Collins in medal form

Sutton's Mark Collins is just one shot off the pace for the Hilary Gold medal after winning Sunday's BMW sponsored outing at windswept Royal Dublin. Collins won on the back nine, which he covered in a remarkable level par 37 against the gale-force wind and rain, to beat Royal Dublin's Stephen Prendergast after both carded 75s. Onehandicapper Collins took the nett with Prendergast taking the gross prize.

Clem Walshe (St Anne's) was second in the nett with a 76 from John Grant (The Island) 77 and Ben Scully (Naas) also on 77. The professional prize went to Ray Kane with a 76. Collins and Kane also figured on the team prize with Kieran O'Byrne (Sutton), with a five-under-par better ball. Walshe and Grant lead the race for the gold medal at three under par followed by Collins and Enda Connolly (Portmarnock) at one under. The final outing of the Hilary season will take place at the European club on April 29th.

Tullamore's close call

Irish Mixed foursomes champions Tullamore had a close call when they opened the defence of their title against Ardee last week. With the advantage of three home matches, Tullamore looked in trouble when they lost two of the home ties but away wins for John Cullen and Marie Daly, along with John McNally and Rosemary Fox, gave Tullamore a 3-2 win when Lar Larkin and Eileen Cahir won the deciding home match.

Tullamore are also involved in a close game with Glasson in the Provincial Towns Cup. With the match tied at four matches each Tullamore's Seamus McKeogh and Glasson's Damien Kelly were called in from the third hole when bad light stopped play at Glasson. The two players will resume the battle on Thursday evening. Tullamore won three of the five matches at home while Glasson have won two of the four at home.

Putting greens in focus

Visitors to Beaverstown will have their first opportunity of playing the new 18 greens when the Ladies hold an open team event on Thursday April 26th. The course has had major restructuring with all 18 greens being replaced under the watchful eye of course architect Peter McEvoy.

The full 18 holes came into play last weekend and with a refurbished clubhouse the north Dublin venue can now rank with the best in the country. The Ladies open is a four-person team event with a handicap limit of 32 and places on the timesheet are available at 01-8436439.

Punchestown outing on

Despite the cancellation of the Punchestown Racing Festival, the annual pre-Punchestown Golf Day, in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind will still go ahead at Rathsallagh Golf Club on Monday April 23rd. A few places are available on the timesheet for the four-person team event. The cost per team is £500 and places may be booked with Jean Turner at 045-876496 or email at dunswood@eircom.net.

Higgins leads by example

Irish women's captain Eavan Higgins led by example when she won the Ford Cork Scratch Cup at Cork golf club on Saturday. Former international Higgins had rounds of 76 and 77 for a 36-hole total of 153 and a one-shot win over local Clare Coughlan, who shot 76, 78 to beat Sinead Keane, a semi-finalist in last week's Leinster Championship on a tie for third place. Suzie O'Brien, a member of last year's Curtis Cup team was next on 157, after rounds 83 and 74, with Hazel Kavanagh (Grange), Brigid Gleeson Healy (Killarney), Maura Morrin (Naas) and Elaine Dowdall (Wexford) filling the remaining places.

Enniscrone's big day

Enniscrone will celebrate the open of six new holes when they host the Irish Region PGA Pro-Am on April 30th and May 1st. A total of 44 professionals will compete for a prize fund of £14,000 over the revamped and modernised links. Enniscrone commissioned architect Donal Steel to refurbish the links and they can now boast of a 27hole complex with the addition of another nine holes. Now ranking with the best, Enniscrone has already played host to the Irish Amateur Close Championship, the Ladies Close and the West of Ireland championship.

Cooney is king at Carne

The weather conditions might have been doing their best to upset the golfers, but it certainly didn't hinder Gort's Gerry Cooney who took the top prize in the Christy O'Connor Junior Oyster GS outing to Carne Golf Club in Belmullet last Thursday.

Fifty players braved the strong Atlantic winds, but if one guy was to prove steady it was the 13handicapper who shot a highly creditable 36 points to run away with victory. His nearest rival was scratch golfer Garry Madden from Galway Driving Range, who was five points further back. Taking top gross prize at Carne was Madden's clubmate David Kearney, a scratch golfer too.

Meanwhile, last week's winner of the final Christy O'Connor Junior Oyster Pearl GS outing to Galway Bay, Josie Collins from Gort, had double reason for celebration as her win followed a recent success over her home course. She won a recent weekly singles competition with a score of 37 points.

McCambridge out of sight

There is winning in style and then there is winning by the proverbial country mile. But that is exactly what Ailish McCambridge did at Woodbrook last Tuesday.

Playing in a weekly singles competition, the 28 handicapper swept all before her in Class Two, winning by an incredible 15 points margin. Her total of 45 points left Rita Kissane trailing in her wake, as he took second spot, but some distance behind with 30 points. The other Class winners on the day were Kay Dunphy (13), who won Class One and Susan O'Dwyer (34) who won Class Three. But the day surely belonged to McCambridge. If she continues to show form like she did last Tuesday she certainly won't be playing off 28 for too long.

Hogan does the double

There was a double up for Dolores Hogan in Deer Park during the past week as she collected a couple of victories over the Howth course. She won the weekly strokes competition, but only by a stroke from Pauline Evans (25), although in the March Medal, the 21 handicapper was a more comfortable winner of Class One, with a five-stroke cushion over Betty McMullan (19).

Hurley pipped at post

Ballybunion's Clare Hurley had been on a hat-trick of wins, but was to sadly miss out by the narrowest of margins last week. The previous two weeks had seen her secure victory in two singles' competitions, having shot 41 and 35 points respectively. But she was to just miss out on the third victory in a row when - despite shooting 38 points - she had to settle for second place, behind winner Nora Quaid (14) who was three points better off on 41 points.