Manager Team Name Money
Dermot Hogan Team No 11300 £163,202 Brian Stevens Greg's Team £186,500 Laura Nolan Laura's Heroes £187,585 Paula Hesnan Team No 10859 £203,333 Rory Timlin The Underdogs £204,952 Noel O'Sullivan Shannon 4 £219,071 Trevor Hill Caddy's Chancers £226,350 Peter Lennon PL 76 £238,557 B L Cantwell Team No 24208 £240,750 Steven Neill Paradise Flossed £248,504
Back by public demand, the Golf Masters' bottom ten. Well, in this case, "public demand" means the few people who ring the helpline asking us to give a mention to the seriously struggling strugglers, because they reckon it's their only hope of ever seeing their names in print. Propping up our the entire entry for the 1998 Golf Masters is Dermot Hogan of Limerick, one of a number of managers who entered an all-Irish team in the competition. And how has Dermot been rewarded for his patriotic fervour? A grand total of £163,202 in earnings after 12 weeks of tournaments. Of the seven Irish players in his line-up, only Eamonn Darcy has broken the £50,000 earnings' barrier to date. Dermot is patiently waiting for the rest - Philip Walton, Raymond Burns, David Higgins, Keith Nolan, Des Smyth and Cameron Clark - to find their form.
As for Glenageary's Brian Stevens, in 18,075th place . . . well, all we can say is "how the mighty have fallen". It seems like only yesterday (actually, it was week one of last year's competition) when Brian won himself a fourball in Mount Juliet - and now look at him. Brian? Time to give up on your captain, we think. Fine golfer and all that he is, Greg Norman won't be lifting a club again this season. Unless of course you want to finish last? Perish the thought.
Galway's Laura Nolan and Paula Hesnan of Dublin are next on the list, followed by last year's overall loser, Rory Timlin, also of Galway. Our money's on Rory to retain his title, mainly because of his shrewd transfer dealings (e.g., he hired Norman as soon as he heard he was out for the season and recruited Brad Bryant once he discovered he's only playing for charity these days).
Best of luck to you all. Or should that be "worst of luck"?
