Shay Keenan Amateur SceneA member of the "Green Wave" team, Alison Walshe, may, some time, even play for Ireland. Walshe's father and mother emigrated to America from Galway some years ago, which makes their daughter eligible for Ireland, but for now the University of Tulane student is setting new targets as she puts herself in line for an All-American honour.
Last week Walshe fired a final round of one-under-par 69 as the Tulane University golf team clinched their place in the NCAA Championships with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA East Regional at the University of Florida.
The trip to the regional finals was the fourth in a row for Green Wave, but Tulane came up one, six and eight strokes short respectively of a top-eight finish in each of the last three years.
Tulane entered the final round last week tied for fourth, and while they slipped two places, the Green Wave booked their ticket to the finals, which will begin tomorrow in Sunriver, Oregon.
"My first feeling was a sense of relief, to tell you the truth," said head coach Sue Bower. "We've had good enough teams the last few years, but for whatever reason, it hasn't worked out.
"This year, we really weren't going to be denied. We've talked about (going to the nationals) all year, we weren't afraid of it. As a team we have to update our goals a bit, because now we have a chance to win a national championship."
"There's a reason Alison Walshe is an All-American candidate," said Bower.
"She's been a consistent, top-level performer from her first round at Tulane. She continues to impress me and the world of colleges golf. But this once again proves you've got to have five players."
Joining Tulane in the NCAA Championship from the East Regional are Ohio State, Duke, Furman, Pepperdine, Virginia, Florida and Washington.
There will be no shortage of Irish players in the Tropicana British Women's Amateur Championship at Littlestone Golf Club next month. Curtis Cup candidates Claire Coughlan, Tricia Managan and Scottish Strokeplay champion Martina Gillen lead a 14-strong Irish assault on the championship.
Among the other players already entered is Sweden's Louise Stahle, who will be defending the title she won last year at Gullane Golf Club in Scotland.
The winner of the British Amateur Championship gains automatic exemption to the Weetabix Women's British Open, which will be played at Royal Birkdale at the end of July.
At Sunningdale last year, Stahle lifted the Smythe Salver as the leading amateur.
Meanwhile, Irish youth international Niall Turner from Muskerry GC turned in a sparkling display to help the University of Minnesota book a place in the regional play-offs at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, this week.
Turner led the Minnesota team with a career-high finish for fourth place on four-under-par 212 after a final round of 71.
With Ireland's top amateurs taking on the MGA of New York and so passing up the chance to play in the Brabazon Trophy, Scotland's Lloyd Saltman boosted his chances of being selected for the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team when he won the trophy at The Oxfordshire over the weekend.
The 19-year-old shot a final-round 67 for a 10-under-par total of 278. He won by six shots from the English pair of James Crampton and Oliver Fisher.
Saltman's victory put an end to 27 years without a Scottish winner of the Brabazon title, Gordon Brand Junior having triumphed at Woodhall Spa in 1978.
In joint fourth place were Welshman James Williams, who was unable to keep up the form of his second-round which produced a course record 66 and finished with 71, and Neil Dean.
One of the best performances of the final day came from the recent winner of the Lytham Trophy, Gary Lockerbie, with rounds of 68 and 67. That left him nine-under for the final 36 holes and in joint sixth place on one-under for the tournament.
Saltman will get another chance to impress the Walker Cup selectors, as will Mark Campbell (Stackstown), Brian McElhinney (North West), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge), Michael McGeady (North West), Seán McTernan (Co Sligo) and Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) when they take their places in the St Andrews Trophy field over the lOld Course on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
