A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Ross and Carty lead Ireland's comeback
Ireland staged a remarkable fightback over the closing holes at Radyr in south Wales yesterday to grab a share of the spoils with defending champions England on the opening day of the Girls’ Home International series.
Ireland lost the foursomes 2-1 and were down in four of the six singles as the players headed for home in the afternoon – but then came an amazing comeback.
On a day when play was suspended for a time due to flooded greens, Jessica Carty won three of the last four holes to halve with Elizabeth Mallet and new cap Jessica Ross heroically won three of the final five holes to edge to victory over Brogan Townsend.
Those results added to the victories by Ariana Coyle Diez and Olivia Mehaffey gave Ireland a 3½ to 2½ singles success and an overall 4½ to 4½ match result.
Wales and Scotland also shared their opening match 4½ to 4½. Today Ireland take on Wales knowing that a big win would put them in a strong position to claim the Stroyan Cup for the first time.
Bradley unfazed about a possible ban on long putters
Keegan Bradley, the first golfer to win a major with a long putter, is not about to throw a fit if the sport’s governing bodies decide to ban the club.
Webb Simpson and Ernie Els have used long putters to win the last two majors, the US Open and British Open championships respectively, but the Royal and Ancient Club and United States Golf Association are in talks about whether the method should be made illegal.
“I don’t think it would be a big deal at all, to be honest with you,” Bradley said yesterday as he prepared his defence of the USPGA title at Kiawah Island.
“I grew up with a short putter. I sometimes, while I’m waiting around, will grab one on the putting green and putt around and it feels great.
“I think that it would be a small adjustment, just because of the hours and hours I’ve put in with the belly putter and the work and the sweat, but I can go back to a short putter and feel fine. I think it’s something that will come easy to a lot of players.”
Even if the RA and USGA decide on a ban soon, it would not be enforced until 2016.
Diamond has faith in Irish contingent
West of Ireland champion Harry Diamond believes local knowledge will be a major advantage for the 17-strong Irish contingent who tee it up in the first round of the European Individual Amateur Championship on the Montgomerie Course at Carton House today, writes Brian Keogh.
The elite, 144-strong field features the likes of defending champion Manuel Trappel of Austria and world amateur number three Daan Huizing of the Netherlands.
But Belvoir Park star Diamond reckons British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar and the rest of the home brigade will put on a good show for the first Irish hosting of an event first held in 1988.
“I know it well,” said Diamond. “I played in the Irish Amateur Open here back in 2004, and all our National Panel winter coaching sessions are down here so I’d say I’ve played it over 30 times. Obviously Alan is playing great. He’ll know the course well and the greens are perfect, so I’d say he has a good chance this week.”
The 72-hole strokeplay championship, concludes on Saturday.
Ireland prove second best to defending champions England
Ireland’s hopes of regaining the RA Trophy in the Boys’ Home International title at Co Louth were dealt an opening day blow yesterday when they crashed to a 9½-5½ defeat to defending champions England.
Ireland lost four of the five foursomes and with three of the top five singles going against them they were effectively out of the reckoning.
Alex Gleeson and William Russell secured Ireland’s only foursomes point with a last green success against Dan Brown and Joe Dean.
Gavin Moynihan briefly gave the the hosts hope when he recorded one of his best-ever triumphs, beating Toby Tree an Amateur Championship quarter-finalist 2 and 1, while further down the order James Sugrue, Gareth Lappin and John Ross Galbraith won their matches. Ireland face Scotland (who defeated Wales yesterday) today.
