Short Game

A golfing roundup

Lakes pair win challenge event

THE partnership of Joe McConville from Killeen GC and Martin Kelly from Hollywood Lakes are the inaugural Christy O’Connor Challenge winners.

Sponsored by Royal Dublin, Oceanico and the Clontarf Castle Hotel at Royal Dublin last week, the pair recorded 42 points in the final to ease home by just one point from locals Louis O’Carroll and Gary McGrane.

The highlight of their round came on the tough, par-four fifth hole were Kelly hit driver and three-wood to 10 feet and hold the putt for a nett two.

On the par-five 11th, McConville hit a rescue for his third shot that hit the pin and landed two feet from the hole.

He said: “If I did not hit the pin it was 30 yards over the back.”

Those are the breaks.

Scores:Joe McConville (Killeen), Martin Kelly (Hollywood Lakes) 42 pts; Louis O'Carroll, Gary McGrane 41; Gerry O'Donovan, Dermot Curtin 40; Cathal Conaty, Brendan Cole 39; Tony Buckley, Tony Judge 39; Ray McGovern, Noel McGrane 38.

Varian secures unique double

IT hardly ever happens, but you wait an age to win one of your club’s “major” competitions, then all of a sudden you end up winning two in quick succession. Well that is exactly what has happened one of Carrickmines’ lady golfers this season, as she has won two of the big ones at the Dublin southside club and ensured she will have the fondest memories of the 2009 season.

The lady in question is Shirley Varian. And making her success all the more noteworthy is the fact it was a “double” that has never been done before within the ladies section of the club.

Varian’s first success came in Helen Irwin’s Lady Captain’s Prize, which she won with a score of 68, playing off a handicap of 20. That win saw her cut a shot off her handicap, but it didn’t stop her winning, as playing off 19 she shot 37 points three weeks later to win Richard Fitzsimons’ President’s Prize.

A fantastic achievement and one which delighted not only her, but all those in the ladies section of the club. Her handicap has dropped a further shot to 18 and although she didn’t win anything else this season she can always lay claim to writing her name in the history books of Carrickmines with her double.

Portumna’s success recognised

PORTUMNA GC’s success in the past season has just been recognised as they have won the golf award in the Galway Bay Sports awards for 2009.

It has been a tremendous year for the Galway club. Following their provincial win, Portumna represented Connacht in the All-Ireland Mixed Foursomes competition in Bandon in September, beating Munster champions Tramore, and then in the final Leinster number ones Mullingar to land the title and capture a first Golf Union of Ireland green pennant for the club.

Portumna ladies followed hot on the heels of the mixed team’s success with a marvellous victory in the Míele All-Ireland Fourball finals in Mullingar two weeks later, beating Stackstown and Cahir Park.

These achievements crowned an outstanding year during which the club won three Connacht titles – the third being the Challenge Cup ladies team who beat Loughrea GC at Gort.

Ballyliffin begins the upgrading of bunkers

BALLYLIFFIN GC, in Donegal, has begun the upgrading of the bunkering on their Glashedy Links under the direction of Pat Ruddy, who is one of the original course architects.

The work will be completed over two winters and will be carried out by Ballyliffin staff, supervised by head greenkeeper Andy Robertson.

The club are confident this work will strengthen the links and greatly enhance its playability for the average golfer and its strategic challenge for the better golfers.

Though everywhere is in difficult economic times, Ballyliffin are committed to improving their links and facilities, not only for their members, but also the many visitors who play their course.

It is hoped to complete work on the back nine by next March and to have the whole project finished by March 2011.

Following the success of the inaugural Great North Links Challenge, Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Ballyliffin have announced that next year’s event will take place on October 6th, 7th and 8th.

Such was the popularity of the recent event the number of teams will be extended to 100 and entries will open from next week through Ballyliffin GC.

Entry fees for the 2010 event have been set at € 100 for members and € 175 for visitors and those interested are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.

Reilly finishes fifth in Rio

IRELAND’S David Reilly had rounds of 73, 75 and 70 for a two-over-par total of 218, which gave him fifth place in the boys’ under-21 championship at the Faldo Series final behind Brazil’s Pedro Costa Lima (76, 70 and 68) and England’s Thomas Shadbolt (75, 70 and 69) after both finished on two-under-par 214 at Olympic City GC in Rio de Janeiro.

Lima’s better last-round of 68, the best score by anyone on the final day, was the tie-breaker.

Matthew McKnight finished 13th in the under-18 category with scores of 74, 82 and 73 for 229, with England’s Jonathan Bell the winner on 212 after rounds of 70, 69 and 73.

England’s Oliver Carr won the under-16 category by five strokes after rounds of 75, 69 and 73 for 217, with Ireland’s Conor Glynn sixth on 233 (78, 74 and 81).

In the girls, Paula Grant shot three rounds of 83 to tie seventh in the under-16 category behind England’s 15-year-old Brogan Townend, who fired a creditable total of 232 after rounds of 83, 75 and 74. Scotland’s Carly Booth had a nightmare final round of 84 for 231 to lose the lead she had held for two days and finish runner-up to Holly Clyburn in the under-21 category. Clyburn finished with rounds of 79, 70 and 80 for 229 from Booth, who had scores of 77, 70 and 84.

Ireland’s Victoria Bradshaw finished on 255 (89, 78 and 87).

O’Sullivan is second in US

IRELAND’S Sinéad O’Sullivan shook off the bout of flu which forced her to retire after two rounds in her previous event to finish joint second in the Palmetto Women’s Intercollegiate tournament over the Kiawah Island Oak Point course in South Carolina.

O’Sullivan, from Galway and a student at East Tennessee State University, had rounds of 74, 69 and 74 for a one-over-par total of 217, four shots behind the winner, Jessie Hollandsworth from Maryland, with 69, 68 and 76.

O’Sullivan’s effort helped East Tennessee State win the team event by 16 shots from Kansas in a field of 18 teams.