For Immediate Publication

R and A NEWS RELEASE

CLUB GOLFERS PLAY ON GOLF’S GREATEST STAGE 

AT ROYAL PORTRUSH

July 13, 2019, Portrush, Northern Ireland: Forty-two club 

golfers enjoyed a memorable experience of playing Royal Portrush on the eve of The 148^th Open when they competed 

in the Final of The R&A 9 Hole Challenge today.

The Final was contested over the first two and last seven 

holes of the famous Dunluce links before The Open begins 

tomorrow.

Siobhan McHugh and Robert Kennedy of Royal Portrush 

Golf Club proved that a little local knowledge can go a long 

way after the pair won the Stableford competition with a nett 

aggregate score of 35 points to be crowned 2019 champions.  

Kathy Loughridge and Conor Cahalane of Malone Golf Club 

in Belfast finished runners-up.

2011 Champion Golfer Darren Clarke, together with Chris 

Hilton, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St 

Andrews, presented the prizes to the leading teams.

“It was a real privilege to play today and to finish as winners 

is just fantastic,” said Kennedy. “It is an honour to be a 

member here and today was just a bit special. To have 

Darren Clarke present the prizes as well was fantastic.”

“It was absolutely thrilling to be able to play Royal Portrush 

just before The Open gets underway,” added McHugh. “I was really nervous on the 1^st tee but once we teed off it was brilliant. It was an absolutely wonderful day.”

The R&A 9 Hole Challenge is central to the 

organisation’s wider drive to promote this form of golf 

as an ideal way to enjoy playing the sport in less time, 

either recreationally or competitively for handicap 

purposes.

Almost 40,000 golfers entered nine-hole qualifying events 

held at courses throughout Great Britain and Ireland in 2019, 

as well as in Australia for the first time.

Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development and 

Amateur Championships at The R&A said, “The finalists 

have enjoyed a great experience today and they all relished 

the opportunity to play one of the world’s finest links courses 

on the eve of The Open.

“We are already looking forward to next year’s event at 

Royal St George’s.”

Visit www.randa.org/9HoleChampionship for more information.