A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Donabate's Mother and Daughter celebrates 30
THIS year Donabate GC celebrate the 30th running of the Mother and Daughter Open Foursomes. The event for the Moran Trophy, which was presented by the late Maureen Moran, a prominent member of Donabate, in memory of her late husband Freddie, who represented Ireland in three sports – rugby, athletics, and clay-pigeon shooting, will take place on on Friday, June 29th.
Last year’s winners, Philomena and Ellen O’Gorman from Laytown Bettystown and Milltown, will be back to defend their title.
The entry fee is €35 per pair and the timesheet is with Mary Collins 01-8452887 or 0868566450.
**
BIRR Golf Club’s Sisters/Mother and Daughter Competition takes place this Thursday. The format is Scotch Foursomes and the cost is €20 per pair. Proceeds in aid of Vincent de Paul.
**
THE annual golf outing for UCD Women’s Golf Society will be held on Monday, July 9th in Milltown GC. The society has been in existence since the early 1960s. Entry forms available at ucdladiesgolf@gmail.com
**
THE annual Seafield GC Captain’s Charity Day Scramble will take place on Saturday, June 30th In aid of St Vincent De Paul – Gorey Chapter and Camphill Community Ballymoney. The format is a team of four, including dinner at a cost of €300 per team. Sponsor a Hole @ €100 or Tee-Box € 150. Dinner only €40. Timesheet at 053-9424777
Dowling excels again in East Lothian
THE world’s best young golfers, aged from five to 18, descended upon East Lothian, Scotland, for the prestigious US Kids Golf European Championship.
More than 550 players from 35 nations competed in Europe’s premier junior tournament. The championship is held on the Gullane, Craigielaw, Luffness New and Longniddry courses.
Seán Dowling, from Beaverstown, was returning to the European Championship following a fine fifth-place finish last year in the 10-year-olds section.
This year, in the 11-year-olds group, he competed in Craigielaw GC. His first round went well as he signed for a three-over-par 75 and he added a second round 74 before a final round of 79 in difficult windy conditions left him in fifth place overall on 228.
He was presented with a small replica claret jug and as a result of his top-five finish has secured a place in the US Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina, on August 2nd-4th this year.
England’s Adam Syed won the event with scores of 67, 74 and 75 for 216 .
Last year, Dowling won the Beaverstown Captain’s Prize to the Juniors and finished the season winning Golfer of the Year, his handicap dropping from 17 to 8 in 2011.
Big Irish group for Transplant games
THE Irish Heart And Lung Transplant Association are competing in the European Transplant Games in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, from June 27th-July 1st. Irish competitors will compete in golf, cycling, swimming, table tennis, badminton, boules and all track and field events.
Past European games have demonstrated that, even after radical, life-saving heart or lung transplant surgery, patients can not only regain a normal life, but can also engage in sports.
This year, the estimated 300 participants from 22 European countries will be the living proof of this.
The Irish group will be depart Dublin Airport on Tuesday, June 26th, with high hopes of another successful games. “I am greatly looking forward to welcoming all participants and their families, relatives of donors, supporters and spectators alike,” said André Lassooij, WTG Apeldoorn.
Record-breaker Coffey cleans up
THERE was double reason for celebration at the recent Scratch Cup at Royal Portrush for Malone’s Louise Coffey.
Not only did Malone win the competition easily, she also recorded a new course record into the bargain.
Despite the blustery conditions over the Valley Course, Coffey shot an opening round of six under par 66 – the new course record – and then followed it up with a level par round of 72 for a 36-hole total of 138 which was more than good enough to win her the Mabel Harrison Scratch Cup crown.
Her total actually gave her a five-stroke winning margin, with her nearest challenger being Bangor’s Victoria Bradshaw – after rounds of 73 and 70 – and the host club’s Charlene Reid (70 and 73), who were tied in second place on 143.
Next best in fourth place, three shots back on 146, was Holywoods Jessica Carty, following rounds of 70 and 76.
**
NEWBRIDGE Golf Club are running a Sisters’ competition – also including sisters in law – on Monday, June 25th.
The format for the popular event is scotch foursomes and anyone who is interested in playing next Monday should contact the organisers on 087 2982985.
McInerney top woman at Gort D
LOSING a couple of shots during Open week at Gort Golf Club didn’t halt the progress of Hannah McInerney.
Playing off 10, on Tuesday she shot 45 points to win the singles event, but then off her new handicap of eight, she finished second with 35 points in the following day’s open singles event, losing out on a countback to Bernie Diskin.
McInerney’s win and her second place went along with a previous gross win. The 13-handicapper Diskin picked up a second open week prize at the weekend, with 41 points, and was also the gross winner on Tuesday when McInerney was the overall winner.
Cleary battles to Connacht Seniors title
CORK’S Tom Cleary came from two shots back overnight to claim the Connacht Seniors title in dramatic fashion at Westport GC last week.
Trailing to Killeen’s Maurice Kelly, who had opened with a two-under-par 71, Cleary struggled in the rainy conditions on the afternoon of day two and posted a four-over-par 77 for a 150 total, with Kelly three groups back and still on the course.
The word came from from the course that Kelly was still two clear with three to play but a dropped shot on 16 and a par on 17 left Kelly needing a par on 18 to win by one.
Kelly, however, failed to find the green in regulation and after failing to get up and down, he saw the Championship crown slip from his grasp on the countback as Cleary’s 73 and 77 bettered his 71 and 79.
Meanwhile, the Mayo Seniors event is scheduled for Westport GC on Thursday, June 21st, when some 150 golfers are expected to tee-up in the Hastings sponsored event.
The competition entry fee is €20 for visitors and €12 for Westport members.
The official timesheet is open from 8.28am to 3pm inclusive. Contact 098-28262.
