KEITH NOLAN will be competing for the British and Irish team in the Eisenhower Trophy in Manila later this week as the Hong Kong Amateur Open champion. The 23-year-old Bray GC member captured the trophy last weekend with rounds of 72, 70, 66 and 67 for a 13-under-par aggregate of 275.
The merit of Nolan's three-stroke victory can be gauged from the fact that the field included his three Eisenhower Trophy colleagues, Gary Wolstenholme, Barclay Howard and Michael Brooks.
Winner of the Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay title earlier this year, Nolan is on scholarship at East Tennessee State University where he is considered to be one of the outstanding college players in the US. His prime target is to gain selection for next season's Walker Cup side.
Paul Stankowski tapped in for a. short birdie on the 18th hole of the Plantation course in Hawaii yesterday to win the $1.1 million Kapalua. International by one stroke over two-time former champion Fred Couples.
Stankowski, who started the day with a one-shot lead, fired a five-under-par 68 and had to birdie the final hole after Couples birdied to move to 20-under. Stankowski won the $198,000 first prize with a four-round total of 21-under 269.
The 56-man field used both the Plantation and Bay courses over the first two rounds, but played the final. 36 holes at the par-73 Plantation layout.
Stankowski, who became one of 13 first-time winners on the PGA Tour in April with a playoff victory at the Bell South Classic, boosted his 1996 winnings to $588,575.
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