The Short Game

Merit award for LowryIrish Close champion Shane Lowry from the Esker Hills Club was one of four players who received order of merit awards at the Leinster Branch agm at Westmanstown last week.

Lowry, a member of the Irish team that won the European Team Championship at Western Gailes in Scotland was joined by Dara Lernihan from the Castle GC, who received the Youths award, boys champion Gary McGrane from Royal Dublin and 15-year-old Daniel Murphy from Portarlington. Murphy, winner of the Munster Boys under-15 title saw his handicap reduced from 18 to three in the past two years. Next season will see a change in the qualifying format for the Junior Cup and Irish Junior Foursomes in Leinster when qualifying in both competitions will be by medal play.

There will be five new faces on the Leinster Council with the election of Jerome Clancy from Clontarf, JJ Murphy from Royal Dublin and Tony Goode from Lucan to the Metropolitan area and Conor Maguire from Blainroe and Aidan Marsden from Tullamore to the provincial area.

LEINSTER: Chairman: Fintan Buckley (Hermitage); Hon Secretary: Kevin McIntyre (Ardee); Hon Treasurer: John Ferriter (Castlewarden). Provincial Council - Metropolitan: Jerome Clancy (Clontarf), Richard Cusack (Greystones), Denis Feeney (Malahide), Tony Goode (Lucan), James Greene (Grange), John Joe Maher (Forrest Little), JJ Murphy (The Royal Dublin). Provincial: Dominick Murphy (Kilkenny), John Long (Rosslare), Joe McNamara (The Heath), Colm Madigan (The Curragh), Conor Maguire (Blainroe), Aidan Marsden (Tullamore), Gerry Renehan (Headfort).

Great effort by Shaw

Irish international Gareth Shaw, from Lisburn, finished a creditable sixth in the select field at the Western Refining College All-America Classic last week.

The event, played at the par-71, El Paso Country Club, contained a 28-man field that was limited to the previous year's NCAA Division One All-American selections, and Division two and three champions.

Shaw, a senior year student at East Tennessee State University, finished ahead of 22 of the American college circuit's best players, including top-ranked Chesson Hadley of Georgia Tech, who tied for 16th place. "Finishing sixth in the best field in the country is something to be very proud of," said ETSU head coach Fred Warren. "Gareth's short game was really good and this is definitely a good way to finish the fall."

Shaw had 13 birdies spread over rounds of 71, 67 and 68 for a seven-under-par total of 206. After birdieing the fifth, eighth, ninth, 14th and 15th in his final round, Shaw was set to finish joint third but he bogeyed the 16th and 17th to fall back into sixth place on his own.

Webb Simpson (Wake Forest), a member of the winning United States Walker Cup team at Royal County Down, won the event with an impressive total of 15-under-par 198.

He stole a march on the field by equalling the course record of nine-under-par 62 in the first round to lead by four shots - and that gave him a cushion he needed when he went over par with a 72 in the second round. Simpson finished strongly with a 64 for a three-stroke victory from Aaron Goldberg (San Diego State).

Royal Portrush honoured

The R&A has announced that the 2011 British Seniors Open Amateur Championship will be played at Royal Portrush and named Hesketh Golf Club in Southport as qualifying course for the same year's British Amateur Championship.

Royal Portrush last hosted the Seniors Open Amateur in 2001 and has twice hosted The Amateur Championship, in 1993 and in 1960 when Ireland's Joe Carr, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame earlier this month, won the last of his three championships over the Antrim links.

Hesketh was used as a Final Qualifying venue for the 1991 and 1998 Open Championships at Royal Birkdale. The Southport club will host next year's Junior Open Championship before acting as the qualifying course when the Amateur Championship returns to Hillside Golf Club on the occasion of its centenary in 2011.

First for O'Donoghue

RTÉ's Shane O'Donoghue has published his first book entitled Legends in their Spare Timewhich details the careers of nine of Ireland's greatest amateur golfers. It gives an insight into their golfing times and recalls their sporting moments, all achieved while continuing in full-time employment.

The book features exclusive interviews, revealing contributions from their peers and a host of wonderful photographs and memorabilia. Featured in the book, which costs €24.99, are Jimmy Bruen, Joe Carr, Jody Fanagan, Noel Fogarty, Philomena Garvey, Garth McGimpsey, Mary McKenna, Arthur Pierse and David Sheahan.

Connolly the strong link

Excellent weather and a golf course in superb condition led to impressive scoring as the Leinster Alliance held their President's (Al Smith) Prize outing at the Portmarnock Links last Sunday. And making the most of the conditions to bring in the best score was Ray Connolly (5) of Corballis who claimed the honours with 39 points, two ahead of his nearest challenger Gavin McGirr (6) of Greystones, while in third was Lucan nine handicapper Frank Shortt also with 37 points.

The gross category was won by Greg Murphy (5) of The K Club with 34 points, two ahead of Julian Beatty (5) of Carrickmines, with Bray's Peter Kirby (+1) third also with 32 points. The Alliance now takes a break and won't return until it visits Castleknock on Sunday, February 10th. The timesheet for that outing is available from Monday, January 7th.

Nett win for Byrne

Only three players managed scores in the 70s as the North Western Golfing Alliance held their latest outing over the Glashedy Course at Ballyliffin on Saturday last. Over the par 72 course victory in the nett category went to Dunfanaghy's Stephen Byrne (9) with a score of 76, one better than Pauric McHugh (7) of Ballybofey and Stranorlar, with Danny McLaughlin (16) of Letterkenny being the only other player with a score in the 70s, after firing a 78.

The gross winner was Ballybofey and Stranorlar's one handicapper Enda McMenamin with a score of 83. Runner-up was Kevin Lapsley (5) of Dunfanaghy with 86, while Ben Corry playing off four out of Strabane was third four strokes back on 90. Competitors will be hoping for easier scoring conditions when they visit the Sandy Hills Links course at Rosapenna this coming Saturday.

O'Sullivan shares spoils

Mark O'Sullivan of Galway and Shane Deegan from Spawell took the honours amongst the professionals as the Boyne Links Alliance held their opening outing of the season in Laytown and Bettystown last Thursday with scores of 73, one better than John Dwyer of Ashbourne, while regular European Tour player Peter Lawrie (Liberty Asset Management) and Bobby Brady (Headfort) were next best on 76.

Three members of the host club took the honours amongst the amateurs with the 38 points of Tom Jenkinson (13) being good enough to win, two ahead of Pat O'Brien (3), with Frank Walsh (12) back in third with 35 points.