Caolan Rafferty Clinches Kingspan East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth Golf Club
Dundalk golfer Caolan Rafferty emerged victorious at the Kingspan East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth Golf Club with a commanding final round performance. Shooting an impressive 65 on his final 18 holes, Rafferty finished with a four-round total of -15.
Rafferty maintained a two-shot lead over Max Kennedy throughout most of the final day. Despite a nerve-wracking bogey on the par-5 18th hole, where he missed a five-footer for par, he ultimately held on for the win. “It feels better than I thought it would,” Rafferty said. “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders. I only had three bogeys all week, so it was the wrong time to have my third on the 72nd hole.”
Having finished runner-up in the past two East of Ireland Championships, Rafferty was determined to claim the title and add it to his previous wins in the West and South of Ireland Championships. This victory brings his tally to three of the four amateur provincial championships in Ireland, solidifying his status as one of the leading amateurs in the country.
This year, Rafferty has scaled back his competitive schedule but has made a strong start to the 2024 season, recently winning the Laytown and Bettystown Senior Scratch Cup for the fourth time. In today’s championship, he tied for the lead with Max Kennedy at the turn but pulled ahead on the back nine with three more birdies. Kennedy, unable to keep pace, slipped back with a three-putt bogey.
Rafferty was four shots clear playing the par-3 17th hole but faced a narrowing gap when Kennedy birdied the 15th and 16th holes. Despite a challenging position on the 17th, Rafferty managed a beautiful chip and a seven-foot par putt to maintain his lead. His nearest challenger, Kennedy, kept the fight going until the end but fell short with a final hole bogey, giving Rafferty a dramatic win.
Rafferty’s victory was celebrated by large local galleries from Dundalk and Greenore Golf Club. He played stunning golf, being -8 through 17 holes, and narrowly missed breaking the course record on the 18th.
Fellow Dundalk golfer Eoin Murphy was also in contention going into the final round but a double-bogey on the front nine halted his momentum.