Thomas Mulligan equals course record

Thomas Mulligan, the talented 16-year-old from Co Louth GC, demonstrated during yesterday’s second qualifying round in the AIG Irish Close Championship at Tramore why, only two days ago, he was included in the British & Irish Jacques Leglise boys team for the forthcoming bi-annual challenge against the Continent of Europe.

Mulligan, a native of Mornington, Co Meath, equalled the four year-old course record set by his fellow Royal County man Brian Casey in the 2011 Irish Youths Championship. In the process, he displayed a wide range of skills in shooting a round that could, in fact, have easily been a couple of strokes lower. He actually dropped a shot at the first before gains at the 2nd, 4th and 9th saw him to the turn in 34. On the way back, Mulligan birdied the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th but had to settle for regulation figures at the par five 16th and 18th where further birdies were very much on offer.

Mulligan finished second in the qualifiers, a couple behind Balbriggan’s Robbie Cannon who returned two exemplary rounds of 70 and 68 and a six under par total of 138. The 2009 South of Ireland and 2013 Irish Amateur Open champion is a strength and conditioning coach who has been working closely with Shane Lowry since last January and is widely regarded as having played a major part in his successes over the past few months.