A round-up of today's other stories in brief
'Rumble for Crumlin' leads to the Algarve in October
A WEEKEND in the Algarve, Portugal, awaits the provincial winners of Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Club Challenge this year.
The “Rumble for Crumlin” is a three-person (any combination) team event run in various clubs throughout the country, with the winners qualifying for the provincial deciders, which this year will see the Leinster final played at Hermitage GC on Thursday, August 25th, the Connacht/Ulster final at Roscommon GC on Thursday, September 1st, and the Munster final at Muskerry GC on Monday, September 5th.
The winning provincial teams will then compete for the All-Ireland title during a golfing weekend in the Algarve from October 14th-17th.
An entry fee of € 50 per team is recommended in order to try to achieve a minimum fundraising target of €1,000 per club (20 teams) but this entry fee is at the club’s discretion.
All funds raised go directly to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, thanks to the support from the Musgrave Group as they pay all expenses associated with this competition.
This most popular competition is now in its 14th year supporting Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.
Further details are available form the tournament co-ordinator Pat Cashman at 01-6282249 / 087-2424451 or email to litia@eircom.net
Midleton and Teresian top schools
MIDLETON COLLEGE and the Teresian School won the Irish Schools Senior and Junior Cup finals at the 2011 Irish Schools Championships at Milltown Golf Club last week.
Midleton College, Cork’s Edel Coyne returned the best score of the day with a three-over-par 33 points in blustery, wet and trying conditions. Her fine achievement won her the Mary Nowlan Cup for the best individual score. Her twin sister Julie signed for 25 points for the pair to lead the field by three shots from the Teresian School’s Ariana Coyle Diez and Rachel McDonnell, who in turn collected the Irish Junior Cup as the leading Junior Certificate students.
Sligo Grammar’s Holly Robinson was also in fine form, returning 28 points, while Niamh Jordan (Sacred Heart, Drogheda) recorded an impressive 20 points.
HOLES-IN-ONE are scarce enough, but when they come in pairs it is even more rare. Such was the case at Carrickmines GC last week when two holes-in-one were recorded on the same day.
In very blustery conditions in last Saturday’s medal, Huntly Lauder holed out his tee shot at the par-three fourth hole measuring 172 yards into the wind. And just a short time later Rev Ian Gallagher, rector of St Brigid’s, Stillorgan, aced the downwind par-three 16th hole from 152 yards.
Seve Ballesteros Foundation
THE Seve Ballesteros Foundation will be the chosen charity for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a fitting celebration for the 20th anniversary of the great Spaniard’s last victory at the famous Surrey venue.
Ballesteros, who mastered Wentworth’s West Course in 1991 to secure his second PGA Championship, beating Colin Montgomerie in a play-off, and the World Matchplay Championship with a 3 and 2 victory over Nick Price, launched his Foundation in 2009, a year after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. An invitational fund-raiser will be held on May 23rd, featuring 24 teams and concluding with a cocktail party and charity auction.
The fundraising will continue with a “Hit the Green” competition during the Wednesday pro-am and spectators can make donations to the foundation in exchange for the official championship programme. Donations will be matched by the Tour Players Foundation.
Douglas make All-Ireland finals
DOUGLAS will represent their district in the All-Ireland Senior Cup finals at Malone later in the year after they won the Munster title in Castletroy on Sunday, winning the final 3-2.
On their way to the final Douglas defeated Tralee 4-1, Clonmel 3-2 in the quarter-finals and then Muskerry 3½-½ in the semi-finals, while Castletroy had beaten Bandon 4-1, Killarney 3-2 and then surprised Cork in their semi-finals, winning by a 3½-½ scoreline to reach the final, which proved to be a very evenly-balanced contest but which was edged by Douglas.
Those All-Ireland finals will be staged in Malone GC this year and will take place on Friday, August 12th and Saturday, August 13th
THE Galgorm Castle pairing of Ben Churchill and Mark Dunlop were five-shot winners of the Ulster Scratch Foursomes Open at Malone GC last week. After an opening round of 74 in testing conditions they added a 77 in the second round for a 151 total and a five-shot winning margin over former international Jim Carvill from Warrenpoint and Billy Blackwood from the Mourne club, who shot rounds of 77 and 79 for 156. In third place were the Lurgan pairing of David Sutton and Steven Kelly, who carded 76 and 80.
Meadow claims hat-trick in US
IRELAND’S Stephanie Meadow claimed her third win on the US Collegiate circuit last week at the NCAA East Regional Championship played over the par 72, 6,271-yard Legends Course at LPGA International, Daytona Beach.
Meadow’s outstanding freshman year as a member of the University of Alabama team continued as she overwhelmed the field of 126 to win the 54-holes tournament with a nine-under-par total of 207, six shots ahead of her closest rival. This win sees Meadow become the first player in University of Alabama history to win three tournaments in a season and she now also equals the school record for most career wins.
Meadow’s rounds of 71, 67 and 69 helped her University of Alabama team to capture the NCAA East Regional title, which qualifies them for the NCAA Women’s Championship at the Traditions Club, Bryan in Texas from May 18th to 21st.
McGorman eases to victory
IT is already promising to be a memorable year for Clones’ Veronica McGorman as she has the distinction of being Lady Vice-Captain for the coming 12 months at the Co Monaghan club, as she serves alongside Lady Captain Noeleen McCague. But last week she proved her prowess on the golf course.
Playing in the first golfer-of-the-year strokes competition in unpleasant scoring conditions, McGorman produced a superb score. Off a handicap of 35 she recorded a nett 61 to win handsomely. Not surprisingly, she won’t be playing off that handicap again as she managed to shave six shots off her handicap.
