Earn a place on the Ireland team to face the USA
This is no April Fools joke, enter the International King’s Cup Match Play qualifying event at Westport GC on April 1 and you could find yourself lining up for Ireland against the USA!
Club golfers from the USA and Ireland will meet at Lough Erne Resort in Co Fermanagh in May this year for the second staging of a unique transatlantic competition.
The International King’s Cup Match Play Tournament is a pairs event played in honour of golf’s greatest ambassador, Mr Arnold Palmer.
The event is structured like the Ryder Cup and was created in 2016 when the United States Golf Challenge, the largest pairs better ball tournament in the US, brought their leading eight pairs 16-man amateur team across to Northern Ireland to compete against Ireland.
Four provincial qualifiers are being staged across the land in a bid to find the best Irish team to take on the USA in the three-day 54 hole match-play tournament from May 22-25.
Westport GC will provide a superb challenge for the Connacht competitors on April 1 and there are still a number of tee times available.
“I'm delighted to be taking this qualifying event to Westport GC,” said Lynn McCool, Director of Golf and Head Professional at Lough Erne Resort.
“The King’s Cup is a great competition and a fitting tribute to one of the legends of golf, Arnold Palmer.
“Golf is a game for all ages and the structure of this event gives everyone a chance of qualifying from their regional event. In fact, there is a specific Senior 50+ category.
“Get involved we'd love to see you at Lough Erne later in the year.”
The format of the event offers anyone who holds an official GUI handicap the chance to qualify and book their place on the Team Ireland panel. There are four handicap sections and there is also two age brackets from which the two man teams can qualify (age 18+ and Senior 50+).
Eight two-man teams from Westport will go forward to compete in a final qualifying stage to be played on the Faldo Course on April 23 at the five-star Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh.
For more info on playing in the Connacht qualifier on April 1 and for full details please visit http://www.westportgolfclub.ie/ or telephone 098 28262.
