Short game

By SHAY KEENAN

Meadow ranked fourth after win

IRELAND'S Stephanie Meadow has moved up four places in the World Amateur Golf Ranking to world number four – her highest ever ranking – following her first victory of the 2011-2012 US college season. It's a victory that could book her a place on the Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team to face the US at Nairn Golf Club next June.

Meadow captured her fourth college golf title with victory in the Mercedes-Benz SEC/PAC 12 Challenge at the Holsten Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee .

Meadow, who is in her second year at the University of Alabama, returned rounds of 68, 71 and 72 to finish on five-under-par 211 to win the title by two shots from Lauren Stratton.

The Northern Irish amateur won three times in her first year at Alabama to finish last season as a first team All-American. Her fourth victory came in just her 15th college golf tournament. Meadow played for B and I against the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Porthcawl in June this year.

Meadow is now the highest ranked Irish player on the WAGR table. She is two places higher than Leona Maguire, who moves three spots this week to world number six.

Grant and Ryan set for Spirit International event

INTERNATIONALS Paula Grant (Lisburn) and Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) will represent Ireland in the Spirit International Amateur Championship at Whispering Pines Golf Club, Texas, starting tomorrow.

They will be joined in the mixed team by men’s internationals Harry Diamond, from Belvoir Park, and Reeve Whitson, from the Mourne club.

Grant, the current Irish girls champion, and Ryan were members of the Irish team at this year’s Home Internationals at Hillside last month.

The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship is a biennial, world-class event featuring the top men and women golfers from 20 countries spanning six continents.

Established in 2001, players play for team and individual prizes over 72 holes. In 2009, the field featured 76 national champions. Past Spirit Champions include current professional tour stars Lorena Ochoa, Brandt Snedeker, Paula Creamer and Martin Kaymer.

All 80 participants enjoy an Olympic-like experience including opening ceremonies, international village accommodation, festive dinner parties, closing ceremonies and a 72-hole golf event where the world’s best amateur golfers compete for gold medals.

The event is hosted by the World Health and Golf Association, a charitable organisation dedicated to promoting amateur golf for the benefit of health-related causes.

Carton House to host PGA qualifier

THE dates have been confirmed for the eight regional qualifiers for the 2012 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championships with Ireland’s qualifier set to take place at Carton House.

The Co Kildare venue will host its qualifier on Tuesday, May 15th next year.

Around 650 professionals from both Ireland and Britain are expected to compete in the qualifiers with the ultimate aim of making it to the Grand Final which next year is being staged at De Vere Carden Park from August 7th to 10th.

The first of the regional qualifiers takes place at Ferndown Golf Club on Tuesday, May 1st.

The other host venues alongside Carton House and Ferndown are Hadley Wood, Fulford, Ladybank, Hindhead, Hesketh and Little Aston.

Simon Higginbottom, PGA head of tournaments, is hoping the early release of dates and venues will attract even more pros to enter.

Buckley bags sixth hole in one

MOST golfers dream of grabbing a hole in one at some stage of their career. Well it has already been a memorable year for Noreen Buckley at Killarney Golf Club as she is the Lady Captain for 2011.

The club were recently on their exchange day to Tralee and Buckley had further reason to celebrate. She recorded a hole in one on the third, the club’s 124-yard hole named The Castle and one of their stand-out holes along the shore line. The ace for Buckley was her sixth hole in one.

The exchange day winners were Marie Chawke (34) and Breda Neeson (29) who shot 35 points in the fourball format.

Doonbeg's 'Drive to a Better Future'

DOONBEG Golf Club recently hosted “Drive to a Better Future”, an event to raise money for the Cancer Clinical Research Trust. The event which was organised by friends of Peter Houlihan (Doonbeg’s first ever employee) was a huge success raising considerable monies for the Trust. Terry Wogan, a member of Doonbeg’s Advisory Board and a good friend of Houlihan, was on hand to meet all the teams – and to deliver a memorable address after golf and dinner. Peter himself and his family were all in attendance. All money raised goes to John Crowns Cancer Clinical Research Trust.

BALLYLIFFIN GC are offering membership for € 1,000 (local)/ €1,250 (non-local) for the first 17 months, then €1,000/€1,250 per year for the next two years’ membership. This includes all joining fees and annual subs but excludes levies and GUI fees. Restricted to the first 50 applicants who are accepted by council. Contact 074 93 76119.

Team Ireland Golf Trust scheme

THE Team Ireland Golf Trust scheme, which was established to assist Irish professional golfers in the early stages of their careers, is now inviting applications for funding for 2012.

The scheme, administered by the Irish Sports Council, provides financial and non-financial support to professional tour golfers, both male and female, wishing to achieve success at an international level.

The Irish Sports Council and Fáilte Ireland provide the funding for the trust.

Application forms and details of the scheme are available from: Team Ireland Golf Trust, C/o The Irish Sports Council, Top Floor, Block A, Westend Office Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Phone: 01 8608880 Ext: 8813 or 8812

The closing date for receipt of application forms is Friday, December 2nd.

WATERFORD’S Kevin Phelan, a student at North Florida University, dropped out of the top five to finish tied 20th in a field of 75 after a six-over-par last round of 78 in the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational at Isleworth Country Club, Windermere, Florida.

Phelan had opened the tournament with a pair of 72s to be tied fifth after 36 holes.

Winner by eight shots was US Walker Cup player Jordan Spieth (Texas University) with scores of 65, 73 and 67 for 11-under-par 205.