Buckley elected chairman:Fintan Buckley from the Hermitage club is the new chairman of the Leinster Branch of the GUI. Buckley, who replaces Barry Doyle - president-elect of the GUI - won the vote over Paul Smyth from Lucan GC. Kevin McIntyre from Ardee GC takes over as honorary secretary with John Ferriter from Castlewarden as honorary treasurer.
Increasing the number of members on the branch committee from 12 to 14 was among the motions passed at a full Westmanstown last Wednesday. The annual debate on full or three-quarter handicaps got its usual time on the agenda, with the motion from Carlow GC to increase to full handicaps in fourballs being defeated. It was also agreed to increase the annual levy to a6, while in a new departure for the Leinster Branch special merit awards were made to Simon Ward (Co Louth), Rory McNamara (Headfort), Iarlaith Keane (Malahide) and Paul Dunne (Greystones).
Delaney finishes sixth
Tara Delaney finished sixth in the individual event as Kent State University tied for third place at the Aloha Purdue Collegiate Invitational at the 6,183-yard, par-70 Kiahuna Golf Club last week. Delaney shot a three-round total of 220 after rounds of 74, 73 and 73. The Golden Flashes totalled 893 over the three rounds with Purdue 878 and Pepperdine 885 taking the first and second places. UNLV's Natasha Krishna took home top individual honours. She fired a final-round 69 and totalled 212 while Karen Delaney tied for 26th place with a 231 total (75,78 and 78).
Irish duo set for World Cup
Rebecca Coakley and Hazel Kavanagh will represent Ireland in the Women's World Cup of Golf when Carin Koch and Helen Alfredsson will defend the title for Sweden at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, in January.
The event will be without some of the stars on the game. The world number one, Annika Sorenstam, won the trophy for Sweden alongside Liselotte Neumann this year, but has told organisers she wants time off after a long season. LPGA Order of Merit winner Lorena Ochoa from Mexico, and world number three Karrie Webb have also chosen to miss the tournament. England will be represented by Laura Davies and Trish Johnson.
Australia pitch and putt
The Australia Pitch and Putt Association are inviting the world's best players to take part in the Australian Triple Crown in November of next year. The Ultimate Challenge - three Major events in 11 days - the Australian Matchplay Championship (Nov 15th-18th); the Australian Night Championship (Nov 20th-21st) and the Australian Open Championship (Nov 23rd-25th). The field is limited to 144 with 72 places guaranteed for international players. Players may now guarantee their place in this competition by paying the full entry fee of €125.
Turner seventh in US
In what is traditionally the toughest field of the season, Niall Turner from Muskerry GC and a student at Minnesota University tied for seventh place behind Georgia's Chris Kirk in the Western Refining College All-American Golf Classic at the El Paso Country Club last week.
Turner shot rounds of 71, 69 and 67 for a 207 total - 12 shots behind runaway winner Kurk, who fired a tournament record-equalling 18-under-par 195 after rounds of 65, 66 and 64. Kirk beat Florida's Billy Horschel by five strokes and Vanderbilt's Luke List - the reigning champion - by seven strokes to take the title. East Tennessee State's Rhys Davies (Bridgend, Wales) finished with three consecutive rounds in the 60s to tie for fourth at eight-under par. Davies, who posted scores of 68, 69 and 68 for 205 in the two-day event, finished fourth in the same tournament last season.
The field at El Paso is confined to the top 30 college players who gained all-American status in 2006, similar to the tour championship in professional golf. Former notable winners were Davis Love in 1984, David Duval in 1991 and Tiger Woods in 1995. Turner has finished his fall ranked 58th with three top-10 finishes and three other top-15 results.
Good day for Strabane
It was a good day for Strabane golfers as they claimed three of the six prizes on offer in the nett category and one in the gross section of the latest North Western Alliance outing held on Saturday at the Old Tom Morris Links Course at Rosapena.
However, despite doing well in claiming four prizes, they missed out on the top prizes in the two categories. Letterkenny's Danny McLaughlin, playing off 15, won the nett section with 71, beating two Strabane players Odran McGettigan (22) and Noel McCrory (17), who had 71 and 74 respectively, ahead of John D O'Kane of Ballyliffin and Strabane's Dennis Kelly.
In the gross section it was victory for Ballybofey and Stranorlar's two-handicapper Barry McMenamin, who fired a five-over par 75 to win by two from Seán Óg Doherty (2) of Ballyliffin with Letterkenny's four-handicapper Diarmuid P Logue third two shots back on 79, while among the prizes to maintain Strabane's memorable day was Ben Corry in fifth position after a 82, one shy of Enda McMenamin of Ballybofey and Stranorlar. The Alliance are out again on Saturday at Ballyliffin Old Links.
Brady strikes twice
These days there are more and more places for the professionals to gain experience in competition on these shores, especially during the winter. The newly-formed Emerald Pro Tour is a prime example. Clontarf's Eamonn Brady won twice in the last week, once on the Emerald Tour and also in the Carton Alliance. His first win came in the Emerald Tour's outing last Friday week to Tulfarris when a fine 67 gave him a three-stroke winning margin over Alan Murray of Greystones, with Beaverstown's Gary Cullen third on 76. The amateur prize went to Declan O'Neill of Carton House with 41 points.
Brady won again yesterday week, over the Montgomerie Course at Carton House, when he claimed the Carton Alliance with 40 points, one better than Mick McDermott of Stackstown, with Damien Mooney of Nevada Bobs Belfast next on 36 points.
