Qualifying for 3rd Youth Olympics begins in April
PARTICIPATING in the Olympic Game is now a reality for golfers but there’s also an opportunity for Under 18s to take part in the Youth Olympic Games.
Just like the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games are held in summer and winter every four years with the first two summer editions held in Singapore in 2010 and Nanjing in China in 2014.
The 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games will be held in Buenos Aires in Argentina from October 6-18 this year, and the GUI is running a qualification series to decide Ireland’s male representative.
Players can earn points at five events during the first half of the season with the leading scorer – born between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2003 – eligible to compete and win his ticket to Buenos Aires.
The race begins at the Connacht Boys Amateur Open at Belmullet from April 4-6, and the leading player will be confirmed following the Leinster Boys Amateur Open at The Heritage from July 3-5.
The other counting events are the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at Royal County Down (May 17-20), the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth (2-4 June) and Irish Boys Amateur
Open at Belvoir Park (June 26-29).
Points will be awarded to the top-16 eligible players in each event and the detailed points breakdown and system for the breaking of ties are available on the GUI website, golfnet.ie.
The Island’s Kevin Le Blanc and Royal County Down Ladies’ Olivia Mehaffey represented Ireland at Nanjing in 2014.
Le Blanc was tied 16th in the Men’s Individual Strokeplay with Mehaffey tied 20th in the Women’s event before they went on to finish 27th in the Mixed Team event.