Golf news in brief
Murphy boasts Boys double
DANIEL MURPHY, a plus-one handicapper from Portarlington, completed a provincial Boys’ championship double with a 3 and 2 win over Cork’s Ian O’Rourke in the Ulster final at Holywood last week.
The recent winner of the Leinster Boys’, Murphy was also a Munster Boys’ championship finalist.
One-up at the turn, the Ulster crown swung his way when O’Rourke sent his tee-shot out of bounds at the 12th hole. O’Rourke bravely recovered with a birdie three on the following green, but lost the initiative by three-putting the 14th.
In a marathon semi-final, Murphy outlasted Woodbrook four-handicapper Gerard MacNamara, progressing through with a match-winning par four at the fifth extra hole.
MacNamara was left to ruefully reflect on a three-putt bogey at the 17th, where he lost his one-hole advantage. The match ended when MacNamara found a greenside bunker at the fifth extra hole, and failed to save his par.
In the other semi-final, O’Rourke carried the extra power in the tough wind to beat Gavin Moynihan from Headfort by 3 and 2.
They turned all-square before O’Rourke booked his place in the finals with wins at the short 10th, 13th and 14th holes.
O’Driscoll’s great run earns international call
BALLYBUNION’S Emma O’Driscoll defeated Paula Grant of Lisburn in the final of the Lancome Girls’ Irish Close Championship in Castletroy on Friday to lift the trophy for the first time.
O’Driscoll, who had beaten fellow international Patrice Delaney of Birr 3 and 2 in the semi-final, was in devastating form in the afternoon and inflicted a 7 and 6 defeat on the unfortunate Grant.
In previous rounds O’Driscoll had beaten Anna Courtney (St Anne’s) and Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy).
This win is the highlight of what has already been a very successful season for the Ballybunion golfer, as she has claimed the Connacht Women’s and Girls’ Championships as well as the Leinster Girls’ Championship, and finished runner-up at the Munster Women’s and Girls’ Championships earlier in the year.
The final of the Plate was won by Jessica Carty of Holywood, the leading qualifier of the tournament, who beat Terri Byrne of Coollattin 6 and 5.
Meanwhile, O’Driscoll was later named on the Irish Girls’ Home International team to play at Fairhaven Golf Club, from August 4th-6th. The Irish team is: Patrice Delaney (Birr), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion) and Carla Reynolds (Seapoint).
Meadow has US engagements
STEPHANIE MEADOW, a member of Ireland’s European girls title-winning quartet in Finland last week, will not be available for the girls’ Home Internationals at Fairhaven GC, in Southport, from August 4th to 6th.
Meadow last week shot a 73 at Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck, New Jersey, to claim one of just five places for the US Women’s Amateur championship.
Meadow, a member of Royal Portrush Golf Club and a resident student at the Hank Haney International Golf Academy at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, was the third-best qualifier at the New Jersey venue. Sarah Brown won with a 71 from Casey Kennedy on 72. Meadow and Isabel Han shared third place on 73
The US Women’s Amateur championship will be played at Old Warson Country Club from August 3rd to 9th. Meadow also qualified for next week’s US Junior Championship at Trump National, New Jersey.
Dooley strikes twice at Callan
LIGHTNING struck twice in just 17 days recently for a young member of Callan Golf Club, Co Kilkenny, who had the distinction of having two holes-in-one in that time.
Dave Dooley struck his first ace at Callan’s 135-yard 14th hole, and less than three weeks later he was celebrating again when he recorded his second ace at Callan’s fourth hole, which measures 210 yards.
THE Finn Harps Golf Classic will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3rd, at Ballybofey Stranorlar Golf Club.
Entry fee is €120 per team of four and a time sheet is in operation. Phone 074 9131093.
Young Ellie steals the show
OVER 230 boys and girls took part in last week’s 47th East of Ireland juvenile championships at Laytown and Bettystown GC, who this year are celebrating their centenary.
Players came from clubs as far apart as Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Balmoral in Belfast.
In blustery conditions on the links course the feature of the two-day event was the winning of the O’Kelly Cup for boys and girls under-10 for the first time by a girl. She was Ellie O’Gorman, daughter of former international Phil O’Gorman.
The famous Pee Wee Trophy was won by eight-year-old Annroi Collins from the home club.
THE president, Jim Young, showed the field the way home in Neil Browne’s captain’s prize at Kilrush GC. Young, off a six handicap, had an outstanding score of two-under-par 68 gross in the qualifying round, and in the final 10 holes added a nett 35.7 to win by four from Damien Casey and Oliver McNamara.
Kitching wins Curragh on countback
A QUALITY field were at the Curragh golf club on Sunday for the 36-hole Ladies Scratch Cup, and it took a superb second round 68 from Claremorris’ Niamh Kitching to claim the title.
Having opened with a 76 in the morning, the Ireland international went eight shots better in round two and won a countback over the afternoon’s 18 holes, after she tied on 144 with South Africa’s Monique Smith, a plus one handicapper, who had two rounds of 72.
In third spot was Ennis’ Sarah Cunningham, on 145, with Sarah Faller of Galway, also on 145, in fourth place. Victoria Bradshaw from Bangor was fifth on 146 after two rounds of 73.
The nett prize was claimed by Tipperary’s Sarah Crowe, playing off four, with rounds of 71 and 69 for a 140 total.
ONCE again the Mother and Daughter Open foursomes competition in Donabate – running since 1982 – proved a huge success.
And emerging victorious was the Lady Captain of Laytown and Bettystown, former Ireland international Carol Wickham, who plays off three, and her daughter Rachael Taylor (30). They shot an impressive 39 points for a three-point win over seven handicapper Louise Mahon and her daughter Elizabeth from Howth. The Castle’s Martha and Amy Jones were the gross winners.
