The trophy is one of the most imposing in world golf, standing over three feet in height and weighing in at some four stones . . . . and it has been won by some of the top Irish amateurs.

And Eddie Power will seek to add the Waterford Crystal Scratch Trophy to the Irish championship he won last week when the 72holes strokeplay event takes place at Waterford Golf Club this weekend. City of Derry's David Jones will be defending the title. Gary Cullen, a semi-finalist in the Close, broke the course record last year with a stunning 64 and is also included in the field along with six Scottish players, five Welsh invaders, including internationals Richard Peet and Ian Booth, and some of Waterford's own young golfing tigers, among them Lee Dalton, Alan Harty, Alan Thomas and Gavin McNeill.