With only four events left of the European Challenge Tour season, the action heads to Ireland for the Monaghan Irish Challenge. Here are five key facts before the players tee off at Concra Wood Golf Club.
Conquering Concra Wood
Concra Wood Golf Club makes its debut on the Challenge Tour as it hosts the fourth edition of the Irish Challenge.
The last three editions of the event have been held at Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort, but for 2018 the Irish Challenge heads north to Castleblayney and County Monaghan.
Christy O’Connor Jnr remembered
The late Christy O’Connor Jnr, an Irish golf legend, will once again be remembered at the Monaghan Irish Challenge, when the lowest scoring Irishman will be presented with the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy on Sunday.
Dermot McElroy claimed the prize two years ago before Ruaidhri McGee won it in 2017.
Home hopefuls
McGee, Gavin Moynihan and Cormac Sharvin lead the charge of the Irish players looking to succeed on home soil.
McGee won the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy at last year’s Irish Challenge following his share of 15thplace 12 months ago.
Moynihan won the 2018 GolfSixes alongside fellow Irishman Paul Dunne and will aim to bring the luck of the Irish to Concra Wood. While Sharvin has seen an increase in form and hopes that will favour him in front of the home crowd.
Four to go
The Monaghan Irish Challenge is the is one of the final events on the Challenge Tour’s International Schedule.
With back-to-back tournaments in China ahead of the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final, the Monaghan Irish Challenge will play a big part in deciding which players will get to play the final three events of 2018.
Backed to the Hill
Calum Hill triumphed at the Galgorm Resort & Spa Northern Ireland Open, presented by Modest! Golf in August and is one of six 2018 Challenge Tour winners in the field this week.
The Scot battled the elements to succeed at Galgorm and will need to do the same if he is to lift his second title of the year at Concra Wood.
Pedro Figueiredo, David Law, Stuart Manley, Ben Stow and Oliver Wilson are the other Challenge Tour winners who will be teeing it up in the final Challenge Tour event on European soil.
