A brief look at what is happening in golf today
McDonnell seeks third
Tricia McDonnell (née Mangan) from Ennis will bidding for a three-in-a-row when she tees up at the ILGU's premier event, the Lancôme Irish Ladies' Close Championship at Lahinch on Saturday.
Not since Claire Hourihane's victories at Cork, Co Sligo and Waterville in the early '80s has the feat been achieved, although Alison Coffey surrendered her treble attempt to Rebecca Coakley in the final at Cork in 2002.
McDonnell, still celebrating Ennis's weekend qualification for the Suzuki Senior Cup finals in Milltown in August, will join a handful of Ireland's top amateurs hoping to impress the LGU selectors who will announce the Britain and Ireland team to play Europe for the Vagliano Trophy at St Andrews Bay in mid-June.
Also in the field are 12-year-old twins Leona and Lisa Maguire from Slieve Russell. Fresh from a "sharpening" session with Shane O'Grady at Black Bush over the weekend, Leona will be looking to continue the form that saw her win the Hermitage Scratch Cup earlier this month. Lisa is sure to add further success to her second place finish in the Vaughan Scratch Cup, where Marian Riordan (Tipperary) fired a course record 69 to win at Lahinch last month.
Notable performances will also be expected from Deirdre Smith (Co Louth), Maura Morrin (The Curragh) and Carlow's Delaney sisters, Tara and Karen, while Eileen Rose Power (Kilkenny) will hope to add to her hat-trick of titles won in the 1990s.
The action begins on Saturday with 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, while those in positions 33 to 48 qualify for the Ita Wallace Trophy.
Balcarrick work away
The phrase "ground under repair" has taken on a whole new meaning for members at Balcarrick Golf Club where Roger Jones Golf Design are one month into overseeing a 26-week redesign of the course.
Members voted in favour of the redesign and are carrying on regardless. Despite a quarter of the holes being currently worked on, members are still able to play a full round thanks to the way Jones and his team have planned the work for Dar Golf Construction to carry out.
Completion is scheduled for October.
Off to Roscommon
Roscommon GC will break new ground on Sunday, May 27th with the staging of a 36-hole Scratch Cup, the only one in the Western District of the ILGU. The event is sponsored by McSharry Bros Plant Sales Ltd, with a €1,000 prize fund.
There will be shot-gun starts at 9am and 2pm. Entry forms at rosgolfclub@eircom.net, and at www.ilgu.ie. Entry is limited to the first 54 lowest handicaps of 12 and under. Closing date for entries is Saturday.
Friends' Royal Classic
The annual Friends of St Luke's Hospital annual golf classic is on Monday, June 18th at the Royal Dublin Golf Club. The format will be a four-person team Stableford competition.
The classic is a very important fund-raiser for the Friends, who this year are funding a second CT Simulator at a cost of €1.2 million - the first was purchased in 2005. This will complement the €€15 million Government funding of four new linear accelerators, which will allow the hospital a greater throughput of patients, with faster screening, diagnosis and solutions.
For information and time-sheet details, ring 01-4065036 or 087-2319728 or email deirdre@friendsofstlukes.ie.
Bradshaw's choice
President of the Irish Ladies Golf Union, Ann Bradshaw, has nominated Arthritis Ireland as the sole beneficiary of the proceeds from the 2007 ILGU Prizes, 10 one-day ladies golf tournaments held nationwide.
"I am delighted to nominate Arthritis Ireland as the President's Charity for the 2007 ILGU Prizes," said Bradshaw at the announcement. "One in every six people in Ireland are affected by the disease and the ILGU is proud to support Arthritis Ireland in the provision of their vital support services nationwide."
Stalwarts pass away
The deaths have taken place of two stalwarts of north Co Dublin golf, Stan Craig at The Island and Frank Downes at Hollywood Lakes.
Craig had the distinction of being captain at The Island twice - in 1966 and again in the club's centenary year in 1990.
A prominent rugby player with Monkstown RFC, Craig also served The Island as secretary manager through much of the 1970s and early '80s.
Downes, a founder member of Holywood Lakes, was the first captain of the club, holding office in 1992 and 1993 before being elected president in 1994.
Co Louth, Ennis qualify
Co Louth and Ennis will represent the Eastern and Southern Districts at the 2007 Suzuki Senior Cup National quarter-finals at Milltown Golf Club on August 31st-September 1st.
At Greystones, Co Louth saw off stiff challenges from Castle, Donabate and Woodbrook before successfully tackling close neighbours Laytown/Bettystown in the final. Deirdre Smith beat Alison Taylor in the top match and with wins for Maria Dunne and Jenny Gannon and the Co Louth side had qualified for another final before Patricia Nannery and Karen Yates were called in.
Meanwhile at Killarney, Ennis saw off Charleville, Nenagh and Killarney before facing defending champions Cork in the final. Despite Irish champion Tricia Mangan's loss to Gillian O'Leary's sub-par figures in the top match, wins from Maura McNicholas, Sarah Cunningham and Diandra O'Connell saw the Clare side through.
Laytown/Bettystown and Cork will hope to qualify for the national finals as two of the three "best losers" who join the five district winners in the eight- team showdown at Milltown. The Northern District qualifiers take place in two weeks' time, while the Midlands will be decided in June and the Western in July.
Muskerry by the book
Muskerry Golf Club in Cork have launched a book as part of their centenary year celebrations. And it was fitting that Charles Colthurst of Blarney Castle should do the honours as it was his great grandfather, George Colthurst, who presided at the meeting to establish the club on March 13th, 1907.
Famous course designer Alister MacKenzie visited Muskerry in 1924 and prepared plans for nine new holes when the club extended to 18 holes and further major course developments in 1958 and 1968 paved the way for one of the best finishing stretches in the country.
Muskerry had top individual performers in Jimmy Bruen, who represented the club in the 1938 Walker Cup, Mick Power and Larry McCarthy, who also was non-playing captain of the Irish senior team in the late 70s.
And, when it came to professionals, Dromin, Ballybunion native Tim McElligott had few peers in his 32-year association with the club. The late former taoiseach Jack Lynch was club president in 1970; Frank Casey, composer of the club anthem, Muskerry Our Home, was chairman of the Munster Branch GUI in the early '70s and was succeeded on his death by clubman Pat Foley who later was elected GUI national president before attaining the presidency of the European Golf Association.
On the ladies front, Tess Murphy, was chairperson of the ILGU Southern District in 2000 and 2001.
The 90-page centenary book was compiled by Lt Col Fergus Hannon and Tim O'Brien.
Irish transplant team
Hopes of success are high for the Ireland team who will participate in the second Five-Nations Transplant Golf Tournament, at Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links on Saturday.
Nine of the 10-strong Ireland team, varying in ages from 30 to 70 and including three women, have received life-saving organ transplants (including liver, heart and kidney), and one of the participants is currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant.
The event, which is open to all organ recipients and people on dialysis, is hosted by the Irish Transplant Golf Society.
The Ireland team will compete against golfers from Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, who have registered through Transplant Sport UK, the governing body for transplant sport in Britain.
Eight of the Ireland team will form part of a multi-sport team which will represent Ireland in the World Transplant Games to be held at the end of August 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ireland: Tom Devereux (Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, capt); Garry Campbell (Greystones), Hugo Boyce (Clonmany, Co Donegal); Marie O'Connor (Lahinch); Tony Gavigan (Navan); Maureen O'Brien (Bettystown); Alan White (Tallaght); Peter Morgan (Donnybrook); Deirdre Faul (Dalkey); Terry Mangan (Templeogue, Co Dublin).
Delaneys out of luck
Despite the best efforts of Tara and Karen Delaney from Carlow, the Kent State University women's golf team fell just short of an opportunity to reach the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships for a second straight season, finishing the 54-hole 2007 NCAA Central Regionals in 10th place at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Golden Flashes combined to shoot a 313 as a team over the final 18 holes after compiling a 297 and 298 in the opening two rounds. The 2007 Mid-American Conference Champions finished the NCAA Regionals at 56-over par with a total score of 908.
Tara Delaney was the high finisher for Kent State, tying with eight others for 24th place at 13-over par. The 2007 MAC Golfer of the Year fired a 77 Saturday to go along with scores of 75 and 74, bringing her total to 226.
Karen Delaney tied for 81st with rounds of 80, 82 and 77 for a total of 239.
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