A round-up of today’s other stories in brief
Irish trio head for Birmingham
DAVID Higgins, Damian Mooney and David Mortimer head for Little Aston Golf Club in Birmingham tomorrow and Thursday to compete in the Srixon PGA play-offs.
This all important event consists of the top three professionals from each of the seven PGA regions and the winner of the two-day event will determine the PGA’s top ranked player for 2010.
Waterville’s Higgins only recently won the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet order of merit and was followed by Mooney and Mortimer. In the PGA play-offs last season Higgins finished in sixth place and he is hoping for an improvement on that over the next two days. As Irish Region order of merit winner – a title he was winning for the fourth time and for the second year in succession – Higgins has secured a place in not only the 3 Irish Open next season, but also the PGA Championship at Wentworth.
However, all three Irish golfers, should they win in Little Aston this week, will also get a starting place in the Scottish Open and Celtic Manor Wales Open next season, as well as spots in various Challenge Tour events. Having clinched the order of merit title, Higgins was disappointed not to get past the first round of Tour School at Dundonald Links, so like Mooney and Irish PGA Champion Mortimer, is looking to end the season off on a high with the PGA play-offs.
Justice pips McKenna on last Leinster Alliance outing
THE curtain came down on the Leinster Alliance 2010 season on Sunday as they played the venue for the 2011 Solheim Cup, Killeen Castle. Some excellent scores were produced, and none better than Mark Justice, playing off one from Skerries, who recorded 23 points on the back nine to win the best nett with 40 points, just pipping Brian McKenna (6, Hermitage) also with 40. Next best was Peter Gray (7, Hermitage) with the best of the 39s.
The gross category was won by Eoin O’Conner, off two from Elm Park, with a superb 38 points, followed by Pio O’Leary, off scratch from Lucan, with 37, with third place going to Derek Rath (3, Old Conna) with 35. The Alliance’s next outing will be to Carton House on Sunday, February 6th.
Caoilainn Bushell from Co Longford won the gold medal with a score of 41 points at the final of the 2010 ILGU Junior Medal played at Seapoint GC last week. Bushell won on a countback from Naas’s Rachel Phelan, who took the bronze medal as winner of the handicap category 21-36. Sophie Harrison from Sutton won the silver medal (handicap + to 20) with 39 points. The gross was won by Rebecca Tully from Holywood with 26 points.
Rush GC will run an open nine-holes re-entry singles every Monday until December 6th. Timesheet available at 01-8438177. Played in fourballs, the cost is €15, with one in every fourball free, complimentary tea/coffee on arrival.
Hole in one on a par four
THE big hitters were out recently during the Ned Kelly Golf Society trip to Killarney. Playing all three Killarney courses there was some tremendous excitement on the third hole of the Lackabane course – a par four measuring 275 yards. Amazingly, Powerscourt nine-handicapper Seán McCarthy holed out with his tee shot for a hole in one. Moments earlier in the group ahead, Stackstown’s Colm Fitzgerald also drove the green and two putted for birdie, but watched on from the fourth tee box, as McCarthy not only drove the green but holed for the albatross and a hole in one, a rare thing on a par four.
Reynolds best in Lisbon
THE annual Victor Ludini trip took place over four days in Lisbon recently with intense competition to the fore. The first day, reduced to nine holes because of high winds and rain, was won by Peter McParland.
The second day in Penha Longa was marked by a superb performance by John Reynolds, who played excellent golf to return 39 points. The third and fourth days were both won by Paul Sullivan, who played flawless golf.
The final day was marked by an incredible finish – at one point Reynolds led by eight points only to be caught and passed by the excellent Brendan O’Hare and Gerry Sullivan, who always relishes these titanic situations .
All square going down the last, Reynolds outscored his playing partners for a stunning victory by two points. It was his first victory in the competition, now in its 13th year, and there has never been a more popular winner.
Gauld and Knox win Holmpatrick
STUART GAULD and David Knox from Foyle GC brought the Holmpatrick Cup to Derry this year following their success at the annual All-Ireland fourball challenge in aid of NCBI (National Council for the Blind of Ireland) at St Andrews.
Foyle also enters the record books as this is the first time that the competition, now in its 79th year, has been won by an Ulster team.
The Foyle pair returned a score of 45 points on the New Course in the first round and a score of 48 on the Old Course in the second round.
The other clubs involved in the All-Ireland finals were: Newlands (Dublin City), represented by Jeremy Cleary and Michael O’Toole, The Curragh, represented by Thomas Behan and Frank Archbold, and Ballykisteen represented by James Keane and Denis O’Brien.
All funds raised from the Holmpatrick Cup go towards developing NCBI services and to developing blind golf around the country. Clubs throughout Ireland can take part in the Holmpatrick Cup, which will see the finalists play at St Andrews every October. The competition has been run by NCBI since its establishment in 1931 and will be celebrating its 80th anniversary next year.
Clarke Foundation at Portmarnock
THE Darren Clarke Foundation Champions Weekends for 2009 and 2010 were held at Portmarnock GC last week. The 2009 event was originally scheduled to take place in April, however it was postponed due to ash cloud air travel restrictions.
The highlight of the opening day was a five-under-par 67 by Boys champion Dermot McElroy on his way to taking the 2009 U-18 title on 141. Jack Hume, winner of the four provincial U-18 titles in 2010, posted 71 and 73 for the 2010 award. The under-15 titles went to William Russell on 151 (2009) and Rowan Lester the 2010 on 145.
Tara Gribben shot a very impressive 74 to add to her opening 78 to win the 2009 Girls event on 152, while the 2010 event went to Paula Grant on 164.
Clarke conducted a pitching and chipping clinic for the participants on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning gave individual coaching and a long game clinic. Clarke then played a few holes with all of the participants.
