Murphy and Gannon favourites at Laytown

Ireland's would-be "tigresses" have the added incentive of possible selection on the eight-strong team for next month's Home

Internationals when the Lancome Irish Girls' Championship begins at

Laytown and Bettystown today.

Indeed, these are exceptionally busy times for Ireland's young women golfers. Apart from the girls' competition, where 16-yearold

Pamela Murphy will be seeking a third crown, Laytown will simultaneously play host to the Irish Intermediate (under-23)

championship. And, as if that weren't enough, no fewer than 12 of the competitors in the Intermediate event will then head on to play in the Irish Women's Amateur Open which takes place at Waterford

Castle this weekend. Unfortunately, Eileen Rose Power won't be able to defend that particular title as she will be on international duty with the British and Irish team against the continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy at Halmstad in Sweden.

So, there is no fear of the country's top youngsters being undergolfed this week.

The team for the Girls' International matches in Forfar, Scotland, on August 12th-14th, will be selected at the conclusion of this week's championship in Laytown which has attracted a very strong field. Murphy, from The Island, and Co Louth's Jenny Gannon will, however, start as the pre-championship favourites. One round of stroke-play qualifying will be held today, with the top 32

progressing to the match-play series which begins tomorrow.

The under-23 championship has quality rather than quantity with just 15 entrants who will undertake two rounds of stroke-play qualifying today with eight progressing to the match-play stages.

Tricia Mangan (Ennis) faces a tough task if she is to successfully defend her title. Michelle McGreevy, already a full international, and Elaine Dowdall, who is destined to become one in the very near future, present the most serious threats.

After Laytown, a dozen intermediates - Mangan, McGreevy, Dowdall,

Orla Barry, Lorna Browne, Naoimh Quigg, Nicola Gorman, Sue Phillips,

Caroline Smyth, Jean Farrell, Gemma Hegarty and Heather Spence - will head on to Waterford for the strokeplay event, sponsored by Waterford

Crystal.

Suzanne Fanagan, winner of the Irish Close at Enniscrone earlier this season, will be chasing a notable double. Apart from the enforced absence of Power, however, all the members of the Irish team which competed in the recent European Championships - Hazel Kavanagh,

Ada O'Sullivan, Alison Coffey, Fanagan and McGreevy - are participating. Barbara Hackett, last year's Close champion, is also in the strong field. [SBX]

Tracy Eakin has been signed as touring professional on the

American Express Tour by the Open Golf Centre, near St Margaret's.

[SBX]

Ardee won the battle of the Louth clubs when beating Dundalk 2-1

in the final of the Smurfit Leinster girls' inter-club championship at Naas last week. [SBX]

Balcarrick Golf Club in Donabate - who have recently completed the construction of a new clubhouse - have a limited number of five-day memberships available at a special introductory rate of £

1,600, including subscriptions for this year. Incidentally, the club is holding an open week on August 24th-31st. Details from 843 6957.