Brabazon hosts Walker hopes

Having obtained much food for thought from the Irish strokeplay championship - with Michael Hoey, particularly, doing himself no harm in terms of playing his way into the side for the August defence of the trophy in Georgia - the Walker Cup selectors this weekend turn their focus to the English equivalent, the Brabazon Trophy.

Indeed, there will be a strong Irish presence at Royal Birkdale for the championship, which commences on Friday. Hoey - beaten in a play-off by in-form English international Richard McEvoy at Royal Dublin - Noel Fox, Tim Rice, Andy McCormick and Mark Murphy are all headed for the Southport links.

Only five members of the 26strong Walker Cup squad will be absent, among them Graeme McDowell who is at college in the United States, which means this week's test will be vital in terms of impressing the selectors. Certainly, if Hoey can maintain his form, he will come strongly into contention for a place on the team that travels to Sea Island to defend the trophy, while Fox and Rice will also be seeking to bring the title across the Irish Sea.

There are four plus-four handicaps in the field, with most interest likely to fall on the performance of one of them, Nick Dougherty, who missed the Irish strokeplay to take up an invite to play in the International Open at The Belfry, where he not only succeeded in making the cut but managed to secure a tied-12th finish.

Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme will also be attempting to win a tournament that has evaded him throughout his career. His late father, Guy, won at Ganton in 1960, but despite his many triumphs, Wolstenholme's best Brabazon finish was tied-third behind Spain's Ignacio Garrido nine years ago.

Wolstenholme heads into the event having already successfully defended his Sherry Cup title in Spain, while he finished fifth in the Irish strokeplay. McEvoy, winner of the Lytham Trophy and the Irish strokeplay in the past two weeks, wins which have effectively copperfastened his place on the Walker Cup team, will be attempting to win three of the amateur circuit's top tournaments in successive weeks.

Meanwhile, Pat Doran, the defending champion, has been installed as the top seed in the Connacht women's championship which starts at Enniscrone Golf Club today. However, she has been handed a tough opening round match, against girls' international Maria Dunne of Skerries. Among those seeking to dethrone Doran as champion will be Australian-born Dublinbased player Christine Armanasco - who will face either Maura Joyce or Anne Freeman in the second round - while Joanne Black, former champion Lilian O'Brien and Eileen MacMullen are other strong contenders.

One of those not participating is Irish champion Alison Coffey, who has already won the Ulster and Leinster titles so far this season. Coffey has her sights set on defending her national title at the European Club at the end of June but, before then, among her engagements will be to participate in the British Amateur championship in mid-June.

Coffey has been selected as part of the official ILGU travelling party for that championship and other Irish players intending to compete are Elaine Dowdall, Claire Coughlan, Sinead Keane and Jenny Gannon.

The interesting factor in the upcoming Irish challenge for the British amateur is the number of players not long out of junior ranks who are making the trip, and an initiative by the ILGU that is being carried out at Black Bush Golf Club - under the guidance of professional Shane O'Grady - could see an influx of girls into the sport.

As part of a pilot scheme, three schools in the Dunshaughlin area were approached to see if girls wanted to take golf lessons and 60 of them - in the nine to 11 age group - are currently being coached by O'Grady. It is expected that the scheme will be developed nationwide in the autumn.