GUI publish revised championship season schedule

Following the announcement of the Republic of Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Northern Ireland’s Plan for a Phased, Strategic Approach to Recovery, the GUI has today provided an extensive update to its schedule of championships for 2020. 

The ‘big-four’ provincial championships – the North, South, East and West of Ireland – have also been cancelled after detailed consideration of any and all options for rescheduling. 

A limited series of Bridgestone Order of Merit events have been rescheduled, with the Munster Stroke Play, Mullingar Scratch Trophy and Connacht Stroke Play all being rescheduled for August and September, following which the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship will be the season-ender at Rosapenna on 9-11 October. 

The GUI and Provincial Branches have sought to provide as much of a balance of age categories as possible in scheduling and rescheduling other championships throughout August, September and October. 

Caddies will be prohibited in all events, and the format and terms of competition may be altered.

Championship entrants will be contacted directly regarding the status of each championship they have entered, and in the event they have entered a championship that is now cancelled they will receive a refund as soon as possible.

All entries for Championships which have either been rescheduled or for which the dates are being retained will continue to stand. Entrants who do not wish to participate may withdraw up to the closing date for entries and receive a full refund. 

All closing dates have been revised to two weeks prior to the start of the championship, so as to ensure continual review of public health measures. Draws will continue to be published seven days beforehand. 

REVISED SCHEDULE OF GUI NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 2020

List of Cancellations (as of Monday 11th May 2020)
The following events have been cancelled. Where it applies, entrants will have their fees refunded as soon as possible, if not already actioned.

22 March                 Ulster Regional Series 2 of 3 (Ballyliffin)                        

7 Apr                       Connacht Boys Alliance No 3 (Ballyhaunis)

8 Apr – 14 Apr        West of Ireland Amateur Open Qualifier & Championship (Co Sligo)           

10 Apr                     Ulster Winter Series 2 of 3 (Edenmore)                       

19 Apr                     Ulster Regional Series 3 of 3 (Slieve Russell)                                        

26 Apr                     Ulster Winter Series 3 of 3 (Galgorm Castle)                                      

30 Apr                     Connacht U15 Schools Development (Castlebar)

20 May – 22 May     Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship (Castlewarden)

23 May                     Leinster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Balbriggan)       

25 May – 26 May     Ulster Stroke Play Open Championship (Galgorm Castle)     

30 May – 1 Jun         East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Co Louth)      

11 June                     Ulster Schools Junior Championship (Tandragee)

20 June                     Munster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Nenagh)           

26 June                     Munster U14 Boys Championship (Cahir Park)

1 July                        Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Adare Manor)

4 July                        Ulster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Rosapenna)                      

6 July                        Leinster U16 Close Championship (Ashbourne)

13 July                      Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Macroom)

13 Jul – 17 Jul          North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Royal Portrush)      

19 July                      Ulster Scratch Foursomes Championship (Malone)

21-23 July                 Underage Interprovincial Championships (Mullingar)

22 Jul – 26 Jul          South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Lahinch Old Course)

13 Aug – 16 Aug     Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship (Galway)

28 Aug – 30 Aug     Men’s Interprovincial Championship (Ballykisteen)

12 Sept                    Connacht Mid-Amateur Championship (Roscommon)

List of revised fixtures (as of Monday 11th May 2020)
The following is the revised list of fixtures for 2020. This includes all events confirmed on a rescheduled date or in their original date if still feasible. Please note this list is subject to continual review and any changes will be advised as soon as possible.

14th July                       Ulster Under-18 Close Championship (Royal Portrush Valley Links)

20th July                       Ulster Under-16/Under-14 Close Championship (Knock)

27th July                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Kilkenny & Millicent)

30th July                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Malahide & Woodbrook)

30th July                       Connacht Junior Close Championship Qualifiers (Ballinasloe & Ballina)

4th Aug                         Connacht Under-16 Inter-Club Championship (Ballinrobe)

5th Aug                         Munster Under-15 & Under-17 Close Championship (TBC)

10th Aug                       Ulster Under-14 Boys Championship (Donaghadea)

12th Aug                       Munster Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscrea)

12th-13th Aug               Ulster Seniors Championship (Slieve Russell)

13th Aug                       Connacht Junior Close Championships Finals (Tuam)

14th Aug                       Ulster Under-16 Boys Championship (Carnalea)

15th-16th Aug               Mullingar Scratch Trophy (Mullingar)

17th Aug                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Ulster Section (Ballycastle & Dungannon)

19th-21st Aug                Irish Under-16 Boys Championship (Lurgan)

24th-25th August           Ulster Under-18 Boys Championship (Warrenpoint)

26th Aug                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Cobh)

27th Aug                       Leinster Under-16 Boys Championship (Beaverstown)

28th Aug                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Newcastle West)

28th Aug                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Connacht Qualifiers (Boyle & Gort)

29th Aug                       Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Ennis & Carrick-on-Suir)

Aug TBC                     Leinster Under-14 Boys Championship (TBC)

2nd-3rd Sept                  Connacht Under-18 Boys Championship (Loughrea)

5th-6th Sept                   Munster Stroke Play Championship (Cork)

12th Sept                      Connacht Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscommon)

14th-15th Sept               Munster Under-18 Boys Championship (TBC)

19th-20th Sept               Connacht Stroke Play Championship (Portumna)

Sept TBC                    Munster Seniors Championship (TBC)

3rd-4th Oct                   Irish Mid-Amateur Championship (Nenagh)

6th Oct                         GUI All-Ireland Gold Medals Grand Final (The K Club)

6th-7th Oct                   Leinster Seniors Championship (New Forest)

9th-11th Oct                 AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship (Rosapenna – Sandy Hills)

20th-21st Oct                Connacht Seniors Championship (TBC)

20th-22nd Oct               Irish Intervarsity Championship (Portsalon)

27th Oct                       Connacht Under-14 Boys Championship (Strandhill)

28th-30th Oct               Leinster Under-18 Boys Championship (Glasson)

·         The Union is also working on plans to reschedule the Irish Seniors Close Championship, the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship and the Irish Under-14 Boys Amateur Open Championship, but in the case of the latter two events they will be conducted as Close Championships (Irish entrants only) in 2020. All Irish entries for these will therefore stand, and overseas entries will be granted a refund as soon as possible. Details will be available on these as soon as possible.

·         The Irish Colleges Match Play Final Series, and the Irish Schools Junior and Senior Championship competitions – all of which had progressed significantly prior to the restrictions being introduced – are still under review and the intention remains to conclude these if possible. Further details will be made available shortly.