Short game

By SHAY KEENAN

Irish pairs in Race to Portugal Trophy

FOUR pairs from four Irish clubs are presently in Faro, Portugal, representing Ireland in the Race to Portugal Trophy which is played over the Quinta do Lago South Course.

The pair representing Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club have reason to be quietly confident of picking up the trophy as both Michael O’Brien and Carl Levinstone, who both play off 12, have been very successful in their home club this year. As well as outscoring the large entry in the qualifier for the trip to the Algarve O’Brien has had the unique distinction of winning both the Captain’s and the President’s prize at the Slaney-side club.

The prize consists of seven days at the fabulous Monte da Quinta Hotel , which is situated beside the 18th fairway of the Quinta do Lago course.

To succeed the pair will have to beat off the challenge of over 40 other pairs from the United Kingdom, Belgium and Sweden.

Win for Irish Golf and Club Managers

THERE was success for the Irish Golf and Club Managers’ Association on Scottish soil recently when they took on their Scottish counterparts, GCMA Scotland, at Castle Stuart – the venue for last summer’s Scottish Open, following the switch from Loch Lomond – in their annual contest.

The contest, which was played over two days, has been staged every year since 1979 and saw Ireland retain the trophy on an overall scoreline of 8-4. Ireland won both days of action winning on day one 4½ to 1½ and then 3½ to 2½ on day two to secure the win.

Representing Ireland were Paul Wisniewski (Ashbourne), Hugo Gallagher (Muskerry), Ronan Burke (retired), Tony McAuliffe (Kanturk), John McBride (retired), Jim Ironside (retired), Donard McSweeney (Carlow), Ronan Smyth (Kilcoole), Matt Sands (Cork), Michael Delany (Co Louth), Hillary Madden (Monkstown) and Michael Moss (Portstewart).

McGeady on top at North Western Alliance outing

A HUGE field of 88 was in Ballyliffin on Saturday on a near perfect day for the latest North Western Golfing Alliance outing.

Playing the Glashedy course there were plenty of birdies available for competitors, but at the same time difficult rough was punishing any shots off course, so there were also some dropped shots too.

And in the gross section it was very competitive with victory eventually going to Michael McGeady, perhaps thanks to a late birdie on 17 as he edged out playing partner Connor Mallon, a former assistant professional at the host club, on the back nine after both went round in 73.

In third place was Enda Kennedy from Rosapenna with 74.

In the nett section Eddie McHugh (15) from Letterkenny with a score of 68 was the winner by a shot from John Callan, playing off five and from Ballycastle.

Taking third was Kieran Martin (12) from Strabane who was a further shot back on 70.

Meanwhile, in the golfer-of-the-season race, Odran McGettigan holds a five-point lead over Callan in the nett section, while in the gross Kennedy leads Saturday’s winner McGeady.

Next up for the Alliance is a visit to Rosapenna on Saturday, November 19th, and places on the timesheet for that outing are now available on their website at www.nwgolfalliance.com.

Dunne is golfer of week in US

IRISH amateur international Paul Dunne, a freshman student at the University of Alabama-Birmingham – where Graeme McDowell was a student – has been named Conference USA Golfer of the Week after finishing second in the Hummingbird Intercollegiate at Country Club of Sapphire Valley, Sapphie in North Carolina.

Dunne, from Greystones Golf Club, shot 71 and 66 for a total of five-under-par 137 over a par-71 course of 6,767 yards. Dunne could have had a phenomenal second round because he finished bogey-bogey for his 66.

That made the difference between tieing with the winner, Kristopher Gray (Gardner-Webb University), and finishing runner-up, two shots behind. Gray carded 67 and 68 for 135.

Callum Tarren from Darlington, a student at Radford University, Virginia, finished joint 71st in a field of 93 players. He had rounds of 77 and 76 for 153. Also on that mark was Welshman Jason Shufflebotham (a team-mate of Dunne at UAB) from Prestatyn with rounds of 81 and 72.

UAB (567) finished second behind team winners Appalachian State (565) – so Dunne’s bogey-bogey finish was significant in both the individual and team results.

Holtgrieve in lead US role again

JIM HOLTGRIEVE, of St Louis, Missouri, whose amateur career includes a winning record as a member of three victorious USA Walker Cup teams, the captaincy of the USA team at the 2011 match and an individual triumph at the inaugural US Mid-Amateur Championship in 1981, has been appointed captain of the 2013 USA Walker Cup squad by the United States Golf Association.

“I am indeed honoured once again to be named to captain the 2013 US Walker Cup team. The 2011 journey was an incredible experience for me and one that I will never forget,” said Holtgrieve, 63. The 2013 event will be held at the National Golf Links of America in New York.

The United States saved their best for the final round of the Spirit International Amateur, combining to shoot the low round of the day, an 11-under 133, to win by 10 shots from Mexico and Argentina.

It was the Americans’ second consecutive victory at the Spirit, a biennial betterball strokeplay event that was hosted at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas.

The USA led by three shots overall heading into the final round, but the American men’s team of Nathan Smith and Kelly Kraft shot an eight-under-par 64 to win the division. Along with Emily Tubert and Austin Ernst, the Americans combined to finish at 31-under 545.

The Irish team of Harry Diamond, Reeve Whitson, Paula Grant and Chloe Ryan finished in 17th place on 575.

US surge to Spirit International win

DECLAN DOOLEY from Castlecomer collected first prize in the Senior Alliance at West Waterford on Sunday. Dooley fired a nett 69 off a one handicap to edge out four-handicapper Daniel Buckley, a five-handicapper from Dungarvan, on a countback.

Christy Murphy and Kilkenny’s Ronan Kelleher shared third place on 71.

John Reynolds from Dungarvan won the gross with a 70 from Castlecomer’s Michael Buggy.

The next outing of the Alliance is to Tramore GC on Sunday, November 20th.