By SHAY KEENAN
Clifford claims Munster Veterans Open
CORK’S Denis J Clifford won the Munster Veterans Amateur Open Championship at Youghal GC, Co Cork last week with a 36-holes total of 152.
Rounds of 74 and 78 gave him a one-shot victory over Gerry O’Keeffe from Waterford who carded rounds of 79 and 74.
Blainroe’s Alistair Smith edged out Muskerry’s Paddy Harrington after both finished on 155 with Smith winning on a better second 18 of 76.
ALAN CONDREN from Greystones birdied the final hole for a one-shot win in the Connacht Mid-Amateur Championship at Roscommon on Sunday.
Condon carded rounds of 70, 71 and 71 for a 212 total to win by one from Eamonn Haugh from Castletroy who shot rounds of 70, 69 and 74 for 213.
Third place went to former international player Ken Kearney from the host club on a total of 214 after rounds of 68, 73 and 73.
PGA Cup defeat for British and Irish men
THE European professional ladies may have enjoyed success over their American counterparts at Killeen Castle on Sunday in the Solheim Cup, but sadly there was no repeat for the British and Irish men in the recent PGA Cup.
Played in California, the Americans retained the cup on a 17½ to 8½ scoreline to win the event for the 17th time since it was first competed for in 1973.
Two Irish professionals players were involved in the three days of competition on the British and Irish team – Robert Giles from Greenore and Galway’s David Mortimer.
Giles lost both his opening-day fourball and foursomes matches, while Mortimer lost in the foursomes.
But on day two Giles won his fourball match, while Mortimer picked up a half point and then lost his afternoon foursomes game.
In the final day’s singles Giles beat Mike Small 1 up, while Mortimer was beaten.
Stackstown's Bridges triumphs at Mount Temple
MOUNT TEMPLE GC in Westmeath hosted very successful Senior and Junior Scratch Cups last week. Sponsored by Teligence, the championship course played at its hardest due to the strong winds, making some of the par threes playing to their most difficult.
Richard Bridges from Stackstown played some excellent golf in these conditions to put up a score of four-under-par 105 over the 27 holes. Alan Lowry of Esker Hills, a younger brother of Shane, carded a one-under-par over the first 18 holes but fell away somewhat in the last nine to to finish second on 112.
The Junior Scratch Cup was won by Donal Lavin of Corballis with a fine score of 118 with Terry Lilly of Slade Valley coming second on 120.
SOMETIMES you wait an age for a hole in one and then, all of a sudden, you get another one. Well, that is exactly what happened in Mullingar Golf club recently.
One of the club’s lady members, Mary Kerrigan – who plays off a handicap of 32 – had an ace at the par three 15th hole, no doubt prompting huge celebrations.
But she didn’t have to wait too long for her next ace as less than two weeks later she was celebrating once again, this time a hole in one on the longer par-three fifth hole.
According to statistics produced in the United States the odds on the average golfer getting a hole in one are 42,952 to 1, so Kerrigan has surely defied huge odds in getting two holes in one in quick succession.
'Seven Secrets of Success'
JUST published “The Road to Perfect Golf: Seven Secrets of Success”, by sports psychologist Dr Betty Cody, offers players a refreshing look at the psychological techniques used in playing the game. It is about using the mind and the body to have fun and reach a level of golf that all players are happy to achieve.
Among the subjects covered are the use of the personality to improve the performance, through goal setting, concentration, body sense, imagery and relaxation.
It helps to clarify the factors involved in team golf and it shows how to acquire a positive mental attitude to stay confident and positive on the golf course.
Cody is a Registered Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland and has worked both with professional and amateur golfers, and Olympic athletes.
GETTING her handicap reduced by three shots following a win proved no deterrent to Deirdre Greer in Wexford recently. In the weekly singles, playing off a handicap of 35, she shot 41 points for a three-point win over Beppi O’Connor. Three days later in Maureen Rossiter’s Lady Presidents Prize, off her new handicap of 32, she won with 40 points.
Fourth Scratch Cup for Shanahan
CURRENTLY riding on the crest of a wave West Waterford’s Mark Shanahan has added another major to his impressive list of victories for 2011. Playing in Castlemartyr on Sunday last, Shanahan had three shots to spare in claiming his fourth Senior Scratch Cup victory this year. His other victories were at Castletroy, Dromoland and New Ross.
THE Leinster Ladies Alliance winter season is ready to get under way. Their opening outing for 2011/12 takes place on Monday, October 10th at the Grange. President for the new season is Rhona Fanagan, while this year’s captain is Penny Gleeson.
Meadow plays part for Alabama
IRELAND’S Stephanie Meadow, helped Alabama University to a second-place finish in the Mason Rudolph Fall Preview at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Tennessee over the weekend. Meadow shot rounds of 75, 78 and 75 for a 228 total.
Top-ranked UCLA won the team title for the third time in five years, recording a 294 in the final round for a total score of 873 (296-283-294).
Alabama also shot a 294 on Sunday, but finished second with an 879 (296-289-294). Arizona State (293-296-295) and Virginia (304-286-294) tied for third with a team total of 884.
The individual title required a play-off. Duke’s Lindy Duncan took home medallist honours after defeating Alabama’s Jennifer Kirby at the first play-off hole.
NIALL Turner from Team Ireland golf started back on the Asian Tour after a summer break with a good 16th-place finish in the Macau Open last week.
Turner finished at three-under-par 281 after rounds of 70, 67, 74 and 70.
The winner at 14 under was Chan Yih Shin from Chinese Tapei with rounds of 66, 67, 68 and 69 followed by David Gleeson from Australia and Jeev Mikhi Sing from India
Turner continues with three tournament run from October in Chinese Tapie followed by India and then Korea.
