GOLFING UNION OF IRELAND AGM: It is almost paradoxical to have a surprise at the annual general meeting of the Golfing Union of Ireland where things normally run smoothly but yesterday's meeting at Portmarnock Links & Hotel produced an upset when Brian Hoey, an outgoing selector, failed to retain his place on the Irish selection committee.
GOLIndeed, there are two changes in selection personnel. Apart from Hoey, father of British Amateur champion Michael, failing to get re-elected, Garth McGimpsey's move to the R & A - to take up a position as Walker Cup and St Andrews Trophy team captain - created a further vacancy.
The result of it all was that Padraig Hogan, a former Irish international who captained Leinster to last year's Interprovincial championship, and David Young, another former international, were elevated to selectors along with Mick Burns and Mark Gannon, who were re-elected. Eddie Dunne was returned as team captain, in a year when Ireland will contest the Eisenhower Trophy (world amateur team championship) in Malaysia later this year as a single entity for the first time.
Jack Lynch, a member of Limerick GC, took over from Billy Black as president of the GUI. Lynch, who served for seven years as an Irish selector and was also Irish youths' captain for three years previously, becomes the 54th president.
A motion to revert to players playing off their full handicap rather than three-quarters allowance in fourball competitions was defeated, so the status quo stays.
