Collins Conquers Record Field in Faldo Series Ireland Championship

Ted Collins won the seventh Faldo Series Ireland Championship by four shots after rounds of 70 and 71 at Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland.  Collins from Dun Laoghaire beat 154 competitors to the title, the largest ever field for the event.

“This is my fifth Faldo Series and I have been so close a couple times before so it feels great to finally win,” said a delighted Collins. “This was the perfect way to start my season and going to The Greenbrier in October and meeting Sir Nick will be a great way to end it.”

Collins will be joined at The 18th Faldo Series Grand Final by the Overall Girls’ winner Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down). Mehaffey, who finished runner-up in the Girls’ Division at last October’s Grand Final recently benefitted from playing in her first Ladies European Tour event, an invitation that was arranged by Faldo as a reward for her success.

Overnight leader John-Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) won the Boys’ Under-21 category after following his superb opening round of 68 on the Faldo Course with a 78.  Peter Cummins (Lurgan) is also heading to The Greenbrier in October thanks to his victory in the Boys- Under-16 Division.

The final invitation to the World Amateur Golf Ranking event in West Virginia, USA went to Austria’s Isabella Holpfer. The 13-year-old finished runner-up to Mehaffey in the Girls’ Division, having led at the half way stage by two after a tremendous opening round of 70.

Supported by The R&A, ISPS Handa, The European Tour and The Greenbrier the 2014 Faldo Series Europe schedule features 17 tournaments in 15 countries including three in England plus others in Abu Dhabi, Ireland, Chile, Wales, Brazil, Scotland, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and the USA.

Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year.  Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

In September 2014, Faldo will begin taking students at a full-time residential academy for education and golf development in America.  The first ever Faldo Series Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona marks another significant step in the programme’s history.

Leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 146 – John-Ross Galbraith (NIR) 68-78; 148 – Marc Nolan (IRL) 73-75, Jordan Hood (NIR).  Boys’ Under-18: 141 – Ted Collins (IRL) 70-71; 145 – Ryan Long (NIR) 70-75; 147 – Shane McDermott (IRL) 70-77. Boys’ Under-16: 149 – Peter Cummins (NIR) 76-73, Owen Crooks (NIR) 75-74; 152 – Alan Fahy (IRL) 78-74.  Girls’ Under-21: 146 – Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 72-74; 149 – Isabella Holpfer (AUT) 70-79; 157 – Ciara Casey (IRL) 76-81.