michael Durcan, Paul Reavey, David Reilly and Chris Selfridge.