Short Game

Other golf news in brief

Big turnout for 'Two Mary's' 

THE eighth annual golf charity event, known as the “Two Mary’s”, is taking place in Greystones Golf Club on Friday, July 2nd.

This event was set up by family and friends due to the tragic death of the “Two Mary’s”, namely, Mary Nolan and her daughter, Mary Bradshaw (aged 43 years). They both suffered from cancer and died within one week of each other.

The aim of this event is to raise as much funds as possible to help other cancer patients. All the profits from the event will go directly to Greystones and District Cancer Support.

Some 244 players participated in last year’s event which raised €7,550. The target for this year is €10,000.

The timesheet is currently full with in excess of 60 teams taking part but there are still limited opportunities for businesses to take part by sponsoring a hole for € 50, or by donating a prize for the charity raffle.

Reddan wins Connacht seniors title

CO Louth’s Barry Reddan shot rounds of 72 and 70 for a total of 142 and a two-shot victory in the Connacht Seniors Championship at Ballina GC last week.

Reddan had two shots to spare over Greenore’s Séamus McParland, who carded 75 and a best-of-the-tournament 69. In third place was Bert Burke from Moate on 145 after rounds of 74 and 71.

Hugh McKeown from Portmarnock, John Hughes from Woodbrook, Billy Donlon from Birr and Liam MacNamara from Woodbrook all finished on 146.

On the invitation from the PGA European Tour, the four amateur golfers selected by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the 3 Irish Open at Killarney Golf Club from July 29th-August 1st are Cian Curley (Newlands), Paul Cutler (Portstewart), Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) and Pat Murray (Limerick). They will all be looking to do as well as Shane Lowry last year when he captured the title as an amateur at Co Louth.

Simpson claims Connacht title after extra holes

CASTLE Dargan Golf Club played host to the Connacht Women’s Championship last week and after a wonderful few days of golf Lucy Simpson from Massereene took the title on Thursday after a real close battle with Louise Coffey from Malone.

There was never much between the two throughout the entire contest and extra holes were required to decide the destination of the title, as Simpson triumphed on the 19th hole.

On that first extra hole a wonderful birdie three was good enough for her to win her first provincial championship.

All flat after the opening nine holes, Coffey went two up early in the back nine, but Simpson fought back wonderfully to level the match with wins on 16 and 17 and she had a brilliant pitch on the 19th and sank a super putt for the win.

Woodenbridge’s Louise Mernagh, after rounds of 74 and 73, and Monique Smit from South Africa, after shooting 72 and 75, had led the 36-hole qualifying, two ahead of Galway’s Sinéad O’Sullivan.

Meanwhile, in the Junior championship, 14-year-old Bláithin O’Brien from Roscommon and playing off a handicap of 15, went two up on the 15th hole against Siobhán Hunt from Ballinrobe. She rescued a super half on 17th having had to take a penalty drop from a drain beside the green, and secured her win on 18th with a par for the match.

Paul McGrath charity classic

SOCCER legend Paul McGrath officially launched his annual Charity Golf Classic, which takes place on Friday, July 16th, at Arklow Golf Club, Co Wicklow, in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI). All proceeds, from what promises to be a star-studded event, go towards vital medical equipment needed for the Cystic Fibrosis unit in Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin.

A number of celebrity golfers have pledged their support for this worthy cause, and will compete, including soccer greats Norman Whiteside and Ronnie Whelan, boxer Bernard Dunne, snooker legend Ken Doherty, comedian Des Bishop and other famous faces such as Brian Ormonde, Mick O’Dwyer, Simon Delaney and Jason Sherlock.

The format for the Golf Classic is a fourball scramble with mixed teams, with prizes for the top three teams. Entry to the Paul McGrath Charity Golf Classic is € 1,000 for a team of four, including dinner. There are also a number of sponsorship opportunities available.

Further information on the event can be found on www.paulmcgrathcharitygolf.com or by calling John Doyle on (087) 1343077 or Juanita Cahill on (087) 6181458.

Tiernan in top form at Seapoint

THE ladies took the plaudits ahead of the men on Sunday as they claimed two of the top three places in Chairman Peter Jordan’s Prize at Seapoint.

The main honour went to 15-handicapper Mary Tiernan who shot a superb 41 points to end up two clear of her nearest challenger.

In third place was another 15-handicapper, Marie Wiseman, who had 39 points.

Sandwiched in between the two women was Philip Branigan, playing off 17, who edged out Wiseman on a countback.

The gross winner on the day was Johnny Campbell, playing off four, who had a score of 31 gross points.

Top-class field set for Galgorm Castle

A TOP-CLASS field has gathered in Ballymena for the Galgorm Castle Northern Ireland PGA EuroPro Open, where a host of players from around the world battle it out in the €40,000 event.

No less than 32 Irish professionals will tee up in Galgorm this week, including Challenge Tour players such as Lurgan’s Gareth Shaw and Donegal duo Michael McGeady and former British Amateur champion Brian McElhinney. Limerick’s Tim Rice is the highest-ranked Irish player at 14th in the standings.

There is also a strong presence from the Irish PGA circuit, where Damian Mooney, a prolific winner on the domestic scene over the years, will look to return to winning ways on the PGA EuroPro Tour. Galgorm Castle head professional Phil Collins will surely put local knowledge to good use as he goes in search of the €10,000 top prize.

England’s Ian Keenan returns to these shores in search of an Irish double after his Irish Masters win at Castle Dargan in Sligo at the start of June.

“I hear great things about Galgorm Castle and am really looking forward to competing there this week,” said Keenan, who is fourth on the PGA EuroPro Order of Merit.

“This will be my first trip to Northern Ireland as I look to build on my good start to the season.”