Golf Ireland announce the Bridgestone Tours

The Women’s and Men’s Order of Merits will take place over a combined 21 events in 2022 across the Women’s and Men’s Bridgestone Tours.
 
Marc Boucher (Carton House) and Kate Lanigan (Hermitage) joined Colm Conyngham (Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Bridgestone Ireland) to officially announce the partnership.
 
The Women’s and Men’s Bridgestone Tours will take on added significance this year with guaranteed places on Ireland’s Home Internationals teams coming from each Tour.
 
The top-three players on the Men’s Bridgestone Tour at the end of the season will also be guaranteed their spots on the 2023 HP Panel.
 
Golf Ireland’s Performance Director and National Coach Neil Manchip said:

“We are thrilled to have Bridgestone on board, in creating these two Tours for our amateur golfers.
 
“The Men’s and Women’s Bridgestone Tours will offer opportunities this year for our players to represent their country on an international stage, and we look forward to traveling the country seeing our stars in action.”

Colm Conyngham, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Bridgestone Ireland, added:
 
“The continued presence of Irish golfers on the global stage in both men’s and women’s tours gives us all a strong motivation to continue to create the correct environment to help young amateur golfers to develop and prosper.

“We hope our new Bridgestone Tours for men and women, developed from our Bridgestone Order of Merit, will play a significant role”.
 
Speaking at the launch, Marc Boucher said:

“I’m delighted to have Bridgestone on board supporting both the Men’s and Women’s Tours. It’s great to have a broad variety of events around the country too. It’ll be a marathon and not a sprint this year, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Crucial development for women's golf

Kate Lanigan feels the creation of the Women's Bridgestone Tour will be crucial for the development of the women’s game in Ireland.
 
“It’s a great opportunity for us. The season will all be about managing schedules in between the international events. The Women’s Bridgestone Tour will be very important for encouraging and keeping the girls playing in Ireland, and improving the quality of fields throughout the season.”
 
The Women’s Bridgestone Tour began last month, with Clandeboye’s Rebekah Gardner winning the Royal County Down Scratch Cup. The Men’s Bridgestone Tour begins later this week with the West of Ireland Championship taking place at Co. Sligo GC.

The 2022 Bridgestone Tour schedules

2022 Women’s Bridgestone Tour 
27 March: Royal County Down Scratch Cup (won by Rebekah Gardner)
10 April: Royal Portrush Scratch Cup (won by Beth Coulter)
13-14 April: Munster Women’s and Girls Open - Tralee
22 April: Ulster Women’s Open Championship - Portstewart
23 April: Lahinch Scratch Cup - Lahinch
1 May: Hermitage Scratch Cup - Hermitage
6-8 May: Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open - Co. Louth
30-31 May: Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play - Belvoir Park
11-14 June: AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close - Grange
22-23 June: Connacht Women’s and Girls Open - Castle Dargan
22-24 July: Leinster Women’s Championship - Bray
 
2022 Men’s Bridgestone Tour 
15-19 April: West of Ireland Championship - Co. Sligo
30 April-1 May: Munster Men’s Stroke Play - Cork
12-15 May: Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open - The Island
30-31 May: Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play - Belvoir Park
4-6 June: East of Ireland Championship - Co. Louth
11-12 June: Connacht Men’s Stroke Play - Portumna
13-15 July: North of Ireland Championship - Royal Portrush
20-24 July: South of Ireland Championship - Lahinch
31 July-1 August: Mullingar Scratch Cup - Mullingar
13-17 August: AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close - Headfort

Find out more details here.