By SHAY KEENAN
Molloy a six-shot winner in Dundalk
CIARÁN MOLLOY from Ardee was a six-shot winner of the paddypower.com-sponsored Dundalk Scratch Cup on Sunday.
Molloy opened with an impressive four-under-par 68 and followed with a 69 in the afternoon for a total of 137 – six clear of Dunmurry’s Stephen Crowe who carded 73 and 70 to edge out James Fox from Portmarnock (71, 72) after both finished on 143.
Eugene Smith from Ardee (74, 70) took fourth place on 144 from Jeff Hopkins from Skerries (73, 71) and Des Morgan from Mullingar (73, 71). The nett prize went to Seán O’Connor from Carton House, who finished on 143.
NIALL TURNER (Team Ireland Golf) continued his good form on the Asian tour with a 16th-place finish in the Panasonic Open in New Delhi Golf Club over the weekend. Niall finished on four under with rounds of 71, 72, 70, 71. The event was won by Anirban Lahiri in a play-off with Manav Jaini and Mardan Mamat.
Cotter wins Alliance prize in Portugal
THE Leinster Alliance has just had a very successful week in Portugal’s Monte Gordo. The overall golfer of the week was Dick Cotter from Delgany, who had the best three scores from five. He won by a shot from Camillus Muldowney from Grange. The next Alliance outing is to Killeen Castle on Sunday, May 8th. Timesheet with Michael Neary at 01-2827297.
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New tour for club golfers without need to travel
ORDINARY club golfers are to be given the chance to become involved in their own tour following the launch of The VGA Tour, where amateur golfers can test themselves against other amateurs nationwide. Players on the tour will play their own club events. There is no need to play any more golf than you already do at your own club.
The tour will be run in a league format throughout the summer months with the ultimate aim to qualify for the Tour Challenge Final, which will be held on October 8th on the Montgomerie Course at Carton House.
There will be a limited field in the Carton House event as only 20 golfers will qualify – 18 nett and two gross qualifiers – for the Tour Challenge Final.
The player’s six best rounds from a total of eight rounds will count towards the total points achieved in the league, which will be based on any singles GUI qualifying competition from May 1st through to August 31st.
The cost to enter the tour is € 50, payable prior to the start of the league on May 1st, while all nominated scoring rounds must be registered before the round begins.
All scores will be logged on the tour website.
Anyone seeking further information, including the registration details and the full set of rules regarding the tour, should log on to the tour's website at www.thevgatour.com
Delacour seizes her moment
FRANCE’S Perrine Delacour fired a sensational nine-under-par final round 64 to win the inaugural Irish Under-18 Strokeplay Championship at Knightsbrook Hotel Spa and Golf Resort in Trim, Co Meath, on Sunday.
Delacour went to the turn in four-under par after birdies at the fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth holes. A further birdie at the 10th saw her tie the leaders and seizing her moment, she notched up birdies at 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th to set the clubhouse lead on 12-under-par 207, a target that was not surpassed.
Manon Gidali made it a French one-two after a closing three-under-par 70 for 211, while Ireland’s Leona Maguire leapfrogged many of the field after closing with a 68 to finish third on 212. Overnight joint leader Lisa Maguire, who had carded 69 and 71, slipped to seventh after a final round of 74 for 214 while Germany’s Quirine Eijkenboom had a 75 to finish eighth on 215.
With Junior Solheim Cup points being awarded to the top-10 Lisa Maguire leads the rankings on 91.5 points from her sister, Leona, on 80, with France’s Emilie Alonso next on 60.
Delacour moves up to fourth on 50 points. Knightsbrook will host the event on September 20th-21st.
Mernagh tops at Royal Portrush
WOODENBRIDGE’S Louise Mernagh celebrated her recent selection for the Leinster team by firing rounds of 77 and 78 for a total of 155 to win the Zara Bolton Scratch Trophy over the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush last week.
Mernagh, the only player to shoot two rounds in the 70s in the testing conditions, led the field by three shots from fellow interprovincial Victoria Bradshaw from Bangor, who carded 77 and 81.
Malone’s Louise Coffey (79, 80) took third place from Cork’s Gillian O’Leary (79, 80) after both of them finished on 159, with Co Louth’s Deirdre Smith next on 161.
Heather flourishes at Portmarnock
SUTTON’S Doug Heather turned back the clock to capture the RaboDirect Hilary outing in Portmarnock Golf Club, with a fine score of 69.
The former international had an event-free round carding just two birdies. Out in two-over-par 38, Heather produced a splendid level-par 36 for the back nine in calm conditions to win the event.
Runner-up Donal Quinn used his local knowledge to good effect – the five handicapper carded a 70, one shot ahead of Clontarf’s Mark Brennan in third place.
The gross was won by Alan Kiernan from Forrest Little – helped by a closing birdie. Kiernan’s one-over-par 73 was a fine effort to win his second gross of the series.
The best professional score was by Beaverstown’s Gary Cullen with a two-under-par 70. Cullen’s back nine of 33 was good enough to beat Greenore’s Robert Giles on a countback.
With just one outing remaining in Sutton GC next week, Gerard Kelly (UCD/Co Louth) still leads in the race for the coveted gold medal but could still be caught if any of his nearest challengers shoots a low score in Sutton.
The Niall O’Brien Silver medal (for the best gross scores) is a different matter with a number of players in contention including Kiernan’s clubmate Eoin Arthurs, and Co Louth’s Danny Coyle.
