Irish Golf Writers' Association Awards
The Irish Golf Writers’ Association (IGWA) was founded in 1976 and hosts an annual awards dinner to honour the Professional Player of the Year, the Women’s Amateur Player of the Year, the Men’s Amateur Player of the Year and a person who has been deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to golf in Ireland
Derek Jones reported in The Irish Times of 3 November 1976 on plans by the IGWA to launch an awards scheme that year.
Past Winners
Women's Amateur Player of the Year
2023 Sara Byrne
2022 Beth Coulter
2021 Lauren Walsh
2020 No award due to Covid-19
2019 Annabel Wilson
2018 Sara Byrne
2017 Leona Maguire
2016 Leona Maguire
2015 Leona Maguire
2014 Stephanie Meadow
2013 Paula Grant
2012 Stephanie Meadow
2011 Lisa Maguire ~ Leona Maguire
2010 Danielle McVeigh
2009 Lisa Maguire
2008 Lisa Maguire ~ Leona Maguire
2007 Karen Delaney
2006 Martina Gillen
2005 Tricia Mangan
2004 Claire Coughlan
2003 Claire Coughlan
2002 Rebecca Coakley
2001 Alison Coffey
2000 Alison Coffey
1999 Claire Coughlan
1998 Lillian Behan
1997 Suzanne Fanagan
1996 Barbara Hackett
1995 Eileen Rose Power (McDaid)
1994 Hazel Kavanagh
1993 Eavan Higgins
1992 Eileen Rose Power (McDaid)
1991 Eileen Rose McDaid
1990 Eileen Rose McDaid
1989 Mary McKenna
1988 Debbie Hanna
1987 Claire Hourihane
1986 Claire Hourihane
1985 Lillian Behan
1984 Claire Hourihane
1983 Claire Hourihane
1982 Mary McKenna
1981 Claire Hourihane
1980 Maureen Madill
1979 Mary McKenna
1978 Mary Gorry
1977 Mary Gorry
1976 Mary McKenna
WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL player OF THE YEAR
2023 Leona Maguire
Men’s Amateur Player of the Year
2023 Alex Maguire
2022 Hugh Foley
2021 Peter O’Keeffe
2020 No award due to Covid-19
2019 James Sugrue
2018 Robin Dawson
2017 Paul McBride
2016 Alex Gleeson
2015 Paul Dunne
2014 Paul Dunne
2013 Robbie Cannon
2012 Alan Dunbar
2011 Paul Cutler
2010 Alan Dunbar
2009 Shane Lowry
2008 Shane Lowry
2007 Rory McIlroy
2006 Rory McIlroy
2005 Brian McElhinney
2004 Brian McElhinney
2003 Noel Fox
2002 Colm Moriarty
2001 Michael Hoey
2000 Graeme McDowell
1999 Paddy Gribben
1998 Paddy Gribben
1997 Keith Nolan
1996 Peter Lawrie
1995 Pádraig Harrington
1994 David Higgins
1993 Eddie Power
1992 Gary Murphy
1991 Paul McGinley
1990 Darren Clarke
1989 Eoghan O'Connell
1988 Garth McGimpsey
1987 Paul Rayfus
1986 John McHenry
1985 Garth McGimpsey
1984 Brian Hoey
1983 Philip Walton
1982 Philip Walton
1981 Declan Branigan
1980 Ronan Rafferty
1979 David Long
1978 Mick Morris
1977 Liam MacNamara
1976 Declan Branigan
MEN’s Professional Player of the Year
2023 Tom McKibbin
2022 Rory McIlroy
2021 Leona Maguire
2020 No award due to Covid-19
2019 Shane Lowry
2018 Stephanie Meadow
2017 Paul Dunne
2016 Rory McIlroy
2015 Shane Lowry
2014 Rory McIlroy
2013 Graeme McDowell
2012 Rory McIlroy
2011 Darren Clarke ~ Rory McIlroy
2010 Graeme McDowell
2009 Rory McIlroy
2008 Pádraig Harrington
2007 Pádraig Harrington
2006 Pádraig Harrington
2005 Paul McGinley
2004 Darren Clarke, Pádraig Harrington, Paul McGinley (Ryder Cup players)
2003 Darren Clarke
2002 Pádraig Harrington
2001 Pádraig Harrington
2000 Darren Clarke
1999 Christy O'Connor Jnr.
1998 Darren Clarke
1997 Darren Clarke
1996 Pádraig Harrington
1995 Philip Walton
1994 Raymie Burns
1993 Darren Clarke
1992 Christy O'Connor Jnr.
1991 David Feherty
1990 Dunhill Cup team - David Feherty, Ronan Rafferty, Philip Walton
1989 Ronan Rafferty
1988 Dunhill Cup team - Eamonn Darcy, Ronan Rafferty, Des Smyth
1987 Eamonn Darcy
1986 David Feherty
1985 Christy O'Connor Jnr.
1984 Eamonn Darcy
1983 Eamonn Darcy
1982 John O'Leary
1981 Eamonn Darcy
1980 Des Smyth
1979 Des Smyth
1978 David Jones
1977 Christy O'Connor Snr.
1976 Eamonn Darcy
Distinguished Services to Golf
2023 Denis O’Sullivan
2022 Jimmy Kinsella
2021 Michael McCumiskey
2020 No award due to Covid-19
2019 Des Smyth
2018 Miriam Hand
2017 Michael Moss
2016 Gavin Caldwell
2015 Claire Dowling (née Hourihane)
2014 Ian Bamford
2013 Paul McGinley
2012 Oliver Barry
2011 Seamus Smith
2010 Bill Gibson
2009 Albert Lee
2008 Brendan Edwards
2007 Arthur Pierse
2006 Gerry O'Brien
2005 Pádraig O hUiginn
2004 Cecil Whelan
2003 Garth McGimpsey
2002 Pat Ruddy
2001 David Sheahan
2000 Mary McKenna
1999 Pat Turvey
1998 Ita Butler
1997 R Barry
1996 Ivan Dickson
1995 Anne Tunney
1994 Brud Slattery
1993 Brennie Scannell
1992 Tom Craddock
1991 N Bruen
1990 Eddie Hackett
1989 R Kenny
1988 W Ferguson
1987 Norman Drew
1986 W O'Sullivan
1985 K McCann
1984 Christy O'Connor Snr.
1983 Clarrie Reddan
1982 William (Bill) Menton
1981 Joe Carr
1980 Philomena Garvey
1979 Fred Daly
1978 Harry Bradshaw
1977 Willie Gill
1976 Violet Haslett