The Short Game

Kelly in a canterJohn Kelly finished the Links Golfing Society season in fine style at The Island GC last Friday. On the altered course, due to ongoing development, the St Margaret's professional shot a five-under-par 63 to beat the field by three shots in difficult conditions of wind and rain in an event sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and Ryder Cup Ltd. Jude Doyle from St Anne's took second place to Kelly in the nett with 66 from Daragh Curran (St Anne's) while Willie Leggett (The Island), Frank Leonard (Knightbrook) and Damien McKiernan (Christy O'Connor) all finished on 71.

The best gross went to Links president Des Smyth with 67, edging out Alan Dowling on the back-nine. Niall Goulding shot 68, Brendan McGovern 69, Noel Fox 70 and UCD student and Island member Brendan Walton taking the final place on 71. Kelly partnered Donal Duggan and Terry Lilly to the team prize on 59 with Paddy McGuirk (Co Louth) and Michael Delaney (Laytown and Bettystown) taking the over 50s prizes with 72 and 71 respectively.

Spotlight on women

The Golf Ireland Show will devote a section of their monthly magazine programme on TV3 to women's amateur golf for the 2007 season. Produced and presented by Suzanne Coyne, the next programme will be shown tomorrow evening at 11.30pm. The programme will highlight the 2006 Suzuki Senior Cup final between Cork and Co Louth, golf lessons from Laytown and Bettystown's legendary teaching professional Bobby Browne and the latest news and views from the European Tour.

Popular Scratch Cup

This year's Hermitage Ladies Scratch Cup will be held on Sunday, May 6th. It's the 36th running of the event which will be sponsored by McLoughlins Hardware, Homeware and Gardening equipment. Last year this very popular Scratch Cup attracted over 90 entrants. Golfers of handicaps of 12 and under are eligible and the lowest 66 handicap entrants will qualify to compete. This event also qualifies for the ILGU Order of Merit. Entry Forms are available from Hermitage Golf Club with the closing date for entries April 26th.

McNamara in good form

Cian McNamara from Limerick, and a student at East Tennessee State University, continued his good form in the Westin Rio Mar Puerto Rico Collegiate Classic at the Rio Mar Country Club last week.

McNamara tied for 17th place at one-under-par 215 after rounds of 65, 74 and 76. It is the second time in his career that McNamara has finished well at the Puerto Rico event after finishing in a tie for 12th place at 213 as a freshman back in 2005. Ruuttila's maiden win

Finland's Kaisa Ruuttila claimed a victory in only her second tournament as a professional - and while on a short holiday away from her studies - when she won the South African WPGA Masters at Waterkloof Golf Club, Pretoria yesterday. Ruuttila (23) produced a final round of 69 to win with a seven-under-par total of 209, finishing three strokes clear of runner-up Julie Tvede.

Ireland's newest recruits to the professional ranks finished well down the field. Martina Gillen finished on 224 after rounds of 75, 70 and 79 while Claire Coughlan shot 77, 76 and 75 for 228.

Divine victory

Call it divine inspiration or whatever you like, but it certainly worked last Wednesday at Belvoir Park in Belfast as Rev Dermot McGaughan won the weekly sweep competition.

Coming to the end of his round the chances of Rev McGaughan - who is the parish priest in Lisburn - winning seemed unlikely. He came to the short eighth, his 17th, needing seven points over the closing two holes to pip Barry Hessian. But on the short hole he chose a nine iron which went about eight inches past the flag and spun back into the cup for a hole in one and four points. Then with a nett birdie at the ninth hole he had secured the required seven points as his total of 42 points was good enough for victory. Certainly a case of his prayers being answered.

North West star

It was a good day out for members of North West GC on Saturday last at the latest outing of the North Western Golfing Alliance which was held at the Sandy Hills Links at Rosapenna. It was a one-two for North West in the gross section, while three of their members featured in the nett category. Victory in gross went to Brian McElhinney, the 2005 British Amateur Champion, who made up for the disappointment of being runner-up in Portsalon last month. McElhinney's score of 74 beat his clubmate Michael McGeady on a countback, with John G McBride of the host club in third after a 78.

In the nett it was another close affair with three scores of 74, but victory after a countback went to Enda McMenamin of Ballybofey and Stranorlar, ahead of Hugh Gallagher (Letterkenny) and Séamus McGarvey (Narin and Portnoo), while completing the good day for North West were Padraig MacLochlainn, Declan McGilloway and Jimmy Harkin who also figured.

Campbell is top pro

A wet and windy St Anne's last Friday made life tough at the latest outing of the Emerald Pro Tour, but what it did produce was two first-time winners in Mark Campbell and Paul Colton. Stackstown's Campbell, in only his second outing with the tour, took the professional honours with a 72. In the amateurs, a fine score of 36 points was enough for Carton House's Colton to secure his maiden win. This Friday, March 9th, the tour moves to Roganstown with the tee booked from 10am to noon. Places on the timesheet are available by either phone or text Ciarán on 086 0807280 or email teetimes@emeraldprotour.com

Giles to the fore

Pat Giles played well during February at County Meath GC and she hasn't begun March in bad fashion. In the various nine-hole singles events last month, Giles (25), with a cumulative total of 41 points, finished runner-up by a single point to Kathleen O'Connor (14). And in the opening competition of March, held last Thursday, she teamed up with Ann Foley (20) to win the 14-hole fourball event by a single point from Carmel Slattery (20) and Marian Guckian (34).

In brief . . .

WEST OF IRELAND:Thursday (March 8th) is the closing date for the 2007 Radisson SAS Hotel & Spa-sponsored West of Ireland Open Championship.

BOYNE LINKS ALLIANCE:Next outing is at Castleknock GC on Thursday. Timesheet: 9-11am, telephone 6282919.

LEINSTER ALLIANCE:Sunday's postponed outing to the European Club has been rescheduled for Sunday next (March 11th). Same timesheet will operate.

BMW HILARY SOCIETY:Next outing is this Sunday, March 11th, at Royal Dublin. Please phone J Hutchinson on 087 051 6250 if you can't play. For the County Louth timesheet on Sunday, March 25th, please phone Simon Russell on 086 857 1866.