16 year-old Kildare golfer wins All-Ireland Intermediate P&P Matchplay tournament
Molly O’Toole will now enter the senior ranks of Pitch & Putt after a startling 2026 where she became Kildare, Leinster and now All-Ireland champion at Intermediate level
Molly O'Toole, from McDonagh Pitch & Putt club, won the All Ireland Intermediate Match Play event in Balincollig, Cork over the weekend.
The field included some senior players against senior players who were ranked as high as 11th in Ireland. The 16 year-old won her won first match against Lisa O'Connor from Tralee, her second against Gillian Morrissey from Cork before play ceased on Sunday in Ranges Pitch & Putt club.
On Monday, June 1 in the All-Ireland semi final Molly met Elaine Quinn from Lakeside in Tipperary and it was in this game that she played her best pitch & putt of the entire event. Molly was -10 for 26 holes and reached the All-Ireland final following a high-standard semi.
The final was set in a different venue so a little bit of ground work for both players was needed. Rocklodge Ballincollig was the venue and Molly practiced late into the previous evening working on pitch shots and where not to be off the tee. The greens were slick with subtle breaks and attention was required on each and every shot in this tense decider.
Molly faced the Irish number 11, Ailish Sexton Fermoy, Cork and it was a war of attrition in the final with Molly closing out the game on the 32nd hole of a possible 36 and the Kildare champion became an All-Ireland winner after her latest string of exceptional rounds of match play.
What a year it has been for the for 16 year-old who is now the 2026 Kildare County, Leinster, and National Champion at Intermediate level.