National Strokeplay 2026 stats by John Manning
John Cahill becomes the 11th multiple winner of the National Gents Strokeplay Champion previously in 2001, the Fermoy man is now tied on a brace of victories with Damien Fleming, Frank O'Donoghue, John Crowley, Gus Carolan, Anthony Malone and John Walsh. Only Ray Murphy, Kevin Rogers, Sean Downes and Liam O’Donovan have won more titles.
The 25 year span between John’s first and most victory in the championship is a new record, eclipsing John Walsh (1997 – 2015).
John Cahill’s winning aggregate of 136 matches the 136 tallies scored by William Buckley Junior and Frank Dineen to make the 2003 9-hole play-off at Tullamore. Liam O’Donovan (130 in 2016) and Frank Dineen (133 in 2008) scored lower while winning at Tullamore.
John Cahill’s National Strokeplay medal haul now rivals that of Frank O’Donoghue, two gold and two bronze.
Stephen O’Reilly is the second Hillview player (and the third from Co. Tipperary) to finish second in the National Strokeplay championship. Stephen Shoer was 2017 runner-up while James Cleary played out of Hillview when collecting silver in 2006.
Stephen joins T.J. O’Riordan, Derek Courtney, Sean Harkins, Eamon O’Reilly, Derry McCarthy and Davy Poole as National Matchplay champions to finish second in the National Strokeplay championship without (yet) winning the latter title.
John Walsh’s remarkable record in the National Strokeplay championship continues. The two-time winner now boasts five runner-up spots and three third places, an all-time record-extending ten podium finishes. He has made the final round in every National Strokeplay championship (4) held at Tullamore this millennium!
John Walsh is the first reigning National Matchplay kingpin to finish third in the same year’s National Strokeplay championship since Mark Millar in 2000.
2020 National Matchplay finalist Ian Dillon equalled his best previous finish in the National Strokeplay championship – 4th place at Ryston seven years ago.
Fifth-placed Jason Cregan visited the newly-extended podium for the second successive year, after earning a bronze medal in 2025.
Thus Jason Cregan ensured a Kerry player on the podium for the sixth successive season.
The cut fell at 100, five strokes more than the previous championship at Tullamore in 2016, an indication of how much more the difficult the course played this time round.
Four players (John Walsh, Mark Millar, Eoin Walsh and John Ross Crangle) that made the cut at Tullamore in 2016 made it through to the final 18 again in 2026.
Aaron McDonagh is the third member of Killlineer (previously Cement) club to win the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay championship. Sean Clerkin and Daniel Clinton are the others.
Dillon Melia is the third member of the Tullamore club to collect a silver medal in the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay championship. Ciaran Boland and Stephen Geraghty are the others.
John O’Keeffe is the first player from Custume to finish third in the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay championship (since third place as first officially awarded in 1987).
To Paul Lynch (Rathfeigh) and Dave Connolly (Crosshaven) goes the honour of being the first winners of the official fourth and fifth prizes.
Paul Lynch adds this distinction to a session prize win in the National Scotch Foursomes last year while Dave Connolly progresses from his 19th place finish at St. Anne’s twelve months ago.
Daniel Malone is the first member of Custume (and the first from Co. Westmeath) to be crowned National Gents Junior Strokeplay champion.
P.J. Harte is the first player from Poulaphouca (and the third representing a Kildare club) to finish as runner-up in the National Gents Junior Strokeplay championship.
Glenn Fortune pocketed his second National Gents Junior Strokeplay championship bronze medal, having previously claimed third place at Tullamore ten years ago.
Glenn’s third place finish was the third such achievement by a member of St. Patrick’s. Kevin Doyle finished third at Ryston in 2010.
Glenn filled third place nationally as the reigning Leinster Strokeplay champion, matching Paul Core’s feat of last year.
Michael Maher (Bagenalstown) and Paddy Barry (St. Anne's) are the inaugural winners of fourth and fifth place prizes respectively.
Michael Maher improves from eighth place in 2025 while Paddy adds this win to a third place finish in the recent Munster Junior Strokeplay championship.
Share this article