The Mullingar Scratch Cup is changing dates next year with Banbridge’s Connor Doran expected to return to defend the title from August 28-29.

The prestigious 72 hole strokeplay event is moving from its traditional August Bank Holiday date to avoid a clash with the European Amateur Championship, which will be played at Vanajanlinna Golf Club in Finland from 4-7 August.

Since Joe Carr won the inaugural event in 1963, winners of the event have gone on to achieve great feats in the game.

Stellar winners include  three time major champion Padraig Harrington; Ryder Cup players Des Smyth, Philip Walton, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley; and tour players Gary Murphy and Colm Moriarty.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who won in 2006 and 2008 respectively, went on to win their maiden titles on the European Tour this year. 

Mullingar Scratch Cup - Past winners

2009 Connor Doran

2008 Shane Lowry

2007 Paul O’Hanlon

2006 Rory McIllroy

2005 Gareth Shaw

2004 Greg Bowden

2003 Colm Moriarty

2002 Eoin O’Sullivan

2001 Colm Moriarty (Athlone) 197 68 66 63 (reduced to 54 holes after torrential rain on final morning)

2000 Johnny Foster (Ballyclare) 275 68 71 71 65

1999 Tim Rice (Limerick) 282 71 70 71 70

1998 Pat Collier (Lahinch) 283 72 69 72 70

1997 Sean Quinlivan (Ballybunion) 279 71 70 65 73

1996 Peter Lawrie (Newlands) 280 68 72 72 68

1995  Gary Murphy (Kilkenny) 280 74 71 68 67

1994 Padraig Harrington (Stackstown) 277 68 70 70 69

1993 Eddie Power 285 73 71 73 68

1992 Raymond Burns 275 70 67 64 74

1991 Paul McGinley 282 71 73 65 73 (Beat Philip Johns at 1st extra hole)

1990 Leslie Walker 274 66 70 69 69

1989 Darren Clarke 269 65 66 68 70

1988 Adrian Morrow 278 69 70 70 69

1987 Frank Gannon* 287 72 75 71 69 (Beat Tony Hayes, Eoghan O’Connell & Declan Branigan at 1st extra hole)

1986 John McHenry* 286 72 71 71 72 (Beat Denis O’Sullivan at 2nd sudden death playoff hole)

1985 Garth McGimpsey* 139 72 67 (reduced to 36 holes by weather, bt MD O’Brien playoff 1st tie hole)

1984 Paul Murphy 279 73 70 66 70

1983 Ian Elliott 277 73 68 68 68

1982 Philip Walton 267

1981 Mark Gannon

1980 Val Smyth

1979 Frank Gannon

1978 B. Wilson

1977 Eddie Dunne

1976 M.D. O’Brien

1975 Hugh Smyth

1974 B. P. Malone

1973 Mark Gannon

1972 Des Smyth

1971 Martin D. O’Brien

1970 Peter Benka

1969 N. Mason

1968 Martin D. O’Brien

1967 B. P. Malone

1966 Peter Townsend

1965 Peter Townsend

1964 Tom Craddock

1963 J.B. Carr