The Short Game

Today's other golf stories in brief

Baltray ready for East

Walker Cup panellists Simon Ward from Co Louth and Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell, with West of Ireland champion Joe Lyons of Galway and recent runner-up in the Irish Amateur Open, Richard Kilpatrick of Banbridge, are among the favourites for the Irish Independent-sponsored East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth GC, Baltray, starting on Saturday.

The entry boasts a field of 78 players, of an entry of 150, playing off a plus handicap, for this much coveted title, which aside from the Irish Amateur Open is the only 72-hole strokeplay event of the four provincial championships.

Previous winners of the East of Ireland competing include Jim Carvill (Warrenpoint) 2005, Michael Sinclair (Knock) 2003 and home player Barry Reddan, who captured the title 23 years ago.

The links is expected to be playing as challenging as ever as it gears up to host this year's Home Internationals from September 19th-21st for the first time.

Act fast for Temple St

A quick reminder that the Temple Street Children's University Hospital's Annual Golf Classic, in association with Premier Golf, takes place tomorrow in Powerscourt Golf Club, Enniskerry.

There is a limited number of teams available. For more information, call Brenda on 8784637 or e-mail brenda.smyth@cuh.ie.

IRFU success

Dr Cliff Beirne reports a full timesheet for the Irish Rugby Football Union's pro-am in aid of the charitable trust for permanently injured rugby players, which takes place at Mount Juliet on Friday next.

All 32 teams for the event, being run in association with the Irish Section PGA, have been filled in a repeat of the inaugural staging in 2005.

The golf event will be followed at Mount Juliet by a black tie dinner and ball and will feature an auction, conducted by Fergus Slattery.

Delgany specials

Delgany Golf Club, who celebrate their centenary next year, are offering a range of open events and special offers to visitors over the summer. Early Bird and Twilight Packages - available on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays for bookings made from June to August include - before 9.30am: 18 holes plus Irish breakfast for €€26, or nine holes plus breakfast for €20. After 4pm: 18 holes plus mixed grill for €30, or nine holes + mixed grill €25.

And "four for the price of two" 18 holes for €90 available on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, mid-week during June to August. Not applicable to groups.

For further information contact Delgany Golf Club 01-2874536 or email: delganygolf@eircom.net.

Erne three-day fun

The Slieve Russell, Enniskillen and Co Cavan Clubs will stage the Erne Waterway Challenge from June 8th-10th. The three-day festival is open to all club handicap golfers, men, women or mixed teams of four. There are prize categories for overall team and daily individual scores. Entry fee is €110 per person, which includes 18 holes green fees at each of the three clubs in the Challenge.

Main sponsors of this year's Challenge are Cavan Crystal, Belleek China, Boxmore Plastics, Cavan Tourism and Fermanagh Lakelands Tourism. Entry forms and accommodation listings are available from Erne Waterway Golf Championship Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre Dublin Road, Cavan Tel. (049) 4377200 Fax. (049) 4377250. Email: tourism@cceb.ie

Women at Mullingar

A strong field has entered for the ILGU Balisto Midland Championships, which kicks off at Mullingar Golf Club today. New Irish Close champion Karen Delaney heads the field as a quality line-up vie for the coveted trophy. Over 100 competitors have entered to play in the Senior and Junior Championships, which run concurrently over the next three days.

Mullingar Golf Club has undergone an extensive redevelopment in recent years and is in excellent shape after three years of upheaval. Competitors are assured of a great welcome and the members are looking forward to seeing how the some of the country's top women golfers respond to the new challenges.

Shelbourne kick off

Shelbourne FC are holding their 17th annual Classic in Forrest Little on Thursday, June 28th. The event is a shotgun start and there are two tee-times. For the afternoon slot at 2pm, a team of four costs €600, while for the early bird start at 8am the team costs €500. You can also sponsor a green or a tee for €100 each, or for both a fee of €150. To book a place on the timesheet phone Niall Fitzmaurice on 087 6379121 or John Phelan on 087 2631540.

Death of Michael Lunt

Michael Lunt, captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, has died suddenly at the age of 72. He was a former British Amateur champion and Walker Cup player.

Lunt joined The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1963 and subsequently served on The R&A's Championship Committee and on the Rules of Golf Committee. In May 2006, he was named Captain and drove himself into office in September.

Lunt had a distinguished career in golf both as an administrator and as a player that started, aged 14, with four years of international representation for England boys.

He won the British Amateur Championship in 1963 at St Andrews and the English Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1966, a feat his father, Stanley, had achieved in 1934. Between 1959 and 1965 he played in four Walker Cup matches, and in his last appearance was a member of the 1965 side that gained a halved match against the US at Five Farms, Maryland, the first time Britain and Ireland had gained any success on American soil since the matches began in 1922.

He played for England between 1956 and 1966 and was the non-playing captain from 1972-1975.

Darcy and Dolan back

Powerscourt will once again host the Eamonn Darcy and Joe Dolan Classic, to be held on Monday, June 18th, in aid of Respect. Following the successful event organised by Thomas Murphy, last year when over €40,000 was raised for the charity which looks after people with intellectual disability, organisers are once again hoping for a big turn out for what is a 19-hole, four-man team Stableford competition with the two best scores to count. It is a shotgun start at 1.45pm on the championship East Course, with a BBQ and entertainment in the evening. Teams cost €1,500, and entries close on Friday next. Further details are available from Bernard Gibbons on 01 - 2046033.

Wyer collects Nicklaus

To have your name associated with Jack Nicklaus is always something special. So you can imagine how proud Dave Wyer of Mount Juliet is after he won the Jack Nicklaus Trophy at the club on Sunday.

But it was a close run thing as his score of 40 points only defeated Sarah Newman on the back nine. The pair were well ahead of the rest of the field in their respective categories. Runner-up in the men's was Dan Kavanagh with 34 points, beating Kevin McCartan on a countback, while Newman was nine points clear of her nearest challenger, Lynda Hickey.

Pair chase double

East Cork and Nenagh are doubly engaged in the AA Insurance Senior and Junior quarter-final line-up to be played in Bandon on Saturday next. Both clubs had good wins in the third round games: East Cork beat Mitchelstown in the Senior event and Clonmel in the Junior, and they now play Co Tipperary in the Senior and Beaufort in the Junior. Nenagh made the trip to Clonmel well worthwhile when they overcame the challenge of last year's finalists, Cork, in the Senior foursomes and beat Limerick in the Juniors.

The line-up in Bandon on Saturday is: Senior: 11.00 - Dooks v Mallow; 11.30 - Tipperary v East Cork; 12.00 - Lahinch v Ennis; 12.30 - Nenagh v Kinsale. Junior: 1.00 - East Cork v Beaufort; 1.30 - Bandon v Limerick Co.; 2.00 - Nenagh v Castletroy; 2.30 - Tralee v Monkstown.

Geoghegan on roll

When you win an event you expect to lose a shot or two. And that was the case for Margaret Geoghegan last week in Borris. But that didn't stop her appearing in the winners' circle in her next event.

Having won the President's (Ian Rae) Prize to Ladies last Sunday week with a nett score of 68, off a handicap of 21, she lost two shots. She had only won on a countback, beating Sheila Connolly (24).

But her good form continued as in the PGA Tankard, played last Thursday, she managed to claim third spot with 37 points off her new handicap of 19. Winning the Tankard was Miriam Benson (29) with 39 points, one better than Bridie Gallavan (28).