Short game

Compiled by  SHAY KEENAN

Nine Irish courses in world’s top 100

IRELAND’S reputation as a leading golfing destination has been further underlined by amassing nine entries in Golf World magazine’s “The World’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play”, including the number one spot

Royal County Down, near Newcastle, topped the rankings, beating off competition from such iconic venues as American courses Bandon Dunes and Pebble Beach, Scotland’s Turnberry and England’s Royal Lytham and St Annes, where Ernie Els won his second British Open title on Sunday.

Royal Portrush’s Dunluce course – host of the recent record-breaking Irish Open – ensured Northern Ireland made up 20 per cent of the top 10 courses with a seventh-placed ranking.

Dublin and the east coast are also well represented, with Portmarnock Old (33rd), The European Club (36th) and County Louth (71st) all featuring.

The links-rich south-west also fared well, with Waterville ranked 18th, Ballybunion Old (40th), Lahinch (56th) and Doonbeg (64th).

The Golf World rankings come hot on the heels of a poll by leading US magazine Golf Digest, which ranked eight of Irelands courses inside the top 100, with Royal County Down again number one.

European Amateur’ nets new sponsor

CHARTIS EUROPE Ltd will sponsor the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House on August 8th-11th.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, past winners include 2011 US Open ChampionRory McIlroy – one of four Irish players to have lifted the title. Paddy Gribben, Stephen Browne, and Brian McElhinney have also been successful at the event.

Among this year’s 144 starters is defending champion, Austria’s Manuel Trappel, who will take on Europe’s best in the defence of his title.

Among his main rivals for the trophy will be the British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar and the Dutchman Daan Huizing – winner of the Lytham and St Andrews Links Trophies in 2012.

A 17-strong Irish challenge will take to the course at the start of play on Wednesday, August 8th, where they will come up against representatives from 26 other countries.

Carty’s birdie finish clinches girls title

JESSICA CARTY from Holywood eagled the 15th hole and finished birdie, birdie to win the Irish Girls Close championship at Waterford Golf Club.

In a tight match, Carty only led for the first time in the match against Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down Ladies) following her birdie on the 16th and she held her nerve to close out a very tight match with another birdie on the 17th to win 2 and 1.

Sarah Boden (Kilkeel) won the Pat Fletcher Plate Trophy by one hole. Boden was down for much of the match thanks mainly to some impressive play from Chloe Weir (Shandon Park).

Weir was going well early on and was three up through 11 holes, but Boden won the 12th and 15th with birdies, then levelled the match on the 16th and also won the 17th to go one up and won out on the 18th.

Carty’s reward for her victory in Waterford was a place on the Irish Girls team for the Home Internationals at Rydyr Golf Club , Wales from August 7th-9th.

Winning their first international caps in Wales will be Mary Doyle, Jessica Ross and Niamh Ward. IRELAND: Jessica Carty (Holywood), Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park), Mary Doyle (The Heath), Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL), Jean O’Driscoll (Muskerry), Jessica Ross (Donaghadee), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), Niamh Ward (Lurgan). Captain: Niamh Kitching (Limerick). Manager: Paula Reynolds (Seapoint).

Top players heading to Lahinch for 111st ‘South’

THE 111th staging of the South of Ireland Championship will be held at Lahinch GC from July 28th to August 1st.

Sponsored by Clare Coast Hotels, Ireland’s oldest championship has consistently attracted the best amateur golfers in the country together with visitors from overseas. Previous winners include John Burke, who won “The South” a record 11 times and JB Carr, who was crowned champion three times over a 21-year period.

Other winners who went on the make names for themselves in the professional ranks include Paul McGinley (1999) and Major winners Darren Clarke (1990) and Graeme McDowell (2000). Pádraig Harrington was twice a beaten finalist.

This year’s Championship promises to be a memorable occasion for all competitors but, in particular, for Ennis man Noel Pyne, who hopes to compete in his 50th successive “South” when the traditional match play format returns on Saturday, July 28th. This is a remarkable achievement and one that is unlikely to be repeated.

CARLOW played host to their inaugural senior scratch cup recently and drew a good quality field, with the spoils eventually going to Cork’s Gillian O’Leary with a 36-hole total of 149 to edge out New Ross’s Mary Dowling and Maria Dunne from Skerries by one shot. County Louth’s Deirdre Smith was next best on 153.

Doran, McElroy take the honours

DONABATE’S Pat Doran and Sheena McElroy (Grange) were winners of the Mary McKenna Trophy at Donabate recently.

Doran, playing off three, and four-handicapper McElroy, both named in the Irish Senior team for September’s European Team Championship in Switzerland, fired 37 points in the open fourball format to edge out Jean Bonus (Blainroe) and Dympna Conlon (Black Bush) on a countback, with the Balbriggan pairing of Noreen Keeling and Sandy Forsyth third on 35 points.

Mary McKenna herself featured too picking up the gross prize in partnership with Marie Cooney of Killeen with 25 gross points.

Lord Mayor’s Cup tees off at Clontarf

THE Lord Mayor’s Cup will take place at Clontarf Golf Club from Sunday, August 12th to Saturday, August 18th and is sponsored this year by Guinness mid-strength.

The brainchild of the then Lord Mayor of Dublin, the late Jack Belton, a former captain of Clontarf Golf Club, the Lord Mayor’s Cup has been competed for since 1951.

The qualifying round is 18 holes singles strokes, played on a scratch basis, with the leading 64 players qualifying for the matchplay stages commencing on Monday, August 13th.

The competition is open to players of affiliated golf clubs who hold a handicap of between four and nine at the date of the qualifying round.

The prepaid entry fee is € 25 per player.

The timesheet will be open from tomorrow online at www.clontarfgolfclub.ieor contact Clontarf Golf Club – telephone 01-8331892.