SHAY KEENANpresents the week in golf ...
Entries for East juvenile event
UNDER the presidency of Des Smyth, Laytown and Bettystown are celebrating their centenary this year when they will host the 47th running of their East of Ireland Juvenile Championships on their seaside links on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 14th-15th.
The event, sponsored by Drogheda Concentrates, will entertain over 250 young golfers over the two days. Boys and girls will compete in nine competitions ranging from the famous Pee Wee trophy for boys and girls under eight to the girls under-21 championship on the Wednesday. To book a tee-time call 041-9827563 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Henderson takes first Irish Senior Close title at Ardee
CASTLEROCK’S Marilyn Henderson survived a tense, extra-hole play-off to claim victory over Headfort’s Pauline Walsh and win her first Irish Senior Women’s Close title at Ardee last week.
Henderson took a one-hole lead through the turn, but Walsh hit back with wins at the 12th and 14th. However, Henderson squared the match at the 17th and, after the 18th was halved, won her first Irish title with a regulation par at the first tie hole after Walsh found water off the tee.
Earlier in the day, Henderson ended Headfort’s Patricia O’Reilly’s hopes with a 4 and 2 win, while Walsh eased past Co Longford’s Olivia Conroy by the same margin.
Henderson’s reward is a place on the Ireland team for the Senior European Team Championships in Dun Laoghaire on August 31st to September 4th.
EUROPEAN SENIOR WOMEN'S TEAM:Olivia Conroy (Co Longford), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock), Helen Jones (Strabane), Violet McBride (Belvoir Park), Sheena McElroy (Grange), Phil O'Gorman (Laytown and Bettystown). Team captain: Roma English (Larne). Team manager: Mary Gorry (Baltinglass).
IRELAND(team for European Young Masters in Paris, July 23rd-25th): Jessica Carty (Holywood), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Dermot McElroy (Ballymena), Colm O'Sullivan (Fota Island). Team captains: Jackie Quinn (ILGU) and Dick Cusack (GUI).
IRELAND(for German Junior Masters at Heddesheim-Gut Neuenhof GC, August 5th-7th: Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) and Sarah Cunningham (Ennis).
Irish Seniors Close debut
A NEW champion will be crowned in Irish golf as Ireland’s leading seniors go in search of the newly inaugurated Irish Seniors’ Amateur Close Championship.
Sponsored by Tourism Malaysia, the event takes place at Roscommon Golf Club, starting tomorrow.
Adrian Morrow leads the field with a handicap of plus two, while others in the field who will look to impress include Maurice Kelly (Killeen), Tom Cleary (Cork) and Hugh Smyth (Mourne).
Michael Quirke (Doneraile), runner-up at the Irish Seniors Open Championship earlier this year, leads the Michael Hennelly Order of Merit and will hope to cement his place at the top with a solid performance this week.
ROYAL Dublin are staging a Seniors Open competition on Friday. Entry fee for visitors is €55, which includes a meal.
The Lumsden Cup, over 36 holes, will be played at Royal Dublin on Sunday, August 2nd.
The field will be limited to 81 players, who will be balloted in on the lowest handicaps from the entry.
Entry fee is €30.
Entries for both events at www.theroyaldublingolfclub.com, or contact the office at 8336346.
"Babs" strikes again at Hermitage
THERE seems to be no stopping Michael “Babs” Keating: following his recent success at Hermitage, when he won Jim Flynn’s Captain’s Prize, last Saturday he led his Hermitage team to victory in the Mercedes Matchplay final over his home course.
Some 48 teams competed in the event, with 12 in the women’s section. Keating’s team included his son-in-law and ace jockey Johnny Murtagh, Mark Kelly, Mick Matthews and Des Gray. They beat Brian Brophy’s team, when Keating and Murtagh in the final match and seven holes down, won the 18th hole to go six down and win the match by just one hole. Grange beat Hermitage in the women’s section.
THE decision to open the championship course at Westport to the public on Friday proved a huge success as 60 competitors played in the Open event with calls now for it to be a permanent fixture during the summer.
Victory went to Paul Groden, playing off 11, who won with a nett 71, by a shot from Peter McNally (17), while Cathal O’Malley (+2) was the gross winner with 73.
But local member Eugene Cranley had reason to celebrate himself on the ninth hole – a testing par three of 204 yards – as he holed his tee-shot with a three-wood to earn the distinction of recording the first hole in one on the blue course.
Bradshaw reclaims Ulster crown
VICTORIA BRADSHAW from Bangor GC, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Friday last, won the Women’s Ulster Championship at the Valley Course, Royal Portrush, on Saturday. It was her second win in this competition, having been the youngest player to win the title two years ago.
Bradshaw beat Sarah Crowe from Tipperary by 2 and 1 in the final. In the semi-finals Bradshaw beat Carla Reynolds while Crowe accounted for Naoimh Quigg.
BALLYBUNION’S Emma O’Driscoll successfully defended her Connacht Girls’ title at County Sligo last week to add to her success in the Connacht senior championship earlier in the season.
O’Driscoll carded rounds of 79, 78 and 81 for a total of 238 and claimed victory by one shot from Tara Gribben from Warrenpoint, who shot 78, 78 and 83.
Sarah Helly from Enniscrone GC took third on 240 after rounds of 80 81 79.
Busy week for double victor Moynihan
IT was a great week for Gavin Moynihan from Donabate GC who won two cups in three days, and in between performed very credibly at the Munster Boys Under-15 Championship in Mallow.
His first victory was the Cotter Cup at his home club. After a week of matchplay, Gavin won the final against Shay Leatham from Corballis on Sunday week.
After the presentation that night Gavin’s father, Michael, chauffeured him to Mallow to play on Monday 29th, where he shot 76.
Back to Dublin then for the Philip Walton Trophy on Tuesday last at The Island Golf Club. This is an open Junior event for players aged 19 and under – Gavin shot 73 to win comfortably.
Aged 14, and playing off a four handicap, Moynihan is part of the Leinster Junior coaching programme and is on the A panel under provincial coach Shane O’Grady.
He was the winner in 2008 of the inaugural Leinster Boys Under-13 Series.
