EAKIN AND LYONS CROWNED WHIRLPOOL ORDER OF MERIT CHAMPIONS
Tracy Eakin (Dooks) and Joe Lyons (Galway) were crowned inaugural Irish Senior Women’s and Men’s Order of Merit champions. (Photo: Inpho)
Dooks’ Tracy Eakin and Galway’s Joe Lyons have been crowned the inaugural Whirlpool Irish Senior Women’s and Men’s Order of Merit champions after successful silverware winning seasons in 2026.
Lyons enjoyed an historic year, becoming the first golfer to win all three senior championship titles after claiming both the Whirlpool Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Close and Whirlpool Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Open Championships following his Whirlpool Irish Senior Men’s Amateur Close Match Play victories in 2023 and 2024.
A one-shot victory at Castlerock secured Lyons’ first title of the season before he followed up with another narrow win at Dun Laoghaire earning him 750 ranking points.
A semi-final appearance in the Whirlpool Irish Senior Men’s Close Match Play and a T12 finish at the Leinster Senior Men’s Amateur Open Championship brought Lyons’ final tally to 985 points, 231 clear of Malahide’s Gary Cullen.
Eakin also enjoyed a successful season, highlighted by a second Whirlpool Irish Senior Women’s Close title. The Dooks golfer defeated fellow Irish international Deirdre Smith (Co Louth) 3&2 at Enniscorthy in August to secure the championship.
A tied fourth finish at the Whirlpool Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Open Championship and a top 25 finish at the South of Ireland Women’s Amateur Open Championship helped Eakin move to the top of the standings on 226 points before her Senior Close victory secured the Order of Merit title, 133 points ahead of Smith.