North winner will book place at NI Open

There will be added incentive to win this year's prestigious North of Ireland Amateur Open Strokeplay title at Galgorm Castle as the winner will also book their place in the Northern Ireland Open, in partnership with Ulster Bank, at the same venue.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th May 2016, 11:50 BST
Updated 10th May 2016, 12:52 BST

The North of Ireland Strokeplay, sponsored by Specsavers Ballymena, takes place at the renowned Ballymena venue on Tuesday 28th June and entry for the 36-hole tournament is now open.

One month later the lucky winner will return to Galgorm Castle to compete alongside the professionals in the European Challenge Tour’s record-breaking Northern Ireland Open from July 28-31.

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Galgorm Castle has always proved a great test of tournament golf and the North of Ireland Strokeplay tournament has produced some great champions over the years.

Local favourite Dermot McElroy won in 2013 and went on to compete in the inaugural Northern Ireland Open when the Irish international finished tied ninth on six-under 278 behind winner Daan Huizing from The Netherlands.

The Ballymena amateur was joint leading Irishman alongside Jonny Caldwell that year.

Former Irish internationals Reeve Whitson (2010) and Cormac Sharvin (2012) are also included on the North of Ireland Strokeplay roll of honour.

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Sharvin was part of the ‘Famous Five’ Irish contingent who won the Walker Cup representing Great Britain and Ireland against the Americans at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2015.

Like a number of Ireland’s top amateurs, Sharvin (2015) and Whitson (2014) joined the professional ranks in recent years and the Northern Ireland Open will be a great opportunity to see these players in action as they make their way in the paid ranks.

Massereene’s Tiarnon McLarnon won last year’s North of Ireland Strokeplay by three shots after rounds of 68, 69 gave him a five-under 137 winning total.

Several key improvements have been made to the course over the last 12 months.

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The championship tee at the second has been extended and a new bunker complex

added along the fairway to further enhance this risk, reward par four. The

championship tee box at the eighth was also extended on a course that now

measures over 7,100 yards.

Entry for the North of Ireland Strokeplay is £35 (€45) and includes lunch. The closing

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date for entries is Monday 13th June. Download the entry form at

http://www.niopen.golf/noi-strokeplay-2016/ or for further information contact the

professional shop at Galgorm Castle on +44 (0) 28 2564 6161.

Related topics:NorthUlster BankBallymena