Compiled by SHAY KEENAN
Ronnie Whelan Charity Classic
THE ninth annual Ronnie Whelan Charity Classic, in association with Ladbrokes.com, takes place on Thursday, May 12th, on the Palmer Course at The K Club, home of the 2006 Ryder Cup. It is a shotgun start at 2pm in aid of Myasthenia Gravis Association, Irish Autism Action and the Marie Keating Foundation.
The cost is € 1,200 per team of three, to include welcome snack on arrival, 18 holes of competition golf with a celebrity, followed by prize giving and a gala dinner with entertainment.
To enter a team contact Gary Keating on 087-2287541 or email info@mga-charity.ie
Maguires set for tough test at Strokeplay Championship
PORTUGUESE champion Leona Maguire and her twin sister Lisa, the Spanish champion, will lead the Irish challenge at the inaugural Irish Under-18 Strokeplay Championship at Knightsbrook Golf Resort, Trim, Co Meath next weekend.
The 54-hole tournament, a first for Ireland, has attracted the cream of Europe’s underage golfing talent as players vie for valuable Ping Junior Solheim Cup ranking points for the biennial event at the same venue later this year.
The Maguires, playing off plus-four handicaps, are enjoying a magnificent run of form but will face stiff opposition from the quality field which includes France’s Manon Gidali and Celine Boutier, and England’s Alexandra Peters.
Lisa Maguire leads the PJSC rankings followed by Emilie Alonso (France), Leona, Noemi Jimenez Martin (Spain), Emma Nilsson (Sween) and Antonia Scherer (Germany). Six of the top nine players with PJSC ranking points will be in action at Knightsbrook.
Competitors will play 36 holes on Saturday with the top 60 players qualifying for the final round on Sunday.
The ILGU will also use the championship to give junior high performance players Jessica Carty (Holywood), Victoria Craig (Clandeboye), Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare), Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) and Niamh Ward (Lurgan) valuable experience.
New Junior Pro-Am Series
A NEW Junior Pro-Am Series has been launched. It will involve five regional qualifiers – to be played during school holidays – with a grand final in October. Sponsored by Zurich Insurance and Arachas Brokers, the competition has the full support of the Irish Region PGA.
The competition is open to all juniors aged between 12 and 18 who are members of GUI/ILGU-affiliated clubs, where three junior members will play as a team with an assistant professional in a ranking tournament. The top three teams from each regional qualifier will progress to the grand final.
The first regional event takes place on Tuesday, April 26th at St Helen’s Bay, with further qualifiers at Milltown on July 8th, Mitchelstown on July 25th, Kilkenny on August 15th and Malahide on August 26th. The grand final will be at St Helen’s Bay on October 8th.
Further details are available on www.citrus-golf.com/juniorproam
- ADARE Manor Hoteland Golf Resort in Limerick has been voted at number seven in the top 25 foreign golf resorts by the Conde Nast Traveller readers poll, which is the highest ranking achieved by any European golf resort this year.
Death of Michael Craddock
THE death has occurred of Michael (Mick) Craddock from Malahide. The former captain and president of Malahide Golf Club was Irish team captain at the turn of the millennium and spent many years involved in the GUI, both as a volunteer and as a member of staff.
Brother of the legendary Tom, and born into a family synonymous with golf in north County Dublin, Leinster, Ireland and beyond, Mick was an established golfer himself enjoying much success as an amateur.
He will be sadly missed by all in the GUI at national level, in the branches and by his former colleagues alike.
General secretary Séamus Smith said: “Today the Golfing Union of Ireland lost a very dear friend. Mick played a wonderful role in the GUI down through the years and having worked with him in his role of Irish team captain, and also as a work colleague at many championships around the country, I saw how popular and respected he was everywhere he went.”
- THE Golfing Unionof Ireland have selected Dermot McElroy from Ballymena, Jack Hume from Rathsallagh and Donabate's Gavin Moynihan to compete in the Peter McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath Golf Club on April 13th and 14th.
Kelly wins at Winter Series outing
DESPITE taking a triple-bogey seven at the 10th hole, John Kelly shot nine birdies for a six-under-par 65 and a two-shot victory in the Winter Series at the Portmarnock Links last week.
The St Margaret’s professional went to the turn in 31 with birdies at the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh and despite the seven at the 10th, birdied the 11th, 14th, 16th and 18th in an inward 34. Shaun Carter from Stackstown was second on 67, with James Hannan (4) from Castlewarden third on 69.
The gross was won by Cian Curley from Newlands with 67 from the Curragh’s Paul O’Hanlon on 70 and Seapoint’s David Winters, who carded a 73.
- ROGANSTOW GC isthe venue for the Tearfund Classic, in aid of developing countries living in the aftermath of recent disasters, on Monday, May 16th. The cost for a team of four is € 300, which includes dinner. For bookings contact Cliona at 085-1558978 or www.tearfund.ie
Ireland fifth at European Nations Cup
IRELAND finished fifth in the European Nations Cup, won by England, at the Sotogrande Golf Club over the weekend. Dermot McElroy from Ballymena finished the best of the four Irish players tied for third place with a score of 285.
The England team of Laurie Cantor, Tom Lewis, Jack Senior, and Andy Sullivan won the title for the third time in a row. England finished two shots ahead of France, the world champions, posting a total score of 852 in the best three rounds of four daily format. In third place were Spain on 855, followed by Scotland at 864.
Julien Brun of France, with rounds of 68, 71, 75 and 67 for 281, won the individual title, followed by Lukas Nemecz (284) of Austria and Cantor (285) of England and Ireland’s McElroy (285) sharing third place.
The Irish scores were: McElroy 69, 71, 69, 76; Paul Cutler 72, 72, 79, 72; Alan Dunbar 71, 79, 76, 78 and Rory Leonard 79 76 82 67.
