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With a passion for golf developed in their native Ireland, Marco Island residents Peter and Helen Donaghy have embarked on a new enterprise.

In April, they opened the Champions Golf Academy in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with former PGA Tour Player Hugh Royer, III.

The Donaghys are members of the Island Country Club on Marco.

Peter who hails from County Tyrone, met and married Helen, originally from Dublin, in the U.S. Their son Gavin, who grew up playing soccer and Gaelic football in Ireland, developed an interest in golf at the age of 17.

“At the time, I was sponsoring a Nationwide Tour Player, Kris Blanks and Gavin caddied for Kris on the Nationwide Tour in Pennsylvania, Peter Donaghy said. Blanks suggested that Donaghy send his won to Hugh Royer, a noted golf instructor, for evaluation.”

Royer confirmed his potential and Gavin worked with Royer in a nine month Gap-year program. Through Royer’s extensive contacts, he is able to get college placements for students, depending on their level of play. Gavin, a sophomore at the University of South Carolina Aiken, he on the team, playing regularly.

Peter Donaghy got to know Royer and his training program well. He realized Royer’s unique background could really benefit aspiring players. Together, Donaghy and Royer conceived the idea of the Champions Golf Academy.

They chose Myrtle Beach, S.C., where an estimated 4 million rounds of golf, at all levels, are played each year.

The Champions Golf Academy, located adjacent to the Long Bay Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, offers a full range of programs from beginner to professional.

The Champions Golf Academy offers a variety of comprehensive programs for players of all levels. The Adult Program includes 1, 2, and 3-day golf schools where players receive instruction, meals and accommodations. The Gap-Year, a nine-month program, provides individuals, between the ages of 17 and 21, train and improve their golf game in order to compete on the collegiate level without losing a year of eligibility. Weekly summer camps are offered for boys and girls ages 12-17.

“We’ve met a lot of kids who take the year off after graduation from high school; it’s a transition year before they go to university,” Donaghy said. His hope is to attract interest from these aspiring golfers into the Academy. For more information, visit www.championsgolfacademylbc.com.