A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Christmas comes early for Quinn

IT was the ideal golfing day for Jim Quinn recently at County Louth golf club. Playing off a handicap of nine in the winter league on Saturday in Baltray, not only did Quinn have the distinction of recording a hole in one on the 15th hole, he went on to win the overall competition (Class One) with a gross score of 75, nett 66.

He also picked up the Christmas turkey for his troubles on the front nine. And in a further bonus to his good day he also took all the money for the twos competition.

** DELGANYS Cathy McCormack has just completed the best possible golfing week. Last Tuesday the seven-handicapper teamed up with Avril Keogh (24) and Hanne O’Rourke (23) to win the 15 hole scramble with a score of 51.5, helped in no small way by her hole in one at the 14th. That win came just two days after she had partnered Karen Whelan (19) to victory in the club’s fourball competition with a score of 41.

Kelly adds Italian crown to honours

IRISH Seniors Open and Close champion Maurice Kelly from Killeen GC added more silverware to his trophy cabinet by winning the Italian Senior Amateur Championship last week over the Arenas course in Sardinia.

Kelly who finished with a score of 219, had a comfortable five-shot win over Spain’s Luis Javier Trenor with England’s David Lane in third spot. Kelly was the only player in the field to break par of 72 over the three days with rounds of 75, 73 and 71.

In the doubles competition (fourball and foursomes) played prior to the singles, other Irish players also claimed the silverware. Michael Coote (Tralee) and George Mellerick (Fota Island) were runners-up in the gross, while Val Smyth (Co Louth) and Eamon Connolly (Blainroe) won the nett with Hugh MacKeown (Portmarnock) and Peter Cowley (Cork) second. Other Irish who played were Tony Goode (Lucan), Michael Galvin (Limerick) and Gordon Parkhill (Carrickfergus).

Kelly also won the Michael Hennelly Order of Merit Award and the Leinster Seniors Amateur Open this year.

High Performance squads a fillip for women's game

THE Irish Ladies Golf Union has selected two High Performance squads, one Senior and one Junior, to develop Ireland’s leading amateur female golfers and deliver international success throughout 2011 and beyond.

Curtis Cup stars Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) and the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, from Slieve Russell, are joined on the Senior panel by current internationals Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) and Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion).

On the Junior panel, Girls internationals Jessica Carty (Holywood) and Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) join a handful of 13-year -old budding stars, each playing off a single figure handicap.

The High Performance Programme will be launched on Sunday, November 14th, at the ILGU Offices in Sandyford when all squad members will attend.

ILGU High Performance Squads 2011: Senior: Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion), Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush).

Junior: Jessica Carty (Larne), Victoria Craig (Clandeboye), Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare), Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel), Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies), Lisa O’Shea (Shannon), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), Niamh Ward (Lurgan).

Ladies Alliance mark 60th year

THE Leinster Ladies Alliance was founded in 1950 by May Fitzgibbon and was established to ensure that women with a single-figure handicap of nine and less would enjoy competitive golf during the winter months.

The Alliance plays fourball medal matches against the men from clubs throughout Leinster who normally field their Senior Cup members. The Alliance is active from September until Easter and is open to all women affiliated to the ILGU with a single-figure handicap. On average there are three Sunday matches per month in addition to a monthly singles competition from October until March.

To celebrate its 60th year all past and present members of the Leinster Ladies Alliance are invited to a Celebration Dinner on Friday, November 12th, at 7.30pm in Milltown Golf Club. This will be hosted by the President of the Alliance, Rhona Fanagan, and everyone is welcome.

Contact Alison Taylor (Hon Secretary) 086 3854430 or email leinsterladiesalliance@ireland.com before Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010.

2010 Committee: Captain: Clodagh Hopkins; President: Rhona Fanagan; Hon Secretary: Alison Taylor; Treasurer: Louise Mahon; Ex-officio: Marie Igoe, Nicola Coffey, Suzie Sheehan.

Lernihan claims Order of Merit

IRISH Close champion Dara Lernihan from the Castle is the winner of the Leinster Order of Merit for 2010 and will be presented with his award at the Annual Delegate Meeting at Westmanstown Sports Centre on Tuesday, November 23rd.

Other award winners are Richard O’Donovan, Lucan (Youths), Jack Hume from Rathsallagh in the Boys and Rowan Lester, Hermitage, who won the Boys Under-15 section.

** Friday is the closing date for entry into the 2011 Irish Cups and Shields, Connacht Branch. The draws will take place on November 4th in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris at 8.45pm.

Ireland no match for in-form Korea

IRELAND finished 11th behind runaway winners Korea in the Ladies World Team Championships on the Olivos Course near Buenos Aires, Argentina, last week.

Korean players Jung-Eun Han, Ji-Hee Kim and Hyun-Soo Kim filled the top-three places in the individual rankings, and won the Espirito Santo Trophy by a huge margin of 17 shots from their nearest rivals, the United States. Korea had a total of 546 (-30) over the four days of the tournament.

Hyun-Soo Kim had the best final round of the Koreans, a three-under-par 69, and Jung-Eun Han a 70. Their 139 total increased the distance between them and the Americans by another four shots. The very respectable 71 from Ji-Hee Kim was not needed.

The Americans totalled 563 (-13) over the four days. Sweden, France and South Africa tied for third on 572 (-4)

Ireland were the best of the home nation teams. They tied for 11th place on 577 (+1). Leona Maguire finished on level par 288 after rounds of 72, 70, 77 and 69 for 16th place, Lisa Maguire shot 73, 73, 70 and 74, while Danielle McVeigh carded 72, 76, 79 and 79 over the Olivos course.

Wales tied for 17th on 581 (+5), with Amy Boulden taking fourth place in the individual with rounds of 72, 72, 69 and 70. England were 25th and Scotland 28th.