Short Game

A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Lowry shows family trait as he claims Birr Scratch Cup

BIRR GOLF club held their scratch cups over the weekend and there was a famous name in the winners circle.

Alan Lowry from Esker Hills, who is a younger brother of former Irish Open champion, Shane, won the gross title with a score of 151, one shot better than the host club’s Billy Donlon with Niall Flanagan of Tullamore third on 153.

Lowry has been in good form of late and was second to Jamie Keenan (Old Conna) in the under-18 section of last month’s Munster Youths Championship in Killarney.

The nett prize in Birr went to Mountrath’s Stuart Carter with a score of 151, while the junior scratch gross prize was won by Eddie Costello of Rathbane, with Michael Lyons (Birr) the nett winner.

* THE Annual Forrest Little Golf Classic supporting St Francis Hospice, Raheny, will be held on Saturday, June 25th. The format is a four-person team event with morning and afternoon shotgun starts. Details from the Kevin or Margaret at 01-8401763.

* ACHILL Rovers are holding their second fundraising Classic at Achill Island GC over the June Bank Holiday weekend of June 4th and 5th.

It's a four-man team event costing € 80 per team. There is also a special best pub team prize. Further details from Canice on 087 8119496 or Philip on 086 8282876 or enter on line at www.achillroversgolfclassic.com

Meadow falls short after great season

IRELAND’S Stephanie Meadow finished well down the field as UCLA won its third NCAA Division One Women’s Golf National title on Saturday, defeating second-place and defending national champions Purdue by four shots as darkness fell at Traditions CC.

Meadow, who is a member at Royal Portrush, did not have the scores that reflected the outstanding freshman season she has had at Alabama.

She scored 75, 74, 77 and 72 to share 32nd place on 298 – one ahead of Spanish ace Carlota Ciganda who has played her last round as an amateur. The past British Women’s Open Amateur champion will officially turn pro this week.

Louisiana State University freshman Austin Ernst won the individual title, finishing at seven-under-par 281 for the championship after posting a second 66 on Saturday that included a hole-in-one – her first ace – on the par-three second hole (149 metres).

In second place was Kelli Shean from Arkansas with former British girls champion Laura Gonzalez (Escallon) third on 286.

Joint fourth on 287 were Tiffany Lua (UCLA) and Georgia’s Marta Silva who will be in the field for the British Women’s Open Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush GC, next month. Louisiana State took third place from Virginia with Alabama eighth.

Elm Park hosts mixed foursomes

THE Accenture Elm Park Open Mixed Foursomes Matchplay tournament will run from Wednesday 8th to Saturday 11th June this year.

Elm Park has successfully run the ever-popular open mixed week since 1976. The mixed foursomes forms the main part of the Dublin club’s festival of golf and tennis week.

The format is mixed foursomes matchplay, limited to the 32 lowest combined pairs with a maximum combined handicap of 24 and subject to a maximum of four shots in each match.

The mixed open week begins on Sunday, June 5th.

Aside from the main matchplay tournament there are a number of other golf and tennis competitions running throughout the week, including a special tennis tournament of high-calibre players scheduled for Thursday June 9th.

For further details email elmparkopenmixed@gmail.com or telephone (01) 2693438.

Moynihan makes Faldo Series final

DONABATE’S Gavin Moynihan was celebrating a place in the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final after emerging triumphant over Evan Farrell in a play-off to win the Faldo Series Ireland Championship at Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh.

A hat-trick of birdies from the 15th sealed a level-par final round for Moynihan and a 36-hole total of 146 following his opening 74.

The 16-year-old then took that momentum into a play-off with co-leader Farrell (72-74) to defeat his Ardee opponent with another birdie on the first extra hole.

Moynihan, a member of The Island GC, will return to Lough Erne for the Grand Final on September 12th-14th. Joining Moynihan will be Under-21 winner Dan Murphy from Portarlington, under-16 champion Niall Foley, also from The Island, and winner of the girls’ division Victoria Bradshaw from Bangor.

* THE Castle All-Ireland Father and Son Foursomes competition will be held this year in the second week of July. Qualifying will take place on an 18-holes strokes format on Saturday 2nd and July 3rd. The cost of entry is € 60 per pair.

A special website for the event has been set up at www.castlegc.ie/father_son or by calling Castle Golf Club on (01) 4904207.

Solheim Cup Club Challenge finals

OVER 200 clubs throughout the country, with a total of 621 teams and 1,863 women, have been battling it out this year in the 2011 Solheim Cup Club Challenge with 120 teams having qualified for the provincial finals.

The finals will take place at Galway GC on Thursday next, Dún Laoghaire GC, on Tuesday, May 31st, the Slieve Russell GC, Cavan, on Friday, June 10th, and the final outing to Cork CC on Tuesday, June 14th for the Munster final.

The reward for the top three teams in each of the provincial finals is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with a professional at the Ladies Irish Open on August 4th along with receiving season tickets to the 2011 Solheim Cup in September.

Having qualified with a combined best singles score during April and May, the format at the provincial finals will see each team selecting their best two stableford scores to count on each hole.

The Golf Show set for October

ONE of Europe’s leading golf trade shows and educational events, The Golf Show, takes place in October.

Following the success of the inaugural event in October last month, The Golf Show 2011 will return to the Harrogate International Centre from Tuesday, October 25 to Thursday, October 27.

More than 1,200 golf industry professionals attended last year’s show and it is hoped that this year’s showcase trade event will prove to be just as successful.

Delegates will be able to register for The Golf Show 2011 through the official website www.golftradeshow.co.uk