Defending Champion, Frank O'Donoghue, of the Templebreedy Pitch and Putt Club in Crosshaven, will be bidding for a double when the Paddy Whiskey National Men's Strokeplay Championship gets underway at Fermoy in July. The Men's National Strokeplay Championship, which attracts over 1,500 entries each year, is one of the longest running events on the Pitch and Putt national event calendar.

O'Donoghue, last year's runner-up, Derry McCarthy (Deerpark, Killarney), Liam O'Donovan (Bruff, Co Limerick), who was third in 1998 and Brendan O'Shea from Shandon are all exempt from the qualifying rounds which begin on June 13th.