The short game

Today's other stories in brief

Mayo unites to pose a Challenge

THREE MAYO golf clubs have joined forces to host the Mayo Golf Challenge in conjunction with the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris.

Castlebar, Ballinrobe and Claremorris Golf Clubs will host the Challenge on April 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. The overall prize is a weekend for two in the McWilliam Park Hotel (value €400).

In addition to the main prize there will also be daily prizes for each course.

For further information contact: Hotel-094 9378000.

For golf contact John at 094-9541118.

Cullen plots path through the Forest

PLAYING IN in mild conditions made a change for the Emerald Pro Tour as they visited New Forest last Friday. And the easier elements led to good scoring with Beaverstown's Gary Cullen - who in claiming his sixth win of the season moved to the top of the Order of Merit - and Barrie Trainor of South County - with his first win of the season - faring best with two-under par rounds of 70 to take the spoils. They had a handsome four-stroke cushion over third-placed Greg Bowden from Hermitage.

Meanwhile, a level par round of 39 points and a second win of the season saw Carton House's Declan O'Neill (3) take the plaudits amongst the amateurs, four ahead of Michael Grady (9) of Kilkee and third-placed John Goulding (6, Edenderry).

The Tour moves to The Heritage on Good Friday. Places from Ciarán Tighe on 086 0807280 or ciaran@allingolf.ie

Lofty ambition

A GOLF fanatic is bidding to enter the record books after teeing off from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Andrew Winfield, from Northampton and a member of Wellingborough Golf Club, is waiting to hear from Guinness World Records after he hit the shot from the summit of the mountain, which stands 19,685ft above sea level.

The 50-year-old climbed for a week with his specially-adapted collapsible six iron before hitting the tee shot from the summit of the mountain at 19,340ft (5,895m).

Lyons bidding to defend West of Ireland crown

JOE LYONS from Galway will be trying to emulate Niall Goulding and Rory McIlroy when the Radisson SAS-sponsored West of Ireland Championship tees-off on Friday morning at Co Sligo GC, Rosses Point.

Lyons will be hoping to join the pair as the only players to successfully defend the title in recent years. Last year's winner, Lyons has spent the winter months working on his fitness and is determined to continue where he left off in 2007 and copper-fasten his place on the Irish team in 2008, having made his debut at the Home Internationals in Co Louth last year,

Despite the early date the Championship has once again attracted a very strong field with a handicap cut of 0.5 making it the second lowest cut-off point of any Irish Amateur Championship, behind the Irish Amateur Open.

All of the current Irish senior panel, with the exception of those based in the US, are entered and will be hoping to put their warm weather preparations at the Portuguese and Spanish Amateurs to good effect.

A strong UK contingent are travelling to Rosses Point and it would come as no surprise should someone like Jonathan Hurst go all the way, given his excellent debut at the Championship in 2007, when he reached the last 16.

Juveniles set for Warrenpoint

THE INAUGURAL Don Patterson Open Juvenile competition for boys and girls will take place at Warrenpoint Golf Club, Co Down on Thursday, August 14th.

There will be three age categories for boys and girls in the gross nine- hole competition for which no handicap is required, namely under-9, under-11 and under-13 years. The competition has been named in honour of "Dr Golf", Don Patterson who arrived at Warrenpoint Golf Club as a club professional in March 1959 and is one of the leading golf instructors in Europe. His name is synonymous with coaching juvenile golfers, including Ronan Rafferty. Entry forms are available from FPM Chartered Accountants, Tel. 048 (028 from NIrl) 3026 1010, Warrenpoint Golf Club or online at www.fpmca.com

Munster women plan date at Dooks

THE MUNSTER Women's Senior and Junior Championships will be played over the links course at Dooks Golf Club in Co Kerry next month.

Competitors for the Junior Championship (handicaps 10 to 18) will play an 18-hole qualifying on Tuesday, April 15th, with the 32 leading scores to qualify for matchplay.

Competitors for the Senior Championship (handicaps nine and under) will play 36 holes qualifying on Wednesday, April 16th, with the 16 leading scores to qualify for match play.

Entries must be received by this day week, Tuesday, March 25th.

Entry forms may be downloaded from the ILGU web site.

Clynch's Royal performance

JIMMY CLYNCH from Laytown and Bettystown showed the way home at windswept Royal Dublin when winning the Joe Duffy BMW- sponsored Hilary GS outing with a nett 72 off a three handicap. Clynch had thee shots to spare over Martin Kelly from Forrest Little. Joe Murray from the Open centre won the professional prize with a best of the day 73. The final outing is at Sutton GC on March 28th - shotgun start at 2.0pm, Contact Bill Thompson at 087-2446977

Danny McLaughlin from Letterkenny and Enda Kennedy of Strabane were the winners at the recent North Western Golfing Alliance at Narin and Portnoo. McLaughlin, playing off 16, was around in 75 for a one-stroke win over Donagh Cleary (3) of Ballybofey and Stranorlar, with Keith Lapsley (5) of Dunfanaghy third, a further stroke back.

Lapsley's third place won him the Alliance's Nett Champion in the Golfer of the Year race, ahead of McLaughlin. Kennedy, playing off plus two, won the gross prize, on a countback over Enda McMenamin (1) of Ballybofey after both tied on 78. McMenamin pipped Kennedy for the gross GOY crown. Next up is Joe Blake's Captain's Day at Letterkenny on March 29th.

Cork host Cup

CORK GOLF Club will host the Ford Cork Ladies Scratch Cup on April 5th 2008.

Many of the elite amateur golfers from all over Ireland will take part. This year's event qualifies for order of merit points and entry forms can be downloaded from the ILGU website. Closing date for entries is March 28th 2008.