RECENTLY CROWNED Amateur champion James Sugrue will hope to continue his dream month when he represents Ireland at the European Team Championships in Sweden next week [9-13 July].

Sugrue claimed a stunning victory at the R&A Amateur Championships at Portmarnock last weekend and is the headline selection in the Golfing Union of Ireland’s six-man team for Sweden.

The 22-year-old Cork golfer gained a place at the Open in Portrush, a Masters invitation and an exemption for next year’s US Open, while he will also play in next week’s Irish Open Pro-Am at Lahinch. 

Sugrue’s victory on the north Dublin links also saw him soar 163 places to 68th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, sitting only behind Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell [16th].

Purcell, who won the Australian Amateur Championship in January, earned automatic selection as the highest-ranked Irish player, while Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Mark Power (Kilkenny) and Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) make up the team.

After two rounds of stroke play qualifying, the top eight teams progress to the second phase of matchplay. The winners of that stage will be crowned European champions. 

Meanwhile, Tom McKibbin of Hollywood has been selected on the Ireland team for the European Boys Team Championships, which also take place next week in France.

The Ireland side features McKibbin, Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass), Max Kennedy (Royal Dublin), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Joshua McCabe (Roganstown) and Luke O’Neill (Connemara). 

European Amateur Team Championship: Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene), Ronan Mullarney (Galway), Mark Power (Kilkenny), Conor Purcell (Portmarnock), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk), James Sugrue (Mallow).

European Amateur Boys Team Championship: Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass), Max Kennedy (Royal Dublin), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Joshua McCabe (Roganstown), Tom McKibbin (Holywood), Luke O’Neill (Connemara).

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