Wise trio join the legends

Aptly, at a time when the professional game tends to overshadow the amateur code, three of Irish golf's greatest servants, Joe…

Aptly, at a time when the professional game tends to overshadow the amateur code, three of Irish golf's greatest servants, Joe Carr, Tom Craddock and Dr David Sheahan, aka the "Three Wise Men of Irish Amateur Golf", were yesterday presented with the Forte Posthouse Legends in Sport Award. With a combined 41 years service as players to the Irish team, the men made an immense contribution to amateur golf. Appropriately, this year marked the 30th anniversary since they all played on the successful team in the European Amateur Team Championship in Turin in 1967, defending the trophy they'd won for the first time two years previously.

Nowadays, the amateur game, at the highest level, is viewed by many as a stepping stone to the professional ranks, a point emphasised by Craddock yesterday in the achievements of "two players not long out of the amateur ranks" who went on to win the World Cup, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley. It was also acknowledged by the trio at yesterday's reception in the feats of Keith Nolan and Richie Coughlan, who played in last August's Walker Cup, and who have secured their US Tour cards for next season, which Sheahan described as "a marvellous achievement".

The latest recipients of the legends awards all played Walker Cup and enjoyed individual and team championship successes in their playing careers. Carr is regarded as the dominant figure in Irish amateur golf, winning 41 individual championships, including three British. In the 1991/92 season, he was honoured with the captaincy of the Royal and Ancient. He had an unbroken representative career with Ireland from 1947 to 1969.

Craddock, the first member of the Irish Artisan Golfers' Association to receive international recognition, is a former Irish champion and three-time East of Ireland winner, while Sheahan, who also won the national championship, had the distinction of winning the Jeyes Professional Tournament at Royal Dublin, as an amateur, in 1962.

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The three golfers' join a distinguished list of winners which includes George Best, Pat Jennings, Sir Stanley Matthews, Dr Vincent O'Brien, Mary Peters, Jonjo O'Neill, Gordon Banks and Sir Peter O'Sullevan.

Scott Henderson of Scotland, who left a career as an engineer in the oil industry to try professional golf, has been named the European Tour Rookie of the Year.

Henderson (28) finished 42nd on the Order of Merit this year after three top 10 finishes in 21 events, including joint second in the European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in September when he had an opening round of 62.

Nick Faldo and Jesper Parnevik carded five-under-par 67s yesterday to make an impressive start to a gruelling tournament that will take them to four Asian cities in six days.

Faldo and Parnevik are among four golfing superstars on the Johnnie Walker Super Tour that started at the Emeraldo Golf and Country Club in Jakarta and will also take them to Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan.

First-Round Scores: 67 - N Faldo (Brit), J Parnevik (Swe); 69 - E Els (SA); 70 - I Woosnam (Wal), F Casas (Phi); 72 - B Ruangkit (Tha); 74 - M Nasim (Ina); 77 - Hong Chia-yuh (Tpe).

Philip Reid

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times