GOLF: Three businessmen from the Banbridge club in Co Down combined with professional Jim Carvill to take the top team prize in the Audi Eddie Jordan Classic at the K Club yesterday. And they did it in style with 87 points, three clear of their closest challengers.

Bright sunshine made for delightful conditions, though a brisk breeze heightened the difficulty of a course which invariably presents a searching test for club players. Mind you, former Kerry footballer Eoin "Bomber" Liston and one of his playing partners made light of the challenge on their opening hole.

Starting on the 10th, they had registered no fewer than nine points before advancing to the next tee. This was the product of a holed, nine-iron second shot by 11-handicapper Liston for a gross eagle, net albatross and five points, while team colleague Pat O'Donnell, a 14-handicapper from Castlewarden, sank a 12-foot putt for a net eagle and four points.

There was far greater consistency, however, in the overall performance of the team headed by Carvill. And they, too, had their moments. Like at the long seventh, where 13-handicapper Hugh Dunne hit an eight-iron third to six feet and sank the putt for a gross birdie, net eagle, while colleague Hugh Ward had a net birdie for a team score of seven points.

Then at the next, Dunne was again to the fore, hitting a wedge to 10 feet for a gross birdie. This would have been a highly-prized score for the second-placed team, given that the best they could manage on this treacherous par-four by the bank of the Liffey was one point, courtesy of a bogey from 13-handicapper Noel Fox.

As it happened, the O'Callaghan Hotels team produced a particularly strong performance on the homeward journey, where they registered 47 points - an average of more than five points per hole. Significantly, this contained three six-pointers, including two nett birdies at the long 18th, where water on the left can become especially intrusive in the quest of a strong finish.

Jimmy Heggarty led in the third team comprising three women who were successful in the Irish Professional Championship pro-am at Westport two weeks ago. While the Rathmore professional contributed three birdies, at the 11th, 12th and 14th, his colleagues came into their own with a seven-pointer at the par-four sixth.

There, 22-handicapper Sharon O'Brien used her two strokes to splendid effect with a par, net eagle, while Karena O'Connor, also off 22, had a bogey, net birdie. And Mary Merins, lady captain of the K Club, had an admirable par net birdie at the difficult 16th.

LEADING SCORES: 87 pts - Jim Carville (Warrenpoint) with H Dunne (13), D Ward (15) and D Quinn (19) all Banbridge. 84 pts - O'Callaghan Hotels - N Fox (13) Portmarnock, P Whelan (9) The K Club, N O'Callaghan (22) The K Club, P O'Callaghan (15) The K Club; on count-back from Jimmy Heggarty (Rathmore) with M Merrins (17), S O'Brien (22), K O'Connor (22) all The K Club.