A round-up of today's golf news in brief
Killeen Castle welcome IRUPA
KILLEEN CASTLE in Co Meath has joined forces with the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA). The partnership will allow the country’s top professional rugby players access to the facilities at Killeen Castle.
Many of the players have single figure handicaps and keen golfers include Paul O’Connell, Jonny Sexton, Brian O’Driscoll and Girvan Dempsey. In August, the AIB Ladies Irish Open will take place at Killeen Castle, the venue for the 2011 Solheim Cup.
Bargain Irish Open tickets available
MOBILE NETWORK 3 is warning golf fans not to be an April Fool this year and make the most of huge discounts on tickets for this year’s 3 Irish Open. With the ticket discount offer set to end on Thursday, April 1st, golf fans should avail of the discounts soon to ensure they get to see some of the best players in world golf at Killarney over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
A family weekend pass for two adults and two children is now only
€ 50, but will go up by 50 per cent to € 75 after Thursday, while a single adult day pass is € 15 at the moment and will go up by 33 per cent to € 20 after the ticket discount cut-off.
Tickets can be purchased from www.europeantour.com/tickets or www.ticketmaster.ie and from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.
McVeigh defends title at Ballybunion
BALLYBUNION is the venue from today for the women’s and Girls’ Munster Championships which will continue through until Friday.
The four days of golf will begin with the 120 competitors in the junior category (10-18 handicap), an 18-hole stroke qualifying round today with the top 32 scores proceeding to the matchplay stage.
Julie Coyne (Youghal), the 2009 winner, will be unable to defend her title having dropped shots to senior category which leaves last year’s beaten finalist Bríd Naughton (Adare Manor) among the quality field hoping to go one step further this year.
The senior championships undergo a change this year with the matchplay stage being dropped in favour of a 54-hole strokeplay competition.
Vagliano team member Danielle McVeigh (Royal County Down) will be defending her title which she won from Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion) in Shannon Golf Club last year.
The various interprovincial team members are well represented in the competition ahead of the upcoming interpros at The Island GC from April 7th-9th.
Cream of amateur game bound for Rosses Point
THE Irish amateur season opens with the 88th staging of the Radisson Blu Hotel West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point from Friday through to next Tuesday.
The five days of competition on the County Sligo Golf Club links has attracted a top quality field of 220.
However, 2009 winner David Corsby (Royal Lytham) won’t defend his title having decided to pursue a career in the professional ranks.
The three lowest handicapped competitors are all from the UK and two of them are current English Senior panellists – Jack Senior (Heysham, +4.0) who played in the Championship in 2008, Liam Burns (Sundridge Park, +3.9) also an English panellist and former Irish Youths Open runner-up and first time entrant, and Jonathan Hurst (Shawhill, +3.5) who is playing for the third consecutive year
The Irish challenge will be led by Paul Cutler (Portstewart) the 2009 East of Ireland winner, Robbie Cannon (Laytown Bettystown) the 2009 South of Ireland winner, Alan Dunbar (Rathmore), who won the 2009 St Andrew’s Links Trophy, Wayne Telford (Rathmore), the 2009 North of Ireland winner, Pat Murray (Limerick) last year’s Irish Close winner and other current Irish panellists Dara Lernihan (The Castle), Cian Curley (Newlands) and Paul Dunne (Greystones).
Conroy claims victory at Co Louth
ON A pleasant but testing day and with the course in great condition, Tommy Conroy of St Anne’s scored a net 70 off five handicap to win the Hilary Society outing to Co Louth.
Second was Jim Harnett of Portmarnock off six handicap with a net 71. Third was newcomer to the society Gavin Moran (4) from Woodenbridge who was playing the course for the first time, with a score of 72.
The best gross was scored by Sutton scratch player Derek Downie with 71. Robert Giles from Greenore took the professional prize with 70 while the team prize went to Joe Mc Carthy (Forest Little), Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) and Barry Morris (Donabate) with 62.
In the Pelz gold medal competition, Gary Cullen still holds a commanding lead with two outings remaining but a good score by any number of players would threaten that position. The next outing is at the European Club on April 11th. Call or text 087-0510899 for the last few slots on the sheet.
