Connery loses out in a mission impossible

IT WAS a mission even special agent 007 couldn't accomplish. Sean Connery - the original and best James Bond - is a mean hand on the golf course, but the Scottish braveheart had to bow to a few homegrown superheroes when the Chris de Burgh Audi Celeb Am, promoted by the Links Society, took place at The K Club yesterday.

Connery's team could only muscle their way into fourth place with an array of retired Irish sporting talent - including Limerick hurler Joe McKenna, soccer giant Pat Jennings and footballer Eoin `The Bomber' Liston - occupying the places ahead.

Still, it was just a fun kind of day, with a number of charities the really big winners, and Connery was all smiles after his five hour long round in the company of arguably Ireland's greatest golfer Christy O'Connor.

"Myself and Christy go back a long, long way," said Connery. "I organised a tournament in Royal Troon back in 1970 when the best players in the world played, and Christy was the winner. I just can't get enough of the man, he's great company on the golf course.

Christy, for his part, was in rather - modest mood. "I reckon I had about six three putts," he lamented. Given that the maestro shot a 75 (with the current occupier of the Royal Dublin club position, Leonard Owens, scooping the professional prize with a superb four under par 68), he was probably being a little hard on himself. Sure even Ian Woosnam only managed a 74.

But stars of sport, screen and stage were well represented in the celebrity field. Woosnam, Connery, Nigel Mansell, Eddie Jordan, Kenny Dalglish and Bernard Gallacher rubbed shoulders with home produced stars like hurler Nicky English, jockey John Murtagh and singer Joe Dolan, on a day when the deed was more important than victory.

The team winners, with a remarkable 94 points, were Mike Sheedy, JP McManus, Noreen McManus and Joe McKenna, who had three points to spare over Pat Jennings, Paddy Whelan, Gerry Branigan and Willie McGee. Owens won the professional prize with a 68, three shots better than Headfort's Brendan McGovern.