O'Hagan shoots the breeze

GOLF/Digest:  Peter O'Hagan the club professional at Highfield in Co Kildare, proved most capable of combating the wind at Baltray…

GOLF/Digest: Peter O'Hagan the club professional at Highfield in Co Kildare, proved most capable of combating the wind at Baltray yesterday in the final outing of this season's Links Society.

O'Hagan, who signed for a 70, was the only player to manage a sub-par round. He birdied three of the course's par-five holes - the third, sixth and 11th - and added a further birdie on the 14th, with his only dropped shot coming on the 16th. That was sufficient to beat Jimmy Clynch, a four-handicapper from Laytown and Bettystown.

Final Scores: 70 - P O'Hagan (Scr) (Highfield), J Clynch (4) (L&B) 71 - R Collins (8) (Royal Dublin), W Adamson (4) (The K Club), J Heggarty (Scr) (Spawell), A Walton (4) (The Island) 72 - M Delany (5) (L&B), A Weir (8) (Co Louth) 73 - N Crimmons (5) (Co Louth), P McGuirk (scr) (Co Louth), L Fitzgerald (3) (Royal Dublin) 74 - G Massey (1) (Hermitage), C Keegan (6) (Newlands), S Duffy (8) (Newlands), P O'Brien (2) (L&B), T Halpin (scr) (Naas DR), G Murphy (scr) (Kilkenny), B Reddan (2) (Co Louth) 75 - F Flynn (1) (L&B), D Curran (7) (St Annes), L Owens (scr) (Royal Dublin), S Caul (3) (Malahide), G Bowden (1) (Hermitage), E Hughes (2) (Royal Portrush), A Dowling (+1) (Hermitage), E Darcy (scr), (Druids Glen), K Stevenson (scr) (Warrenpoint). Nett - 1st: O'Hagan 70 (on back nine); 2nd: Clynch 70; 3rd: Collins 71 (on back nine); 4th: Walton 71. Gross - 1st: Heggarty 71; 2nd: McGuirk 73; 3rd: Murphy 74 (on back nine); 4th: Dowling 74.

• Irish Champion Alison Coffey gave an outstanding performance over Johannesburg Parkview course yesterday to help Britian and Ireland beat a team of Lady Professionals and lift the Nedbank Syfrets Private Bank Cup.

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Result: (Brit&Ire names first) R Hudson & K Smith beat L Moritz & A Wessels 2 holes; F More & E Pilgrim halved with M Adamson & C Louw; L Morton & E Dowdall lost to Z Grunbeck & C Moulder 5 holes; A Coffey & S Jones beat R Hart & A Hinchorn 6 holes; E Duggleby (alone) beat E Hefer & L Moses 5 holes; B Brewerton & L Mackay beat V Smith & M Language l hole. Match result: Britain and Ireland won by 9 holes.