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No stopping Ireland as they sweep to Home Internationals title

Golf Digest: HOME INTERNATIONALS : Ireland's amateur golfers were celebrating last night, and with plenty of justification, …

Sat Sept 06 2008 - 01:00

Golf Digest: HOME INTERNATIONALS: Ireland's amateur golfers were celebrating last night, and with plenty of justification, after sweeping impressively to their first home international title for five years.

And their success at Muirfield comes just two months after they retained their European team title in Turin and follows the Irish boys achievement in winning their international crown at Royal County Down last month.

Ireland made certain of continuing the season of triumph by overwhelming England in the last battle of the round-robin tournament — and that completed the Triple Crown as both Scotland and Wales had been accounted for on the previous two days.

Now they can go for the Grand Slam in the World amateur team championships for the Eisenhower Trophy in Adelaide in October when 72 countries will be competing.

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It was fitting that the three players chosen for the world championships were the most successful in the internationals, Paul Cutler and Jonathan Caldwell going through the series unbeaten and Shane Lowry collecting four points out of a possible six.

The World Championships will be the swansong for captain Michael Burns, who has been an inspirational skipper, one of the most successful in recent years.

PGA TOUR: Pádraig Harrington mixed three birdies with two bogeys in an opening one-under-par 69 in the first round of the rain-delayed BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club, St Louis, Missouri.

Setting the early clubhouse target were Americans Steve Stricker and Kenny Perry on four-under-par 66.

SENIORS: Ian Woosnam's affinity for eastern Europe this year continued after the Welshman fired a six -under-par 65 to lead after the first round of the inaugural Casa Serena Open in Prague.

Woosnam has triumphed on both of the European Seniors Tour's visits to former Eastern Block countries this season, following his maiden victory at the Parkridge Polish Seniors Championship by also landing the title at the Russian Seniors Open.

The 50-year-old leads by one from England's Tony Allen and American Pete Oakley, with Germany's Bernhard Langer a shot further back on four under par after a 67.

Langer, currently second behind Woosnam in the race for The John Jacobs Trophy, posted five birdies and one bogey in his round of 67 to join a group of eight players on four under par, two shots off the pace. Eamonn Darcy shot a one-under-par 70, with Denis O'Sullivan on level-par 71.

LET TOUR: Germany's Martina Eberl shot a seven-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Nykredit Masters in Denmark. The 27-year-old from Munich mixed eight birdies with one bogey on a fine afternoon at Simon's Golf Club near Helsingør.

Playing with world number two Annika Sorenstam and home favourite Iben Tinning, Eberl played the front nine in one-under. She birdied the 12th hole before rattling off five birdies in a row from the 14th for an inward total of six-under 32 and a one-shot lead over English rookie Melissa Reid. Rebecca Coakley carded an opening round of 76.