Mount Wolseley Hosts EuroPro

The PGA EuroPro Tour has added Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in County Carlow to its schedule, the second Irish venue to be included in the Tour’s impressive 2014 line-up.

The Christy O’Connor designed course boasts rich surrounds, mature trees and playing surfaces unrivalled for their consistency and quality and will host Europe’s leading satellite tour from July 30 until August 1.

The 54-hole event follows straight on from the tournament at Concra Wood in Castleblayney and will be filmed for a two hour highlights programme to be broadcast on Sky Sports. The tournament will see some of Europe’s best young professionals competing for the £10,000 winner’s cheque and their share of a total prize fund of £40,000.

Daniel Godding, PGA EuroPro Tour Director of Operations said: “Mount Wolseley is a stunning course and is in a great location with its mountainous backdrop.

“Historically the PGA EuroPro Tour has always enjoyed great public support in Ireland and I am thrilled to give Irish golf fans another opportunity to see some of Europe’s best young pros compete on a top-class course in front of the Sky Sports cameras.”

Lisa Morrissey, Director at Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort said: “We are delighted to be hosting such a prestigious event here at Mount Wolseley and to have such calibre of golfers descending on County Carlow in July. Our championship golf course will challenge the professionals on every aspect of their game, so it will be a great tournament to watch.”

Broadcast on Sky Sports HD and TV networks around the world, the PGA EuroPro Tour is the UK and Ireland’s leading golf tour and is where many top golfers begin their professional careers.

The Tour comprises 17 tournaments at some of the UK and Ireland’s very best courses, including the Belfry (Brabazon course), The Oxfordshire and Prince’s. 

Players play for a total prize fund of over £700,000 each year and at the end of the season the top five on the Order of Merit graduate to the Challenge Tour.

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Ted Higgins Tees Off in Tullow Venue

Ted Higgins Jnr

Last season Ted Higgins finished in seventeenth place in the Irish PGA Lexus Race to Mount Juliet, in association with PING and Failte Ireland, playing an impressive round of golf on the final day of the season at the Mount Juliet venue – coming close to winning the one day tournament. In the end the more natural order of things ensured that it was his cousin David Higgins, the full time professional, who took all the honours, and deservedly so after a seven under par round of 65. 

It was a memorable return to the Kilkenny course for Ted Higgins, who had been Head Professional and Assistant Director of Golf at Mount Juliet between 1997 and 2002 proving his talent at the season finale on the Irish PGA Region. Since leaving Mount Juliet has regularly played Irish PGA Tour, Euro Pro Tour, European Challenge Tour and Mini Tour events in the U.S.A during the winter months, which culminated in the European Tour Qualifying School in 2007 where he secured a European Challenge Tour ranking for the 2008 season. 

Prior to Mount Juliet in 1997 Higgins was Senior Assistant Professional at Royal County Down Golf Club, in Newcastle, County Down. 

After returning to Northern Ireland in 2002 Higgins became involved in cross community teaching in association with several local schools and golf clubs in Fintona and his experience included the Irish Special Olympic team, individual coaching for Curtis Cup and Ladies European Tour player, Susie O’Brien. In 2005 the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) awarded Ted the status of “Advanced PGA Professional”. 

As an amateur Higgins played junior and senior golf winning competitions at national level in individual and team events. In addition was selected for Cork, Munster and Irish Teams with selected golfing achievements as an amateur that include, Runner up Munster Youths Sports Star of the Year, Player of the Year in Christian Brothers College, Won Senior Presidents Prize in Ballybunnion, County Kerry and Amateur Course Records 

In September 1995 he turned Professional in September and became a fully qualified PGA professional in November 1997. 

In 2009 Ted Higgins put his time into building a team of Irish professionals all focused on breaking through European Tour Qualifying School into the major ranks within two seasons and as a result created FORE Ireland, which also included David Mortimer, Michael Collins and Mark Staunton. In 2010 the team was joined by 1995 Ryder Cup star, Philip Walton. 

Although the objective of reaching the major paid ranks was not achieved the team enjoyed much success on the Irish Region for two seasons and all finished with improved records in 2010. For David Mortimer it was a bumper year winning the Irish PGA Championship at Seapoint Golf Club and the Glenmuir PGA professional Championship at The Oxfordshire. For Michael Collins a top eight finish in the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet last October ensured a return trip to the Irish Open in Killarney next July, with Mark Staunton narrowly missing out his chance by a few points. 

This week Ted Higgins embarks in his new role as the Professional at Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in Tullow, County Carlow, returning to his natural vocation having given the game his full attention for last two seasons. 

Factfile: 

Date of Birth: December 28th, 1972 

Attachment: FORE Ireland / Mount Wolseley

Turned Pro: 1995

www.mountwolseley.ie