Ryanair nightmare leaves Irish golfer empty-handed after tournament win
Irish golfer Joe Lyons was left trophyless and frustrated after Ryanair rules prevented him from returning home with his hard-earned silverware.
Irish golfer Joe Lyons saw his Spanish Seniors Amateur Open trophy thrown in the bin after Ryanair refused to be flexible with their hand luggage policy.
Lyons, 51, is currently the reigning Irish Seniors Close champion, and he added to his win list on Sunday when he closed out the Spanish Seniors Amateur Open with a final round 5-under 67 at Real Club Sevilla Golf.
Beginning the day three shots behind the leader, he stormed up the leaderboard to eventually win by four clear shots, thanks to a stunning round that featured seven birdies and two bogeys.
Despite his heroics, neither Lyons nor his wife Vera could fit the trophy in their hand luggage for their flight back to Cork, leading Ryanair to make him discard it at the gate.
Credit: RFE Golf
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph about the fiasco, he said:
Despite his best attempts to plead with the Ryanair staff at the gate, Lyons was left with further frustration after the staff admitted they would be throwing the trophy in the bin if it were to be left at the gate.
Having had to say farewell to his hard-earned silverware, Lyons did admit that despite the unfortunate circumstances, he wouldn't allow the shine to be taken off his performance.
He added:
Read next:
Johnny joined GolfMagic as Reviews Editor in 2023 having worked for Sports Impact for two years as Head of Social Media, working alongside prominent golf brands including Galvin Green, Motocaddy and Wilson.
