Compiled by SHAY KEENAN
Busy McLoughlin masters his brief
NOT only were the Irish players performing well on the golf course in Shanghai last week, but they were also congratulated off it too.
The BMW Masters – won by Peter Hanson – was played at the Lake Malaren Golf Resort and one of the main men behind the scenes in the tournament was Dubliner Paul McLoughlin, a PGA professional who has previously worked in Clontarf GC amongst many places worldwide.
“It’s an exciting time to host an event like this but it takes a lot of preparation and places a lot of demands on you in terms of decision making and being able to juggle several things at once,” said director of golf McLoughlin.
“The day after Rory McIIroy won the title last year we began planning again although it is different this year because the club has started a three-year agreement where it is the presenting partner with BMW as the promoter and owner of the event.”
McLoughlin has had to ensure the venue is primed and ready to welcome the world’s best players and with a budget approaching $16million, including TV costs, he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. “I oversee the entire golf operation, which includes 300 staff, and have to make sure the club and resort is ready to host such a huge European Tour event,” he said.
Hills honoured for his services to golf
RYDER CUP Director and European Tour official Richard Hills was recognised for the pivotal role he played in Irish Golf for a period of over 29 years with the European Tour at the 2012 Gala Irish Golf Awards by the National Irish Golf Tourism Industry last week at Lough Erne Resort, in Fermanagh. He was the recipient of the 2012 IGTOA Jerry Donworth Outstanding Contribution to Golf Award.
The best companies in the Irish Golf Tourism industry received awards on the night with winners in the hotel, golf course and golf resort categories.
The companies accepting awards were: Killarney Royal Hotel – IGTOA Boutique Golf Hotel of the Year; The Shelbourne Hotel – Large Golf Hotel of the Year; Mount Juliet – Parkland Golf Course of the Year; Royal Portrush Golf Club – Links Course of the Year; Carton House – Golf Resort of the Year; Michael Moss, Portstewart – Golf Manager of the Year Award.
Moodie to captain European juniors
SCOTLAND’S Janice Moodie has accepted the role of captain to the European Ping Junior Solheim Cup Team for 2013 in Colorado.
“It is such an honour to Captain the Ping Junior Solheim Cup team for 2013,” said Moodie. “The golfing talent of these girls is of such high standard that I can’t wait for the matches to begin and for them to be inspired to one day play on the European Solheim team. But the main goal is to create lasting friendships that span the globe, like I have been so fortunate to have.”
The Ping Junior Solheim Cup biennially features the 12 best female junior golfers (born 1995 and later) from Europe against the top 12 best female junior golfers from the United States, and will be held in August 2013 at The Inverness Hotel and Golf Club in Denver, Colorado. The event will be played on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th August during Solheim Cup week.
The 2013 event will mark the seventh PING Junior Solheim Cup. In 2011, Team USA forced a 12-12 tie and retained the Cup at Knightsbrook GC in Trim, Co Meath.
Westport’s Padraic Duffy passed the 50 mark for a second time last week with a score of 51pts in the senior singles competition. Even with winter rules rules in play at Westport it is a magnificent round of golf to break the magical 50 points.
Ex-cricketer Coffey leads the honours at Woodbrook
FORMER international cricketer Nicola Coffey caused quite a stir when she took the coveted Golfer of the Year title in Woodbrook.
Coffey who gave up cricket to concentrate on golf has seen her handicap drop from eight to four since 2010. The senior cup player only realised she was in the running for the award when she shot a level par round in the Lady Vice Captain Karina Tierney’s Prize in August.
““To be honest I was concentrating hard on losing shots and had no idea I was in the running for the GOY prize until it was pointed out to me in August, we had one counting competition left after that in which I did okay and I managed to secure golfer of the year by just two points!”
The Monkstown native is well used to sporting dramas as she is currently the Stadium Manager of Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. “I plan to work hard with Gillian Burrell over the coming winter months and now that she’s based in Spawell I have no excuse! I’ve a lot of work to do if I want to get lower but am looking forward to the challenge.”
The Leinster Ladies Alliance 18 hole matchplay will be available to her over the winter with the LLA playing against a variety of men’s clubs all around the Leinster region.
“I need to become more consistent playing away from Woodbrook and if I can mange that I’m sure dropping another couple of shots might not be too far away,” she added.
Castle trio finish 14th in Cyprus
IRELAND represented by the Castle Senior Cup team of Alex Gleeson, Daniel Holland and Jack Walsh finished 14th in the European Club Trophy Championship, at Minthis Hills GC, Tsada, Cyprus last week.
Ireland totalled 430 with France taking the title on 27 under par 399.
The best individual was France’s Adrien Saddier who fired rounds of 64, 66 and 70 for a total of just 200.
Holland was the best of the Irish trio on 213 after rounds of 73, 71 and 69; Gleeson carded 72, 73 and 75 for 220 while Walsh shot 77, 70 and 77. Germany were runners-up on 403 with Switzerland third on 417.
Lendl inherits father's winning habit
ISABELLE LENDL appears to have made the right choice by not following father, Ivan, into tennis. The University of Florida player showed she has her father’s winning mentality with victory in the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel tournament in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Lendl returned a closing three-under-par 69 to take the title by three shots over England’s Hayley Davis, a student at Baylor University. Previous rounds of 70 and 71 gave Lendl a 54-hole total of 210, six-under-par.
The win is Lendls second in successive tournaments, following victory in the Dale McNamara Invitational last month. Lendl is in her final year of college golf, and has three wins.
The victory moves her 95 places on this week’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. She moves to world number 312. Davis improves her status 25 spots to 91st.
Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow is in 13th place.
