Esker Hills' Alan Lowry will be bidding to become the first player to retain the Mullingar Electrical Scratch Trophy for 50 years when he tees it up in the 54th staging from July 31 to August 1.

It’s now 53 years since the great Joe Carr won the first staging of this 72 hole stroke event back in 1963 but only Peter Townsend in 1965 and 1966 managed to retain a title that's been won by major winners Rory McIlroy,  Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley and World Golf Championship winner Shane Lowry,

Alan Lowry won last year just days before his older brother claimed the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Akron but this year there are high hopes that Liam Grehan or Gareth Carr can become the first home winner.