See Europe’s Future Stars At EuroPro Tour, Concra Wood,July 22nd-26th

0 0 GolfCentralDaily July 4, 2013 Edit this post

The EuroPro Tour is coming back to the stunning Concra Wood in County Monaghan, Ireland for the second consecutive year from July 22nd- 26t...

The EuroPro Tour is coming back to the stunning Concra Wood in County Monaghan, Ireland for the second consecutive year from July 22nd- 26th. The ‘Kingspan Concra Wood Open’ will feature the brightest young golfing talent in Europe as they make their way towards the full European Tour.

Less than an hours drive from Dublin, it’s a super chance to get up close and personal with top class players, and you never know, you may just meet a future Major Champion! Sky Sports will also be covering the Kingspan Concra Wood Open for TV.

Here’s all the info on the event. Click Read More below.

Concra boasts stunning views of Lough Muckno from every point on the course, and being located only one hour from Belfast and Dublin, it not only proved to be a very popular choice with last years competitors but is developing a reputation as one of the finest championship golf courses on the island of Ireland. Concra Wood was ranked the 38th best course in the Ireland by Golf Digest and was named by the Golfers Guide to Ireland as their Hidden Gem of Ulster in 2012.”

The 2012 event was won by Englishman Billy Hemstock after rounds of 73, 67, and 70 forced a play-off with Scotsman Wallace Booth, Hemstock prevailing at the first extra hole. Speaking recently Hemstock says he is delighted to be returning to the scene of his first success on the professional tour.
“I am honored to have been the inaugural winner of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open in 2012,” said Hemstock. “The sponsors, the people and the world class golf venue that is Concra Wood made this tournament the highlight event on the PGA Europro Tour calendar in 2012. I am delighted that the tour is returning to Concra Wood in July where I look forward to defending my title.”
The event was hailed as a huge success and further cemented the growing reputation of this Christy O’Connor Jnr designed course. On hearing the news of the tournament returning O’Connor said “Getting a tournament here in the first place is a huge thing for me personally as it proves the golf course is considered a proper test of golf. Having it return is the ultimate endorsement. Bringing this tournament to Concra is proof that the club is ambitious and continuously moving forward, which is fantastic news in these tough times.”
There are 168 players in each three-day tournament that are usually preceded by a one, or two-day Pro-Am. A considerable number of established and up and coming Irish professionals will be on show over the course of the week and this years’ tournament will be televised and shown both on Sky Sports and The Golf Channel in the US.
The PGA Europro Tour is a partnership between The Professional Golfers’ Association and Matchroom Sport. It has become one of the leading tours in Europe and is the only officially recognised golf developmental tour in the UK.
The backing and support of the PGA is pivotal to its success as players strive to progress from the PGA Europro to Challenge Tour and full European Tour.
The 2010 Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen is one of the tour’s greatest success stories. Oosthuizen made his PGA Europro Tour debut in 2002, building his confidence and skills for two years. Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher, 2008 Irish Open winner, Richard Finch and Scottish World Cup winner Marc Warren have all used the PGA EuroPro Tour as a launch pad to European Tour success.
The course, which is still a relative newcomer on the Irish scene having only been officially opened in July of 2008, has quickly gained a very strong reputation. Designed by two of Ireland’s golfing legends, Christy O’Connor Junior and Senior and measuring over 7300 yards off the championship tees, the course plays to a par of 72.
Former European Tour player Simon Thornton has warned competitors playing in the Kingspan Concra Wood Open that straight hitting will be required to succeed at the Christy O’Connor Jnr designed course. Newcastle Co. Down based Thornton, a one-time course record holder at Concra Wood, recently said “Concra Wood is one of the best courses in the country – full stop. It is absolutely fantastic. “The players will have to find the fairways off the tee. The fairways are not very wide but at the same time there are bail-out areas. It is important to know where you cannot hit it off the tee.
“The second shots are not overly difficult but there is often no point in hitting driver all the time. Sometimes you are going to have to lay back and hit full shots into the greens which are superb putting surfaces.”
Tournament week will get underway on July 23rd with a pro-Am and glittering gala prize-giving event, and with a couple of slots still available more information about competing can be acquired from Professional Conor McKenna at Concra Wood.