Other golf stories in brief
Delaney defends her title
KAREN DELANEY from Carlow defends her Lancôme Irish Women's Close Championship title when competitors tee off at Westport Golf Club on Saturday.
Delaney, having completed her studies in the US, has made a steady start to the season, finishing second in the Munster Championships and fourth at the Lahinch Scratch Cup, where she captured her Irish title last year.
Keen to turn the tables will be the in-form Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), who was beaten by Delaney on the penultimate green in the second round last year. Kitching's sensational start to the season has seen her capture the Munster Championship, the Cork Scratch Cup and finish a highly creditable second in the Welsh Open Strokeplay.
Hot on their heels will be Karen's sister Tara, returning from the US for the event, and 2004 champion Deirdre Smith from Co Louth, who has already finished second in this year's Cork and Royal Co Down Scratch Cups.
Thirteen-year-old twin Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), fresh from her successful defence of the Hermitage Scratch Cup last week, is sure to feature, while sister Lisa will look to go one round further having lost out to Marian Riordan (Tipperary) on the home green in last year's semi-final.
The championship begins on Saturday with the first round of the Leitrim Cup, a 36-hole qualifying strokeplay event.
Sunday sees the completion of round two, after which the leading 32 players will go into the championship draw on Monday, concluding Wednesday afternoon.
McNicholas seals victory for Ennis
ENNIS successfully defended their Suzuki Senior Cup title in a nail-biting finish at Monkstown GC on Sunday with the deciding match against Douglas going to the 18th green.
The sides were tied at two wins each and it was left to Maura McNicholas, who came to the 18th one up, to seal the victory, which she did, while challenged by Kate McCann all the way to the last putt.
The Ennis team were without three of their top players as Trish Mangan is celebrating being a new mum, Valerie Hassett is in the US representing Lahinch and Ciara Pender had exam commitments. Sarah Cunningham and Diandra O'Connell were the other Ennis winners.
The morning's semi-final match against Clonmel was a hard-won victory which took a 20th-hole win by O'Connell.
Clonmel were delighted with the performance of all their team, as this was the first time they had reached the semi-final of the competition.
Nenagh had a great semi-final with Douglas but went down 3½-1½.
Galway GC revive cup
AFTER a lapse of 10 years Galway Golf Club will revive the Senior Scratch Cup, which will take place on Saturday, June 21st.
This tournament, which will be sponsored by John Mulholland Bookmaker, was suspended for the last 10 years due to substantial upgrading and redevelopment of the course.
Stephen Keenan, holder of the course record of 66, the 2007 West of Ireland champion Joe Lyons, Eddie McCormack and Dave Scully will be anxious to add their names to the winners' list.
Details from 091 522033 or email galwaygolf@eircom.net.
World-class field for Turnberry
The world's top two amateurs, Danny Willett and Rickie Fowler, head the list of entrants for the 2008 British Amateur Championship.
Willett and Fowler will be joined at Turnberry on June 16th-21st by four other players from the top 20 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Top amateur players from more than 24 countries will be playing, with entrants coming from locations as diverse as Brazil, Ghana and Saudi Arabia.
Among the favourites to lift the trophy will be Drew Weaver, the man who last year became the first American winner since 1979, and Tim Stewart of Australia, the man he beat in the final. Nigel Edwards, the Welshman who has played in the last four Walker Cups, will make another attempt to win amateur golf's premier individual event, and a dozen members of the Bonallack Trophy and Palmer Cup teams, including Ireland's Shane Lowry, will also take part.
This year will mark the 113th playing of the event, and the fourth time at Turnberry. On the previous occasions that the event has visited the Ayrshire course, it has been won by Michael Bonallack (1961), Philip Parkin (1983) and Warren Bladon (1996).
Walker pipped for monthly award
IN-FORM Leslie Walker just missed out on the accolade of the PGA Player of the Month award for April despite enjoying a successful time, the highlight of which was the win in the AIB-sponsored pro-am event at Woodbrook where he fired a superb seven-under-par 65. The Dundalk head professional won by two shots from Peter Martin (Riverside Academy) and John Kelly (St Margaret's).
But the PGA award - selected among all the PGA regions in Ireland and Britain - went to James Crompton, who qualified as a PGA member via the University of Birmingham's degree in Applied Golf Management Studies. He scooped the award for a string of fine displays, sparked off by victory in the Midland Masters pre-qualifier at Kedleston Park.
Crompton then followed that up by qualifying for the Glazerite Trophy at Wellingborough before booking his place in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship with a share of fourth at the Little Aston qualifier.
Third time lucky for Moore
NIKKI MOORE made it third time lucky when winning a marathon decider against Louise Coffey to clinch the Ulster Ladies' Amateur Open title at Royal Belfast.
In the tight final, it looked like another heartbreaker for the Ulster veteran when she lost a dormie two advantage. But the Clandeboye three-handicapper regained her poise to win with a par four at the third extra hole.
Moore said: "This was my third Ulster final, and my 20th time to compete in the championship. I was disappointed to lose the closing two holes to par.
"I lost in the 1995 final to Laura Bolton of Cairndhu. That was the first disappointment. The next was against Alison Coffey at Belvoir Park, and now I beat her cousin Louise.
"Into the tie holes we halved the first and second holes in par figures. I managed to get on the third green in two shots, and down in two putts. Louise unfortunately hit a wayward drive and didn't get on the green in two, and took bogey five.
Moore beat teenager Sarah Louise Winter of Carnalea on the 16th green in her semi-final while Coffey - from dormie four - survived a late charge from Bronagh Lunney of Slieve Russell to win with a half at the short 17th.
