Short Game

A golf news digest from around Ireland

Gleeson wins under-15 Open in Mallow

CO SLIGO'S Alex Gleeson fired a solid two-over-par 74 in extremely testing conditions to win the Irish Boys under-15 Amateur Open Championship at Mallow GC.

Having shot a two-under-par 70 to lead after the opening round, Gleeson gave hope to the chasers by dropping two strokes early in the final round - on the difficult first and fifth holes. They were to be his only bogeys of the day as he reeled off 13 straight pars to win the championship by two strokes.

It has been a fine year for the Dublin-based player, who plays much of his golf in the West but is also a member at the Castle GC. Gleeson currently holds the Connacht and Ulster under-15 titles and made his debut for Connacht in the Boys Interprovincial Championship at Headfort last month. John-Ross Galbraith from Whitehead shot rounds of 71 and 75 to finish second while Milltown's Liam Harnett shared third place with Kieran Lynch from Skibbereen.

Galgorm ladies best of the bunch

FOR the second year running one of the Galgorm Ladies teams got the better of their male counterparts to win the 2009 George Best Invitational, sponsored by Ballymena Council, at Galgorm Castle GC where goalkeeping legend Pat Jennings landed the celebrity prize.

Just one point separated the top three teams, but it was the Galgorm Ladies team, with Bundoran's Chris McVitty as their professional, who won with a team total of 87 points.

The win was all the more fitting as the team included the Galgorm Castle lady captain, Dorothy Lattimore, who played alongside Jenny Carroll and Patricia Agnew.

There was little to choose between the runners-up and third place but the second celebrity team which comprised Jennings, former Northern Ireland international Steven Penny, BBC commentator Joel Taggert and Connor Mallon, edged into second with 86 points on a better back nine.

Rosslare retain Fred Daly Trophy

ROSSLARE retained the Fred Daly Trophy at Mallow Golf Club last week with a 4½-2½ win over the host club. In the morning semi-finals Rosslare defeated Connacht champions Athenry, while Mallow accounted for Balmoral.

Mallow got off to a flying start in the final, with brothers Conor and Kevin Dowling recording wins over Gary Collins and Conor Kelly, respectively. Rosslare fought back with wins for Eamon Kelly and Mark Holohan levelling matters before the holders took the edge when Ross Young accounted for Kevin O'Keeffe.

Rosslare still required a win from the remaining two matches and the decisive point came when Ger McNamara edged out Paul McCarthy on the 19th, with the remaining match all square playing the last when called in.

Waterford Castle captured the Irish Junior Foursomes title with a one-hole win over Moyola Park.

The Munster champions added to a wonderful run in the event for Waterford-based clubs - following West Waterford's three wins in the last four years.

Mallow overcame The Island by one hole in a hard fought semi-final, while Moyola Park defeated Connacht champions Curra West, by three holes .

Malahide triumph in Fingal Junior Team Trophy

THE Fingal Junior Team Trophy, sponsored by McGuirks golf, again proved a great success this year with the outcome uncertain until the last day before Malahide won the title for the first time.

This year's event was a very tight competition as coming into the last week at Beaverstown, any one of six clubs could have won the league.

It actually went down to the last group on the course. Malahide won for the first time, with Balbriggan second and Portmarnock third.

A total of 14 boys represented Malahide over the eight weeks, including Gavin Purcell, Colin Shiels, Leo Connolly, Darren Glennon, Niall Sullivan, Conor Sutton, Niall Skelton and Iarlaith Keane amongst others.

The runners'-up plate was presented to Pat McGrath, Junior organiser in Balbriggan, and his team, while third-place plaques were presented to Eddie Butler and his team from Portmarnock.

Among the players who got their first taste of Interclub golf in this tournament were Niall Kearney, selected on this year's Walker Cup team.

- ASHBOURNE Golf Club in Co Meath are holding two Ladies Scratch Cups on Friday next, a Senior Cup for handicaps scratch to nine and a Junior Cup for Handicaps 10 to 16.

Entry is € 20 and can be booked online at www.ashbournegolfclub.ie or by contacting Helen Caulfield at 087 9182717.

Irish quartet perform well in Belgium

There were excellent performances by the four Irish players competing in the Total International Juniors of Belgium last week.

In the girls event Louise Coffey from Warrenpoint, with two rounds of 77 and two 74s, for a 302 total and 14 over par, finished fifth behind winner Marianna Causin of Italy. Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) was 21st on 27 over par after rounds of 76, 76, 84 and 79.

Meanwhile, Headfort's Rory McNamara and James Monaghan from The Island both finished inside the top 20 in the boys event. McNamara finished sixth on five over par, six strokes off the winner, Thomas Pieters from Belgium. McNamara shot rounds of 77, 74, 70 and 72 for a total of 293. Rounds of 68, 77, 81 and 74 saw Monaghan finish in 20th place on 12 over par.

In the team events the boys finished fifth behind winners Columbia, while the girls finished ninth behind winners Latvia.

- THE Sutton Mixed matchplay, sponsored by Joe Duffy BMW Motors, will take on a new look this year when it's played over two days.

Qualifying takes place next Saturday and the top four pairs will qualify for the semi-finals on Sunday morning with the final scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Places on Saturday's time sheet are available with Conor Russell at 01-8321703.

O'Connor Snr Open event

TO celebrate Christy O'Connor's 50th year at Royal Dublin, the Dollymount club will host the Christy O'Connor Open Fourball Challenge with qualifying rounds in September and October.

Open to all GUI members, six qualifying rounds will be played with the top three pairs on each day qualifying for the Grand final on Tuesday, October 27th.

The grand final winners will earn a trip to Portugal for four people.

The qualifying dates are September 15th, 22nd and 25th and October 6th, 8th and 16th.

The cost is €60 per person and times may be booked at Royal Dublin GC on 01-8336346.