Golf Digest

A round-up of other golf news in brief

• HOME INTERNATIONALS:Ireland began their challenge for a first amateur Home International title for five years with a stunning victory over Scotland at Muirfield yesterday.

And it was the three players chosen for next month's Eisenhower Trophy World Team championships in Adelaide who were the key figures in the outstanding, 9½-5½ success.

Jonathan Caldwell, Paul Cutler and Shane Lowry won both their matches on the opening day of this round-robin tournament.

Clandeboye's Caldwell and Cutler from Portstewart lined up together in the foursomes and always had their noses in front of Gavin Dear and Paul O'Hara, being one up after 11 holes and going on to win by 2 and 1, while Lowry and Ireland Boys captain Alan Dunbar were too good for Scott Henry and Steven McEwan and recorded an excellent 4 and 2 success.

Then, in the singles, Cutler, who collected six points out of six to help Ireland retain their European team title in Turin in July, produced a brilliant display to defeat Scottish strokeplay champion Wallace Booth 2 and 1.

Booth, who picked up maximum points as Britain and Ireland retained the St Andrews Trophy at the weekend, went into the match as favourite, but the brilliant Cutler got off to a flyer and was four up after 11 holes. Booth fought back, but found the gap too great and lost by 2 and 1.

Lowry, from Esker Hills, was in great form in overwhelming Keir McNicoll by 5 and 4, while Caldwell edged home on the last against Glenn Campbell.

Dunbar was an instant success on his debut by adding to the foursomes triumph with a two hole singles success over Steven McEwan.

Ireland laid the foundations for their opening day triumph by winning four of the foursomes and halving the other. The Scots found there was no way back from that substantial deficit.

In the other first-day battle, reigning champions England recovered from being 3-2 down after the foursomes to beat Wales 8½-6½.

Today Ireland face Wales and England play Scotland.

SENIOR HOME INTERNATIONALS(at Muirfield, Scotland) - Day One: Ireland 9½ Scotland 5½(Ireland names first) - Foursomes: P O'Hanlon, E Arthurs halved with C Macaulay, W Booth; J Caldwell, P Cutler bt G Dear, P O'Hara 2 and 1; S Lowry, A Dunbar bt S Henry, S McEwan 4 and 2; D Lernihan, C O'Malley bt G Campbell, M Stewart 2 holes; N Kearney, S Ward bt K McNicoll, R Kellett 3 and 2. Singles: O'Hanlon lost to Macaulay 2 and 1; Cutler bt Booth 2 and 1; Dunbar bt McEwan 2 holes; Caldwell bt Campbell 1 hole; C Curley lost to Dear 2 and 1; Lowry bt McNicoll 5 and 4; Kearney lost to O'Hara 2 and 1; O'Malley halved with Stewart; Arthurs lost to G Yates 8 and 7; Ward halved with Henry.

England 8½ Wales 6½.

• STUDENTS:The Irish students participating at the World University Championships will hope their results improve over the last two rounds over the Gary Player course in Sun City, South Africa.

University of Limerick player Niamh Kitching is best of the Irish after two rounds. A seven-over-par 79 has her in 13th place on 156, nine shots behind Switzerland's Caroline Rominger, and five shots off a bronze medal place held by Marion Ricordeau of France.

Last year's champion, Danielle McVeigh, has been suffering from a virus and has carded two disappointing rounds of 90 and 88. Gillian O'Leary of Dublin City University also fired a 79 yesterday to leave the women in ninth place in the team competition.

In the men's event, Brendan Walton of The Island Golf Club and NUI Maynooth opened with an impressive 75, but slipped to a 79 yesterday to share 23rd place on 154, some 14 shots behind Italy's Leonardo Motta.

Kevin Stack (UCC, 84 81) and Kelan McDonagh (Maynooth, 83 82) are on 165, while James Patterson (Queen's, 84 88) is on 172 to leave the team in 12th position.

WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS(at Gary Player Golf Course, Sun City, South Africa) - Leading second round scores- Men - Individual: 140- Leonardo Motta (Ita) 68 72. 145- Andy Shakespear (Brit) 72 73, David Booth (Brit) 69 76. 146- Niccolo Quintarelli (Ita) 76 70. Irish: 154- Brendan Walton 75 79. 165- Kevin Stack 84 81, Kelan McDonagh 83 82. 172- James Patterson 84 88. Team: 439- Italy 220 219. 440- Japan 223 217. 442- Britain 218 224. Other: 484- Ireland 242 242.

Women - Individual: 147- Caroline Rominger (Swi) 74 73. 150- Katie Tewell (US) 72 78. 151- Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 80 71, Laura Crawford (US) 77 74. Irish: 156- Niamh Kitching 77 79. 162- Gillian O'Leary 83 79. 178- Danielle McVeigh 90 88. Team: 296- United States 149 147. 299- Switzerland - 147 152. 305- France 156 149. Other: 318- Ireland 160 158.

• SENIOR WOMEN:Ireland finished seventh after day two of the 36-hole qualifying in the Senior Women's European Team Championship at Golf Wouwse Plantage, The Netherlands.

Best of the Irish over the two days was Helen Shaw, who shot two 78s to finish 12 over par.

Ireland now meet Germany in the 5th-8th place play-offs.