Golf Digest: Irish PGA set up new home in Naas

IRISH PGA: As their general secretary Michael McCumiskey put it, "the Irish PGA has come a long way". Indeed, when you think that his predecessor Brian Campbell used a room in his Belfast home to carry out his administration work for a decade, and that McCumiskey followed that example in his initial phase in the job, yesterday's announcement that the region will set up home at the PGA National at Palmerstown House, near Naas, is a significant development for Ireland's club professionals, reports Philip Reid.

Although the Irish PGA will retain offices at Dundalk Golf Club, which has been their base for almost two decades, the organisation has entered into an agreement that will see their national headquarters based at the newly designed Christy O'Connor Junior course owned by Jim Mansfield, who also owns CityWest. There are also plans for a five-star hotel on what was formerly an 800 acres stud farm.

As part of the agreement, the course - which will officially open next year - becomes the first PGA sanctioned course in Ireland, joining a family that includes the PGA National at the Belfry in England and the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Scotland. Palmerstown House will be the only PGA National course designated in Ireland and, when the academy comes on stream, it will be used as a training facility for Ireland's club professionals.

"We've been looking to forge a partnership with a suitable course for some time," said McCumiskey, "and we're confident that we have found the right partner. It will provide a major platform for the development of the PGA in Ireland."

It means the two governing bodies for golf are now based in Co Kildare. Last year, the Golfing Union of Ireland announced their intention to move their headquarters - currently in Dublin city - to the Carton House development in Maynooth. The GUI's offices and academy are currently under construction.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Although not producing the sparkling golf of the first day, Ireland's Ciaran McMonagle and Raymond Burns are well in contention to book places at next week's European Tour Qualifying School final after yesterday's Stage Two second round.

On another day of low scores at the three Spanish venues Ciarán McMonagle, who opened with a 64 at Emporda GC, slipped to a two-over-par 73 for 137 and a share of 12th place. Scotland's Euan Little fired a brilliant second round 63 to take the lead at Emporda Golf Club, where there are 29 available spots at the finals. Norway's Oyvind Rojahn went the lowest of all the 252 competitors at the three Stage Two venues, scoring his second consecutive round of eight-under-par 64 at the Club de Golf Oliva Nova to assume a three-shot lead from his nearest challenger, England's Iain Pyman.

Raymond Burns, in third place after the first round, added a level par 72 for 138 and a share of 16th place at six under par where 29 finals places are up for grabs. England's Richard Finch and Niki Zitny of Austria lead the way at El Bosque Golf and Country Club on nine under par after respective second round scores of 68 and 67 handed them halfway totals of 135. Colm Moriarty, the only Irish player to break 70 yesterday, is in 28th place on 140 after a second round 69.

SA TOUR: Pádraig Dooley and Gavin McNeill are eight shots off the pace after the first round of the MTC Namibian PGA Championship at the Windhoek Country Club in South Africa. Both shot rounds of three over par 73 to trail first-round leader Rudy Whitfield. Whitfield fired a six-under-par 65 to hold a one shot lead over Thomas Aiken and Leonard Loxton.