BRITISH OPEN:Prize money in this year's championship at Turnberry in two weeks is being kept at the same level as last year, with the winner receiving €870,000 out of a total purse of €4.9 million.
Pádraig Harrington will be trying for a third successive victory, something last achieved by Australian Peter Thomson in 1956.
The runner-up will again be paid €525,000 and the third-placed player €338,000, while everyone qualifying will earn at least €2,445.
AMATEUR:Ireland produced an heroic performance at Conwy in North Wales yesterday but failed in their attempt to rescue their dream of winning a third consecutive European Amateur Team title.
They went into the second and final qualifying round some 14 strokes outside the crucial eighth position but finished up missing out by 10 strokes in 11th spot. Today they will meet Portugal.
Whereas on the first day Ireland were 12 over par yesterday they were four under. Their situation would have been better but for last man Simon Ward getting into all sorts of trouble at the 17th and taking an eight, dropping four strokes.
Alan Dunbar who had slumped to a non-counting 79 on Tuesday shot a fine 68 yesterday. Dara Lernihan had a 71 Paul Cutler shot a 70. Niall Kearney ended up with a level par 72 while Cian Curley who took a 10 on the 16th still finished with a 77.
