Powerscourt are to build a second championship-standard course with a view to having a 36-hole complex fully operative by 2004, writes Dermot Gilleece.
The new layout will be designed by Scots architect David McLay Kidd as part of a £7.5 million development programme, including an extended clubhouse.
"It was always our intention to develop Powerscourt into a 36-hole resort and we believe the timing is now right to activate phase two of our plan," said club president Dr Michael Slazenger yesterday.
Kidd said he envisaged "a course of outstanding natural appeal".
Construction of the second 18 will start next spring with a completion date in 2003. Work on the clubhouse, aimed at extending the overall size by 50 per cent, will start in 2002.
"We believe we are on course to establish Powerscourt as a resort of acknowledged international standard," added Slazenger.
The original layout, designed by Peter McEvoy, played host to the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship in 1998 when a rain-affected event was won by Padraig Harrington.
Meanwhile, Ernie Jones, resident professional at The K Club, is one of three recipients of special awards from the PGA of Europe, sponsored by Sunderland, the weatherproof clothing company.
The other recipients are Scottish professional John Stark and Dr Ricardo Cordoba-Core, president of the PGA of Israel. Jones is honoured for a distinguished professional career which includes the PGA British Seniors among 11 tournament successes.
He has also been captain of the PGA and the PGA Irish Region and was resident professional at Royal Co Down before moving to Straffan.
Hong Kong Open: Australian Kim Felton fired one of the lowest rounds in the history of Asian golf yesterday, an 11-under-par 60, to take the halfway lead at the $500,000 Hong Kong Open.
Former amateur star Felton narrowly missed an eight-foot eagle putt on the last hole for a 59, but stormed to the top of the leaderboard.
He finished the day on 13under-par 129 to lead Britain's Simon Dyson by two strokes. Dyson carded a 67, and is three ahead of Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, Taiwan's Yeh Changting, Australian Adrian Percey and Japan's Norihiro Kumagai.
Unfortunately, Felton's brilliant round will not go into the record books because preferred lies were being played, but the 25-year-old's 60 will long be remembered.
His score bettered the course record at the Hong Kong Golf Club by two strokes and was a shot lower than the Asian PGA Tour's lowest round.
Felton had 11 birdies and no dropped shots to move on to a 13-under-par 129 at the halfway stage - two ahead of Englishman Dyson.
"Missing that eight-footer on the last for a 59 didn't matter so much because preferred lies were being played," said Felton, second in the Maekyung Daks Open in Seoul in April.
"At the time, though, I was going for it. It would have been really special."
