Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty will be going for an unprecedented fifth win in the Boylesports-sponsored Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup this weekend.

The holder is one of the favourites for a 54-hole event which will see the top 30 and ties after Saturday’s first 36 holes qualify for Sunday’s final round.

Walker Cup player Caolan Rafferty from Dundalk is the low man off plus-five in an 81-strong field featuring 32 players off plus-two or better.

The event has been going since 2001 and Lee Valley will be looking for only its second winner after Keith Crowley’s win in 2011.

O’Flaherty joined Major champion Shane Lowry (2009) on the list of winners with wins in 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2022.

Golfers such as O’Flaherty, Mel Deasy, Morgan Cain and James Walsh will be keen to get some competitive practice before the Munster Men’s Amateur Open Championship at Cork Golf Club from April 29 to May 1.

Formerly the Cork Scratch Cup and the Munster Strokeplay Championship, the Munster Men’s Amateur Open has a new format this year with the top 16 in the 75-man field after two strokeplay rounds going through to a matchplay draw.