Short game

By SHAY KEENAN

Kershaw ace a Lord's Taverners first

HOW do you top a start to a round like this? An ace at the very first hole!

The Lord’s Taverners annual golf outing took place with a shotgun start at Castle Golf Club on Friday with over 20 participating teams. Gloria Kershaw and her three team members began at the third hole and Kershaw got her team off to the perfect start by holing out her tee shot – with her new Cobra six-iron – for not only her first official hole in one, but also the first ace at any Lord’s Taverners outing in Ireland.

Since being set up in 2006, the Lord’s Taverners Irish branch has raised thousands of euros for young people with special needs, supplying a minibus worth € 70,000 each year.

MEMBERS from Balbriggan Golf Club joined 46 professionals last Friday only for the third time in the club’s history to host a Pro-Am. This was made extra special as it was held on the day the club was founded in 1945. The newly redesigned course proved a challenge for professional golfers and amateurs alike.

The winning professional was Damien Mooney with a course record 68.

The winning team of professional Gary Wardlow, from Edenderry Golf Academy, and his team, Andrew O’Loughlin (Rush), John McInerney (Skerries) and Gerry McInerney (Sutton) had a great score of 92 points.

Knightsbrook will host 2011 Junior Solheim Cup

KNIGHTSBROOK Hotel Spa and Golf Resort in Trim, Co Meath, will be the venue for the Junior Solheim Cup, from September 20th-21st, 2011.

The Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, who represented Europe at the 2009 match against the United States at Aurora Golf Club, Illinois, are likely to make the team in just over a year’s time.

Leona was one of six players to qualify automatically for the 2009 event, while Lisa received a wild card selection from the team captain.

The event features the best 12 female golfers aged between 12 and 18, from Europe and the United States. The juniors play matchplay in a similar format to the Solheim Cup, immediately ahead of the main event. The first Ping Junior Solheim Cup took place in 2002. The United States lead the competition by three matches to two, so the Europeans will be looking to level the series in Ireland.

Roddy Carr of Twenty Eleven, the event promoters, said: “Having the Maguire twins in a winning Ping Junior Solheim Cup at Knightsbrook would be a great start to the week for Europe and of significant strategic importance.”

THE annual Carlow Tourism Golf Classic takes place at Mount Wolseley on Monday, September 13th, and Killerig GC on Tuesday, September 14th.

The cost is €600 per team of four. Contact Carlow Tourism on 059-9130411/087-2379213

Abacus to dress Solheim team

THE Swedish golf-clothing brand Abacus has been commissioned to dress the 2011 European Solheim Cup Team following the success in 2007 and 2009. Abacus sponsored the 2009 team in Chicago.

“My strongest memory was the atmosphere from the first tee. Most important was to see how pleased all the players were with their outfits and the good response Abacus got from the American spectators,” said managing director Sven-Olof Karlsson.

Abacus will dress the players, their caddies and members of the LET executive, during the competition week at Killeen Castle in September 2011.

Mullingar Scratch Cup changes dates

THE Mullingar Scratch Cup will have a new date this year. Sponsored by Grant Thornton, the 72 hole strokeplay event, since its inauguration in 1963, has always been held on the August Bank Holiday weekend but now moves to Saturday August 28th and Sunday, August 29th.

This change becomes necessary due to a clash with the European Individual Championship which will, from now on be played in the first week of August.

The holder, Conor Doran from Banbridge Golf Club, will be defending his title and will be joined in the field by most of the Ireland team competing in this week’s home internationals at Ashburnham GC in Wales .

However, due to a clash with the St Andrews Trophy (Britain and Ireland v Rest of Europe) it is expected Paul Cutler from Portstewart and Alan Dunbar from Rathmore will represent Ireland at St Andrews.

McQueen claims Lumsden Cup

GRAEME McQueen, from Roganstown GC, shot a final round 66 off a five-handicap to win the Lumsden Cup at Royal Dublin last week. His gross 71 gave him a nett total of 139 and a two-shot winning margin over Paul O’Connor from Malahide, who shot 70 and 71 off a handicap of three. Séamus Ward from Laytown and Bettystown took third place on 143, while the gross was won by Robert McCarthy from The Island with rounds of 73 and 72.

For Brede Brophy the last two Lady Captain’s prizes at her club are going to have special significance. Twelve months ago she had the honour of being Lady Captain of Mount Wolseley GC in Tullow, Co Carlow, and this year she won Catherine Murphy’s prize, her first success in the event.

After 27 holes of intense competition, Brophy’s score of 110 was just good enough to edge out the Lady Captain’s daughter, Louise Murphy – who had a score of 111½ – while Bernie Campbell was third on 114, with Martina McGauran claiming fourth place on 114.5.

Interclub fourball nearing finale

THE Golf Digest Palmerstown Pairs Open takes place on Friday, August 20th on The K Club’s Palmer Course, the 2006 Ryder Cup venue.

The competition is a two-man betterball event; details: (01) 419 9604, cost €125 per person.

THE Miele Ireland Interclub fourball tournament is now entering the final stages, with the last four clubs from a wonderful original entry of 220 competing in the remaining two regional finals tomorrow.

In the Western regional final, 2009 All-Ireland Champions Portumna will continue the defence of their national title against The Heath at Slieve Russell Golf Club.

At the same venue, Larne and Rockmount will battle it out to become Northern champions. Both clubs are making their first appearance in a regional final of this championship.

This interclub knock-out tournament has been running since May and tomorrow’s regional winners will progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Those semi-finals are scheduled to take place at Glasson Golf Club, on September 18th and 19th.

Portumna won last year’s All-Ireland title when they defeated Cahir Park at Mullingar.