Rogers delivers on pedigree

Glen Rogers is obviously making good use of his time working in Portmarnock Golf Centre . . . the 19-year-old defied windy conditions to win the Sir John Lumsden Cup over his home course at The Island last weekend. A cousin of women's touring professional Aideen, Glen shot nett rounds of 71, 76 and 70 for a 54-holes total of 217, four shots ahead of club-mate Tony McLoughlin.

Rogers certainly has a good pedigree. He won the Smurfit Boys' title in 1994 and, the same year, assisted Portmarnock Community School to the Irish schools' championship. Rogers is also a previous winner of the Leinster boys' and the Golf Foundation Age Group titles.

Although Ballinascorney's Graham Smith took the gold medal for best gross with a 54 holes total of 230, the big tale of woe concerned another of The Island's contingent. Darragh Venables was the comfortable leader after two rounds - five shots ahead of eventual winner Rogers - but floundered to a final round of nett 85, which plunged him down the scoreboard, eventually finishing in tied-ninth position.

Venables at least had the honour of landing the prize for the best first round.

That oft quoted expression "like father, like son" took on a new meaning at Naas Golf Club last week when the time came for captain Eddie Prendergast to hand out his prizes.

Although the trying conditions took their toll on a lot of competitors, the captain's 14-year-old son David - perhaps inspired by playing on his father's big day - seemed immune to the test and shot an excellent score of 66, playing off 15.

His endeavours were rewarded on the double. Not only did David scoop the captain's juvenile prize, but he also clinched the club's Juvenile Golfer of the Year Award. Certainly, a day to remember for father and son.

Ballinascorney's David Lavelle, a five handicapper, shot a nett 67 to take captain Barry Keely's prize, in the Leinster Golfers' Alliance outing at Castle Golf Club on Sunday.

Lavelle had three shots to spare over Old Conna's Ron Mason, who beat Philip Halpenny, of Portmarnock, on countback over the back nine after the pair finished on 70.

There was a certain justice when Carlow Golf Club's longserving handicap secretary Sean Spillane finally got his hands on a top prize last Sunday.

Spillane won president Dermot O'Driscoll's prize with a highly impressive 41 points in tough conditions over a long and difficult course with two points to spare over Michael Morrissey.

Local knowledge? Two of the host club's members repelled outside invaders to take the honours in the open day competition at Connemara Isles in aid of the Leukaemia Trust, University College Hospital in Galway on Sunday. Joan Flaherty took the women's prize with 32 points, and Sean O Cualain took the men's honours with 38.