Ballyliffin to stage Amateur in 2024; six Irish under par in 2022 Championship
Ballyliffin Golf Club
Ballyliffin Golf Club in Co Donegal achieved a major coup yesterday when the R&A was announced it will become just the fourth Irish links to host the Amateur Championship in 2024.
The Old Links and the pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock-designed Glashedy Course will host the strokeplay qualifying before the action turns to the Glashedy for the matchplay.
“Ballyliffin is delighted to have been awarded this most prestigious of events by the R&A with a star-studded history of previous winners on some of the finest courses in Ireland and Britain,” said General Manager John Farren.
“The club is particularly honoured to have both links stage the Championship and we look forward to working with the R & A in welcoming the best amateur golfers in the world to Donegal in 2024.
“This is a fantastic endorsement of the club’s facilities and of the commitment of members and staff, past and present, to the continued development and improvement of the club and showcasing Ballyliffin on the world stage.”
Ballyliffin, which hosted the 2018 Irish Open and will host this year’s Men’s and Women’s Home Internationals in August is just the fourth Irish club to host the Amateur after Royal Portrush (2014, 1993, 1960), Royal County Down (1999, 1970) and Portmarnock (2019, 1949).
Prince’s in Kent will stage The 120th Women’s Amateur Championship in 2023 and Royal Birkdale, a ten-time host of The Open, the year after.
The match play stages of the R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur Championships will be played simultaneously at one venue at Carnoustie in August for the first time and the same trend will follow over the next two years. Ganton will host match play for both championships in 2023 with Fulford and York hosting stroke-play qualifying. Alwoodley will stage match play in 2024 with Moortown and Pannal hosting qualifying.
The R&A Women’s and Men’s Senior Amateur championships will also be played concurrently again at Woodhall Spa next year and Saunton in 2024.
The R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship will be held at Enville again next year, while the R&A Junior Open will be played at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in 2024 ahead of The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, continuing a tradition of staging the championship close to the host venue for The Open.
The Walker Cup, the biennial meeting between Great Britain and Ireland and the USA, takes place in St Andrews in 2023 with Sunningdale staging the Curtis Cup in 2024.
A number of international matches contested between GB&I and the Continent of Europe will also take place. The St Andrews Trophy will be held at Royal Porthcawl in 2024, while Royal Dornoch will welcome the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano Trophies in 2023.
The Jacques Leglise Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy will be staged at West Lancashire in 2024.
The Home International matches for boys, girls, men, women and senior men and women will also continue to be staged together. Lindrick and Conwy welcome the boys and girls in 2023 and 2024, with Machynys and Murcar Links hosting the men and women respectively. The senior matches will be played at West Kilbride and Castlerock.
The 127th Amateur Championship teed off at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links yesterday with Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan, Malone’s Matthew McClean and Tramore’s Jack Hearn the leading Irishmen after the first qualifying round.
All three opened with four-under 68s at St Annes Old Links to share fourth place, three shots behind Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who shot a seven-under 65.
Connemara’s Luke O’Neill is tied 11th after a 69 at St Annes where Hugh Foley shot a two-under 70.
Castle’s Robert Moran shot a two-under 70 at Royal Lytham and St Annes. Full Scores
