A round-up of today's golf news

Blackrock win Leinster title

BLACKROCK College won the Leinster section of the Irish Schools Strokeplay Championship at Woodbrook last week. Paul Dunneand Gerard McNamarahad level par rounds of 72 to take the title by three shots from St Mary's CBS, Enniscorthy, with St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, third on 149.

St Fintan’s, Sutton, finished fourth on 152, three clear of Terenure and St Peter’s.

Graham Donoghuefrom Enniscorthy shot the best of the day two-under-par 70.

Blackrock College will represent Leinster at the National Final in Killarney Golf Club on April 21st.

Derry men stage raid on Portsalon

IT WAS a memorable day out to Portsalon Golf Club in Fanad, Co Donegal, on Saturday for three City of Derry golfers who topped the charts in the North Western Alliance’s latest outing.

In the gross section the podium was dominated by members from the club as they occupied the first three positions. Winning was two handicapper Aaron Taylorwith a 72, a comfortable winner really as he had five shots to spare over clubmate Jason McIntyre, while the City of Derry 1-2-3 was completed by three-handicapper Johnny Harding, who also shot 77.

Completing the top six were three four handicappers: the Strabane pairing of Ben Corrywho shot 78, four better than Seán Forbes, with Pádraig McLochlainnfrom North West next best on 83.

Meanwhile, in the nett category, the spoils went to Foyle's scratch golfer Seán Youngwith a 70. He was a three-stroke winner over Letterkenny's Brian McAleer(11), while in third spot was Strabane's Odran McGettigan(23), who like McAleer also shot a 73.

Next best was Eamonn McGlinchey(10) from Letterkenny with a 75, two better than clubmate Pat Keating(16) with Strabane's Brian Haughey (12) on 77.

Next up for the Alliance is their visit to Rosapenna’s Sandy Hills Golf Course in Letterkenny on Saturday, February 20th.

 O'Rourke gets Hilary season off to a flyer

LLOYD O'Rourke, a three- handicapper from Naas, was the only player to break the par of 70 when the Hilary Golf Society season got under way in ideal conditions at Laytown and Bettystown on Sunday.

O'Rourke's 69 was two shots better than Ryan Hannon(4) from Sutton, who beat clubmate Aidan Williams(6) on the back nine.

The gross winner was Gerard Kellyfrom UCD, who despite a triple bogey eight at the final hole shot a respectable 71. The team prize winners were O'Rourke with Terry Lillyfrom Slade Valley and Rob Richardsonfrom The Island with a 61 – winning on the last three.

The next outing takes place at Portmarnock Links on Sunday next.

• IT'S the last few days for golf enthusiasts, club secretaries and committee members who are anxious to attend this year's rules courses in England.

Run by PGA tournament staff, who have officiated at majors, Ryder Cups and European Tour events, these courses have proved incredibly popular over the past two years. The opening course takes place this Friday.

The course is an Introduction to the Rules of Golf and is being held at the PGA’s headquarters at The Belfry.

In addition, there is an Advanced Rules of Golf Refereeing course on March 26th. The cost is £125 (€143) for one course or £225 (€257) for both. For details, email julia.vaughan@pga.org.uk

Meadow slips at Hilton Head

CURTIS Cup squad candidate Stephanie Meadowfrom Royal Portrush faded out of contention over the second round of the Verizon Junior Heritage – one of the US's top under-19 tournaments – at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on Sunday.

Meadow, a student at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy on the island, was in the picture with a first round of 74, but required 80 shots for her next round over the Harbour Links.

Her total of 154 saw her finish joint seventh, seven shots behind the winner of the 36-hole event, Laetitia Beckfrom Israel, a student at a golf academy in Florida. Beck had rounds of 73 and 74 for 147.

She won by two shots from the favourite, 14-year-old Alexis Thompsonfrom Coral Springs, Florida. Thompson had rounds of 73 and 76 for 149.

This was Beck’s third trip to the Verizon Junior Heritage and her third top-10 finish.

Power leads ETSU to Sawgrass

WEST Waterford's Séamus Powerwill lead a strong East Tennessee team as they open the spring season on one of golf's most prestigious courses, when the Buccaneers travel to the JU Invitational, hosted by Mark McCumber, at the TPC Sawgrass next weekend.

The ETSU men enter the season with their sights set on returning to the top-25 nationally, a place that the Buccaneers have consistently ranked over the last three decades. The Bucs have an experienced squad, led by a pair of former Atlantic Sun Conference champions in 2007 medallist Power and 2009 winner Michael Stewartof Scotland.

Power, a senior, led the team in stroke average at 73.5 last year and enjoyed victory in the Nelson Invitational. He has three victories at ETSU and finished the 2009 fall season with a 74.2 average.

While Power is the lone senior on the squad, juniors Rhys Enoch(England) and Paul O'Kane(Castledawson, Northern Ireland) also bring experience to the line-up.

New logo a hit with the LGU

FOLLOWING the annual general meeting in Cardiff at the end of last month which resulted in the modernisation of the LGU’s operations and structure, a new corporate branding has been launched, with a simple logo (left) aimed at projecting a fresh, modern identity while celebrating the organisation’s 117 years of tradition and history.

The new logo, reminiscent of the famous railway posters so familiar to golf fans, will be introduced at the LGU’s championships and matches throughout the season.

Shona Malcolm,chief executive of the Ladies Golf Union, explained:

“The old logo has served the LGU well for the last 10 years, but modern marketing and promotional activities demand a clean, visual logo with impact, which must be easy to read and readily identifiable. The new logo was developed with these objectives in mind.

“Early feedback on the change has been good, and in the promotional material which is being drafted it is clear that the new LGU logo will stand out both on and off the golf course.”

• THE South East Alliance, for low handicaps and professionals, will stage their next outing in Kilkenny GC on Sunday, February 14th. Contact TW Murphy on 086-3521070.