A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Hilary Golf Society still thriving after 60 years
The Hilary Golf Society celebrates its 60th birthday when the 2013 season starts in Laytown on Sunday next.
Founded in 1953 by the late JB Carr and others, the society caters for golfers with a handicap of six or less and also includes professionals as members.
Ryder Cup Captain, Paul McGinley and three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington are former members of the Hilary which provides a splendid early season opportunity for top amateurs and professionals to compete for the coveted gold medal on some of Ireland’s finest links.
RaboDirect recently announced they will continue to sponsor the series which will visit such jewels as Laytown, Portmarnock Links, Seapoint, Royal Dublin, Co Louth, Portmarnock Golf Club and Sutton over the coming months. Details are available at www.hilarygolf.ie
Larger than life Fogarty passes away, aged 88
Larger than life is an expression that goes a long way towards describing Noel Fogarty, who died last week at the age of 88. Bookmaker Fogarty was a permanent fixture in Ireland’s golf and racing life for near on 50 years. A member of The Royal Dublin GC, Fogarty represented Ireland on 26 occasions and played 65 times for Leinster.
Among his successes were two East of Ireland titles, in 1963 and 1967, and a South of Ireland, also in 1967. Runner -up in the Irish Close in 1960, Fogarty added back to back Seniors titles to his CV in 1980 and 1981. Fogarty won the Gleneagles Foursomes with his great friend Christy O’Connor senior in 1962.
One of the highs in a long sporting career was when he took the great Jack Nicklaus to the 19th in the fourth round of the British Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s in 1959. But his sporting life was not confined to golf. A keen cyclist, he won the National Sprint title in 1945 and was runner-up in the National Junior Boxing Championship at cruiserweight to Paddy Lyons in 1951. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
Grant finishes ninth in South America
Brooke Henderson, 15-year-old Canadian girls champion from Smiths Falls, Ontario, won the South American women’s amateur championship by six strokes in a high-scoring 72-hole tournament at El Rincon Golf Club, Bogota in Colombia.
Henderson shot 73-75-76-75 for an 11-over-par total of 299 to win her first overseas women’s title.
Ireland’s Paula Grant made the top-10 with her best round of the four – a 75 – for a share of ninth place on 313. Jessica Carty finished tied 38th on 336.
** The North Western Golf Alliance resume their season in Portsalon Golf Club this Saturday, February 2nd, after their mid-winter break.
Matchplay Fourball real value
The Irish Matchplay Fourball is underway at The European Club and first round matches will be played all through February.
Players may bring their own opponents for round one if they wish or just enter to be paired against other entries.
The event is great value at an entry fee of just €100 per pair as the winners in 2012, Darren Murray of the host club and Philip Gormley of Coollattin, played six rounds to gain the title.
Entries may be made at 0404-47415.
Irish Seniors Festival of Golf destined for the Algarve again
The 11th annual Irish Seniors Festival of Golf again promises to be a wonderful occasion with the opportunity to play in four competitions over four different courses.
The week-long trip provides team and singles competitions for men and women from April 6th-13th. Golfers will stay in the five-star Pesta Alvor Praia hotel at a cost of €939 which includes flights, golf, transfers and gala dinner.
The Golfing Union of Ireland will be responsible for organising the draws and running the competitions. Bookings can be made with Tony Heverin at phone 01 6405389.
CordeValle to host PGA Cup again in 2015
CordeValle, one of northern California’s celebrated golf destinations, will host the PGA Cup for a second time in September 2015 when the biennial contest against Britain and Ireland returns to America.
The San Martin course which opened in 1999 is a Robert Trent Jones Jr designed layout and is the second West Coast venue to host a PGA Cup.
In 2011, the USA retained possession of the Llandudno International Trophy at CordeValle, with a dominating 17½ to 8½ performance on the par-72, 7,252-yard layout and will defend it later this year at Northumberland’s De Vere Slaley Hall from September 20th-22nd.
