A round-up of other golf news in brief
Carney leads them a merry dance to take Joyce's prize
** GALWAY recently held Anne Joyce’s Lady Captain’s Prize and Doireann Carney (6), a dancer with the Riverdance Group, played the round of her life to land the top prize. She shot an incredible one- under-par 71 gross, a 65 nett to win on the back nine from 12-times national squash champion Norrie O’Grady (19), who also had a 65 nett.
Carney was in great form throughout the round and was just one over on the front nine after she dropped a shot with a bogey on the par five 7th.
On the back nine although she had a bogeys on two short holes, the par three 11th and 13th holes, she picked up birdies on 10, 12, 15 and 17 to return in 34 and edge out O’Grady.
** THE annual Allianz Grange Dublin Boys golf championship takes place on Friday, August 14th, at the Grange GC.
Endorsed by the Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley, who learned his golf at the Rathfarnham venue, the popular 36-holes strokeplay tournament is for boys with a maximum 16 handicap on the day of the event. Contact Grange GC at grangegolfclub.ie
** CASTLETROY’S Catherine and Ann-Marie Byrne fired an impressive 38 points to win the May Fitzgibbon Foursomes at Greystones Golf Club last week.
Howth’s Laura Doherty and Lauren McGinn were next best on 36 points with Holywood’s Jessica Carty and Siobhán Greene winning the best gross.
Delighted Keane bridges 32-year gap
TOM WATSON may well have failed in his attempt to repeat his British Open victory of 1977 when he lost out to Stewart Cink in a four- hole play-off at Turnberry a couple of weeks back, but the Lady Captain’s winner of that year in Westport succeeded where the American missed out.
Back in 1977, Westport hosted the ladies Senior Junior Connacht Championships and the men’s Irish Amateur Close. A young woman member, who was employed by the club, took an early tee-time on Lady Captains Day, in order that she could return to work in preparation for the prize presentation later that evening. To her surprise, she won the title that day.
Last Saturday week, there were celebrations once again as Maureen Keane (nee Gibbons) succeeded where Watson narrowly missed out as she captured her second Lady Captains Prize and bridged a 32-year gap.
Thanks to some steady golf throughout the day and despite the pressure of playing in the final group on the day, the 16-handicapper with a score of 94.67 over the 24 holes edged out Tara Fahy (12) who had a score of 93 nett to land Mary McNicholas’ coveted prize and repeat her 1977 success. In third place was Keane’s playing partner Maeve OFarrell (26) with a score of 96.33, while Mary McDermott claimed the gross prize.
Dunne gunning for unique repeat
PAUL DUNNE from Greystones GC will defend his Irish Boys Close title at Bangor Golf Club from August 19th–21st.
Dunne will be looking to become the first player in the championship’s history to win two Irish Boys Championships. Now in its 27th year, the cut fell at 4.4 with nine players balloted in on this handicap.
Previous winners of the Irish Boys Close Championship include Rory McIlroy in 2004, Michael Hoey in 1997 and Damien McGrane in 1988.
CLAREMORRIS Golf Club will host three Scratch Cups on the same day, Saturday, August 29th.
The Senior Scratch Cup for the John Keane Scratch Cup will cater for handicaps scratch to four, the Junior Scratch Cup, for the Permanent TSB Cup, will be for handicaps 5-9, and the Intermediate Scratch Cup is for handicaps 10-18. For further information and places on the time sheet contact the club at 094 9371527.
Fagan top gun at Donabate
IT’S not often low handicap golfers win captain’s prizes but Paul Fagan, manager of the GUI Academy at Carton House, was a popular winner of Paul Keogh’s captain’s prize at Donabate GC recently.
Fagan, a two-handicapper, shot a gross seven-under-par 65 in the qualifying round and added a 75 in day two for a nett total of eight-under-par 136 to win by two shots.
Fagan is now down to one handicap and holds the lowest handicap in the club and a course record with that 65.
Over 300 played in the two days’ qualifying with 155 making it through to the final day.
Tee up with the stars for Bóthar
THIRD World charity Bóthar has come up with up with a novel idea to help golfers compete in a team of four golf classic with one of their sports idols. Golfwithstars.com, to be held at The K Club on October 9th, is being organised to provide for an enjoyable sporting occasion while raising funds for charity.
The principle is for an online raffle, the prizes for which will be the opportunity for the 14 winners along with two friends to play a round of golf in a team of four classic with a prominent sports personality.
The 14 sports people playing are DJ Carey, Kieran Donaghy, Paul O’Connell, Peter Clohessy, Mick Galwey, Anthony Foley, Colm Cooper, Donal O’Grady, Eoin Kelly, Tommy Bowe, Johnny Murtagh, Stevie McDonnell, Benny Tierney and Oisín McConville.
All funds raised will go towards supporting Bóthar’s projects across 40 developing world countries.
Entries to the Golf With Stars draw can be purchased online at golfwithstars.com and close on September 30th. Tickets cost € 20 for one entry. Three entries cost €50. The handicap limit for men is 28 and women is 36. If the winner is not available to play on the October 9th they must forfeit the prize and another winner will be drawn.
Irish boys open defence at Hankley
DEFENDING champions Ireland will get the three-day Boys’ Home Internationals at Hankley Common Golf Club under way this morning with their opening tie against Scotland.
Ireland hope to hold on to the RA Trophy, which they narrowly won 8-7 in an enthralling final match against England at Royal County Down last year.
Ireland: Ciarán Boggan (Co Meath); Brian Casey (Headfort); Paul Dunne (Greystones); Michael Durcan (Co Sligo); Colin Fairweather (Knock); Dermot McElroy (Ballymena); Garth McGee (Malone); Daniel Murphy (Portarlington); Ian O’Rourke (Cork); Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park); Reeve Whitson (Mourne)
Matches will consist of five foursomes matches, followed by 10 singles matches.
Three different nations have prevailed in the last three years, with Scotland winning in 2006, England lifting The RA Trophy in 2007 and Ireland emerging victorious last year.
