A round-up of today's other golf stories in brief...
Cassidy takes over PGA role
MAURICE CASSIDY, the head professional at Nuremore, has taken over as captain of the Irish PGA for the next year, replacing Tony Judd. The Curragh's Gerry Burke is vice-caption.
Meanwhile, 19 PGA professionals from Britain and Ireland, including Royal Dublin's Leonard Owens, celebrated a personal milestone recently when they collected their Advanced Fellow of the PGA plaques from chairman Phil Weaver during the annual round of each region's agm.
Each region had at least one recipient receiving the second-highest qualification in the PGAs Accreditation of Prior Achievement and Learning structure.
The award, for high-achieving professionals with a minimum of 10 years experience, recognises their impact and contribution in a variety of golf-related fields, including coaching, club management, retail management, equipment technology, course management, tournament organisation and course design.
Classic details announced
THE LIMERICK GAA supporters Club in Dublin hold their annual Golf Classic at Beech Park GC on Thursday, May 15th. It is a four-person team event with the two best scores at each hole to count and all scores on the 18th. Details from Tom Cotter 086-8380893 or Gerry O'Sullivan 087-2075017.
The annual Rossies in Dublin Golf Classic takes place on Tuesday, May 13th at Lucan Golf Club. It is organised by the Roscommon Supporters Club in the capital.Teams of four cost €600 and sponsorships of €150 plus are invited. The organising team includes: Martin McDermott, Tom Maye, Joe Murray, Vincent Moran, Owen Travers, and Breasal O Caollai.
DRUIDS HEATH, the venue of the 2006 Irish PGA Championship, will host its first of three open amateur tournaments on the May 11th. The course, which has played host to top players, including Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia and Darren Clarke, is looking forward to opening its doors to the Irish public.
Anyone interested in playing can contact Barry Dowling at the Druids Heath pro shop at (01) 2812278. The cost is € 60 per person, and tee-times can be booked through the reservations office at Druids Glen 01-2873600.
Portmarnock to host Botham
THE IAN BOTHAM Golf Classic will be held at Portmarnock GC on Monday, June 30th.
"As you may know, outside cricket, my other great sporting passion is golf," said Botham. "Whether playing or watching, I have been a golf fanatic for the last 30 years. Last year I decided to launch my own Charity Golf Series, enabling me to combine my great sporting passion with my passion for raising much-needed funds for the charity which I have supported since the mid-1980s and of which I am now president - Leukaemia Research.
"In 2008, the series has been expanded to four superb All-Star Pro and Celebrity-Ams, including my Irish Charity Golf Classic presented by Java Trading Co at Portmarnock.
"I have invited some of my great celebrity friends to join us for a day's golf and fun at Portmarnock, to help us raise as much as we can for Leukaemia Research."
The cost for a team of three to play with a sports star or celebrity is €2,500 and will include brunch, on-course refreshments, pre-dinner drinks reception, celebrity dinner and entertainment.
The winning team also qualifies for the Ian Botham Charity Golf Series Grand Final at Desert Springs Resort, Spain, later in the year.
Kilkee's Grady victorious again
WINNING ON the Emerald Pro Tour is becoming a bit of a habit for Kilkee's Michael Grady this season. The tour visited the Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes- designed The Heritage club in Co Laois last Friday and Grady was victorious for the fifth time this season and the second time at The Heritage.
The 10 handicapper fired 37 points to edge out, on a countback, Paul Nugent (6, The Heritage) and James Picard (3, Fermoy) and consolidate his place at the top of the Order of Merit.
Meanwhile, among the professionals, Beaverstown's Gary Cullen was well ahead of the chasing pack, as a fine round of 69 gave him a three-stroke victory over John Kelly of St Margaret's, with Mark Staunton from Black Bush claiming third spot after a round of 74.
Next up for the tour is a visit to the O'Meara course at Carton House this Friday.
And Letterkenny's Brian O'Donnell, playing off a handicap of 16, used local knowledge of his home course recently to win the North Western Alliance Captain's (Joe Blake) Day with ease thanks to a score of 68.
Taking the spoils in the nett category was Brendan Barr, a nine handicapper from Foyle, whose 74 was one better than Woodstock's scratch golfer Kieran Cunnane, with the host club's Pat Keating and Sean Gibson next best on 76.
In the gross category it was two of Ireland's finest leading the way, with Michael McGeady shooting 74 to edge out Brian McElhinney by two shots.
Enda McMenamin (1) from the Ballybofey and Stranorlar club was third on 79.
Maguire finishes fifth in Scotland
LISA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell) finished a highly creditable fifth on 147 - just two shots behind Italy's Laura Sedda in the Scottish Under-16 girls' Championship at Craigielaw Golf Club.
Ballybunion's Emma O'Driscoll produced a best-of-the-day 71 to leapfrog through the field and finish seventh, while Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) added an 80 to her opening 79 to finish joint 18th.
Patrice Delaney (Birr) was two shots further back, one shot ahead of Laura McCarthy (Muskerry). Ireland were third in the team event.
Walshe wins
ALISON WALSHE, who was born in Galway and is a member of this year's US Curtis Cup team, added another title to her cv recently by winning the Dr Donnis Thompson Invitational in Kane'ohe, Oahu, Hawaii.
Walshe claimed the individual honours for the second time this year and did so in wire-to-wire fashion. The senior from the University of Arizona finished with a final-round 73 and a three-under 213 total. She won the event by five strokes. It was her fifth individual win as a Wildcat.
Arizona's final-round 306 (+18) dropped the team into second place behind Oklahoma State.
Hoteliers launch midlands deal
TEN MIDLAND hoteliers who are part of the Heart of Ireland Golf promotional group launched their 2008 packages at a function in the Mount Temple Golf and Country Club last week.
The hotels, operating under the Heart of Ireland Golf brand, feature golfing options at eight midland clubs, Athlone, Birr, Castle Barna, Delvin, Esker Hills, Glasson, Mount Temple and Tullamore to offer the best of midland play at attractive prices.
Details from Michael Dolan at Mount Temple GC 09064-81841.
