Irish Golf News

UCC Staff Golf Society

French Ladies Under 21/U18s — Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson and Killarney’s Mairead Martin advanced to Satruday’s matchplay stages of the French International Under 18 Championship for the Cartier Trophy in Paris.

Wilson added a 77 to her opening 72 to qualify in tied 32nd on 149 as Martin tied for 38th after rounds of 74 and 77 at Golf de Saint Cloud.

Lurgan’s Niamh McSherry (77-79) missed out on the match play stages, while Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) had to withdraw due to injury. Scores/Draw

In the Under 21 Championship for the Esmond Trophy, Swiss Gioia Carpinelli posted scores of 70 and 67 to pip Maria Parra of Spain by a stroke and lead the qualifiers for the matchplay stages. Scores/Draw

No joy for Boys in FranceFrench Boys Championship — Eamonn O’Driscoll and Sean Doyle failed to qualify for the matchplay stages of the French Boys Championship at Omaha Beach.Belgium’s Kristof Ulenaers shot a second successive 70 to lead the qualifiers by  a shot from Andoni Etchenique and Clément Charmasson of France on four under par.Doyle missed out by six shots as he finished 82nd on 13 over after rounds of 72 and 78 with O’Driscoll tied 99th on 16 over after after rounds of 78 and 82. Scores/DrawUCC staff on top

Intervarsity — The UCC Staff Golf Society retained their national Intervarsity title at Cork Golf Club.

• Claire Adams & Barrie Curley 47pts
• Barry O’Brien & Mark Rea 45pts
• Alan Dobson & Maurice Conway 43pts
• Dan Walsh & Eddie McCarthy 40pts
• Cliodhna MacKenzie and Conor McCarthy 38pts

With the best four scores to count, they edged out Trinity College by three points overall with CIT third on 169 and NUIG fourth on 168 

Rory McIlroy. Picture: Getty Images

Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry were eliminated from the WGC Dell Match Play but Rory McIlroy saw another opponent collapse under pressure to earn a winner-takes-all gunfight with Kevin Na in Texas today.

World No 3 McIlroy improved on his day one performance but still had to come back from one down after 12 holes to beat a wobbly Smylie Kaufman 3 and 1 as Na easily beat Thorbjorn Olesen 3 and 2 at Austin Country Club.

As for McDowell and Lowry, they lost 2 up and 3 up leads and halved their matches with Paul Casey and Marcus Fraser respectively and so cannot overtake their group leaders in today's final round robin matches.

The results and brackets

@Graeme_McDowell @Paul_Casey @DellMatchPlay

Snap bro! Nada to play for tomorrow.

— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) March 25, 2016

“It's a little bit different tomorrow, knowing that I'm playing Kevin,” McIlroy said of his day three match with Na. “You win or you're heading home. There will probably be a little bit more intensity tomorrow but I felt like I've played well for the most part. 

“I’ve played Kevin once before in this tournament (2010) and was able to get the better of him. I think he was 4-up through 6 on me and I was able to overcome that deficit. 

“I don’t know if he remembers it too well, but at least I can draw on that memory going into tomorrow and see if I can beat him again.”

Na hadn’t forgotten, commenting: “That was disappointing. Tomorrow I really think I have a good chance.”

He added: “I'm definitely the underdog.”

For McDowell and Lowry it was a case of what might have been. 

Lowry was three up after eight holes against Australian Fraser but ending up halving the match to leave both men out of the tournament.

McDowell was two up against Casey with four to play but the Englishman holed a 12 footer for a birdie three at the 15th and with McDowell in to just nine feet at the par-three 17th, holed a 15 footer down the hill for another birdie there to level the match.

The last was halved and so both Casey and McDowell are out, leaving Jaidee to hope he at least halves with McDowell and Casey beats Day, who has two wins despite his sore back.

With just half a point from two matches, Lowry cannot make the last 16 either but he can do Martin Kaymer a favour by beating group leader Zach Johnson, who crushed Kaymer 8 and 6 for his second successive win.

After going down to the German on the 18th on Wednesday, Lowry came out with all guns blazing yesterday.

He hit a wedge stone dead at the first, holed a 44-footer at the second and then drained a 10 footer for a third birdie at the eighth to go three up.

But Fraser hit back, winning the 10th with a birdie and the short 11th in par before levelling the match by holing a 40 footer from the fringe for birdie at the 14th.

Off the backboard

The 17th at County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point

Rory McIlroy might be in action in windy Texas but his golfing heart strings will feel the tug of the annual West of Ireland Championship which gets under way at a revamped Rosses Point today.

The classic links at County Sligo Golf Club was where McIlroy spectacularly burst onto the golfing scene with that 2005 West win as a mere 15 year old and retained it the following year.

There is a host of great players lined up for the start of the title chase today, headed by Maynooth University’s Stuart Grehan and his bid for an East-South-West of Ireland hat-trick last achieved by Joe Carr in 1948.

But in reality it is the course that is the big protagonist.

With the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on the lookout for new venues now that McIlroy and his Rory Foundation are the hosts, the links is in the process of being totally revamped by golf architect Pat Ruddy.

Stuart Grehan. Picture: Pat Cashman

The changes are already being spoken about in terms of the challenge they would present a top international field and some of them, when finished, might only be playable for top professional on a spring or summer’s day.

“When is the Irish Open coming here?” tweeted Jude O’Reilly, a Rosses Point native who caddied for Christy O’Connor Jnr, Shigeki Matsuyama and Henrik Stenson. “Test the best with those changes!”

#8 New Tee in play wind against today ..great Par 5 !
(This pic is almost 100y off the tee) pic.twitter.com/BFdg5X28S3

— Jude O'Reilly (@JudeOReilly) March 24, 2016

@2016woig @CountySligoGC @IrishGolfDesk
When is the Irish Open coming here? ...#Testthebest with those changes !

— Jude O'Reilly (@JudeOReilly) March 24, 2016

No fewer than nine of the first 12 holes have been enhanced by Ruddy, a Sligo native who admits he always looked at the Harry Colt’s great links “with lover’s eyes”.

While the new green complex at the par-five third will not be in play — it extends the hole some 60 yards towards the small, white coastguard’s hut — new fairway traps at the second, fifth, sixth, seventh and 12th force players to think before pressing the launch button while the extended greens complete at the 10th potentially adds more than 30 yards to that hole. A new tee was also in play at the eighth in practice on Thursday, making that hole some 20-25 yards longer.

The first changes were in play last year, such as the extended green and new bunkers at the first. But while Grehan missed that championship — his record in a missed cut on countback and a first round loss —  he’s a far better player now and he's determined to wrest the title from Irish team mate Dermot McElroy of Ballymena, who is the bookies’ favourite.

Only Joe Carr, who won all three in 1948, managed to hold the East, South and West of Ireland titles at the same time. 

Alex Gleeson. Picture: Pat Cashman

But following his wins at County Louth and Lahinch last year, 23-year old Tullamore native Grehan has set his sights on adding to his trophy collection in the shadow of great Ben Bulben.

"I still have a year and a half to go in Maynooth so we will see what happens when I finish but I would really love to make the Walker Cup team in 2017 and the St Andrews Trophy this year," said Grehan, who is loving his time in Maynooth having struggled to adapt on a brief sojourn to Michigan a few years ago.

"Obviously the Irish team is a goal this year and the European six-man team. If I keep progressing the way I am progressing, I have a great chance but I just have to keep my head down and keep doing what I am doing.

"The Walker Cup is a big goal of mine and I am putting the work now so that it will stand to me and I can have a chance of making that team.

"I have no plans to turn professional just yet and I don’t have a definite plan. I will be amateur for the next year and half or two years and after that I will have a fair idea of where I stand and the standard of my game and how my scores stack up against other players." 

It won’t be easy with the likes McElroy or his Irish team mates Alex Gleeson and John Ross Galbraith just a couple of the top players more than capable of going all the way.

Colm Campbell

Warrenpoint's Colm Campbell, Irish champion Tiarnan McLarnon, Robin Dawson, Pat Murray, Kevin Le Blanc and Conor O'Rourke are all formidable performance so the competition will be fierce with seven County Sligo players headed by last year’s leading qualifier and beaten semi-finalist Sean Flanagan and perennial contender Gary McDermott. Then there's last year's beaten finalist Eanna Griffin, the Mullingar Scratch Trophy holder Alan Lowry or the ever improving Jonathan Yates.

While many had hoped to see Walker Cup player and 2014 winner Jack Hume return as the world No. 13, the Naas player’s absence is good news for Paddy Harrington Scholarship student Grehan, who will be playing his fifth event since January and his sixth since a trip to the US in late December.

Having finished runner-up to Hume in the South African Amateur Championship, where he shot a 62 in the second round, Grehan was named alongside Hume, Gleeson and Galbraith in the 2016 GB&I squad that will compete for the St Andrews Trophy this year and next year’s Walker Cup, he’s setting his sights high.

“I think my game has matured in the last six or eight months and even when I am not playing my best I can still get around in a decent score," Grehan said. "U’ve sharpened up my game in all areas but my I’ve also got a lot more belief and that’s because I also work on my mental game with my coach, Eamonn O’Flanagan. We’ve been working on it for 18 months at this stage."

With the list of West of Ireland champions a who's who of Irish golf from amateur stars JB Car, Cecil Ewing, John Burke, Mark Gannon, Declan Branigan and Garth McGimpsey to future professionals such as Des Smyth, Pádraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and McIlroy, it's a coveted title  

Dermot McElroy. Picture: Pat Cashman

"It would be great to win it," Grehan said. "There are some unbelievable names on that trophy and I think I have a good chance — my game is in good shape and I have prepared well. So I will see what happens tomorrow afternoon.

"Dermot is the favourite and I will be keeping a close on on him tomorrow because we're playing together. But to be honest, there’s a very good field and anyone can win with matchplay. It’s anyone’s game. You just have to play good golf all week long but I enjoy the head to head combat of matchplay especially after Lahinch last year, so hopefully we can have a good week.”

The 132-strong field will play two rounds of stroke play today and tomorrow with the leading 64 players making the first round of matchplay combat on Sunday with the final scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

West of Ireland Amateur Open, in association with Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, County Sligo GC (Par 71)Shotgun start - Friday (Saturday)

Live scoring

Draw sheet

08:30 (13:30)

• Hole 1 J Lyons (Galway), D Mallon (Dungannon), K McCarron (North West);
• Hole 2 E O'Donovan (Craddockstown), H Duggan (Kilkenny), P McCarville (Clones);
• Hole 3 K Le Blanc (Island), G Lenehan (Portmarnock), A Lowry (Esker Hills);
• Hole 4 C Hughes (Galway), M Kane (Whitehead), P Kane (Ashbourne);
• Hole 4a P Kerr (Royal Portrush), S Kinch Hollystown), R Knightly (Royal Dublin);
• Hole 5 S Hogan (Nenagh), D Holland (Castle), J Hood (Galgorm Castle);
• Hole 6 L Grehan (Mullingar), Eanna Griffin (Waterford), T Hackett (Royal Dublin);
• Hole 6a W Hanna (Kilkeel), S Healy (Carton House), J Hickey (Cork);
• Hole 7 N Gorey (Palmerstown Stud), A Grant (Dundalk), J Greene (Portmarnock);
• Hole 8 J Fletcher (Warrenpoint), J Fox (Portmarnock), C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown);
• Hole 9 S Flanagan (Co Sligo), A Gleeson (Castle), JR Galbraith (Whitehead);
• Hole 10 R Dutton (Tandragee), A Fahy (Bray), G Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick);
• Hole 11 Reserved;
• Hole 12 C Feeney (Co Sligo), A Gaynor (Co Sligo), R Hynes (Royal Dublin);
• Hole 12a R Dawson (Tramore), C Dullaghan (Greenore), G Dunne (Co Louth);
• Hole 13 P Coughlan (Moate), S Coulter (Warrenpoint), N Crawford (Mourne);
• Hole 13a C Crowley (Woodbrook), S Cullen (Slieve Russell), Barry Daly (Edmondstown);
• Hole 14 T Collins (Dun Laoghaire), R Connolly (Carton House), John Conroy (Bray);
• Hole 15 T Coffey (Slieve Russell), D Coghlan (Portmarnock), G Collins (Rosslare);
• Hole 16 D Brady (Co Sligo), D Brophy (Castleknock), C Butler (Kinsale);
• Hole 16a C Campbell (Warrenpoint), S Carter (Royal Dublin), T Cleary (Woodstock);
• Hole 17 C O'Donnell (Castletroy), S Brady (Co Sligo), R Brazill (Naas)
• Hole 18 S Barry (Fota Island), B Best (Rathmore), S Bleakley (Shandon Park)

13:30 (08.30)

• Hole 1 C McCaughey (Dungannon), D McElroy (Ballymena), S Grehan (Tullamore);
• Hole 2 B Kelly (RFEG), B Doran (Palmerstown Stud) Claudio Consul (Ger); 
• Hole 3 B Anderson (Royal Dublin), A McCormack (Newcastle West), Gavin Young (Nenagh);
• Hole 4 D Flynn (Carton House), J Whelan (Newlands), J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle);
• Hole 4a C Woodroofe (Blainroe), J Yates (Naas), R Williamson (Holywood);
• Hole 5 R Steedman (Courtown), M Wylie (Portuga), E Stack (Ballybunion);
• Hole 6 M Shanahan (Castlemartyr), P Sheehan (Ballybunion), M Sinclair (Knock);
• Hole 6a E Smith (Ardee), M Dallat (Ballycastle), K Stack (Dungarvan);
• Hole 7 D Reidy (Co Sligo), W Russell (Clandeboye), S Ryan (Royal Dublin);
• Hole 8 M Reddan (Limerick), D Reddan (Nenagh), M Reid (Galgorm Castle);
• Hole 9 M Power (Kilkenny), C Purcell (Portmarnock), C Rafferty Dundalk);
• Hole 10 I O'Rourke (Royal Dublin), C O'Rourke (Naas), J Pierse (Portmarnock);
• Hole 11 Reserved;
• Hole 12 A Myles (Newlands), P Neville (Bearna), R Neville (The Links Portmarnock);
• Hole 12a T O'Connor (Athlone), S O'Hara (Co Sligo), J O'Leary (Dromoland);
• Hole 13 D Morley (Oughterard), M Morrissey (Mount Wolseley), R Mullarney (Galway); 
• Hole 13a T Mulligan (Co Louth), P Murray (Limerick), B Murray (Waterford Castle);
• Hole 14 D Morgan (New Forest), A Morris (Belvoir Park), D Murphy (Portarlington);
• Hole 15 N McKinstry (Cairndhu), T McLarnon (Massereene), D Lowry (Corballis Links);
• Hole 16 E McCormack (Galway Bay), G McDermott (Carton House), J McDonnell (Forrest Little);
• Hole 16a S McGlynn (Portmarnock), G McKenna (Fortwilliam), M McKinstry Cairndhu);
• Hole 17 P McCarthy (Mallow), J McCarthy (Stackstown), K McCormack (Portarlington);
• Hole 18 D O'Neill (Carton House), S O'Connor (Castlebar), F Kennedy (Island).

Castle and UCD's Alex Gleeson. Picture: Pat Cashman

Ireland had five in the Walker Cup team and we could get as many as four in the nine man St Andrews Trophy side after John Ross Galbraith, Alex Gleeson and Stuart Grehan were named alongside Jack Hume in an 18 player Great Britain and Ireland squad for the match at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent from July 20-21.

Scotland’s Craig Watson who takes over from Welshman Nigel Edwards, will captain the team that will face the Continent of Europe in the biennial match for the first time.

GB&I are bidding to retain the trophy following their 14-10 victory at Barsebäck in 2014, their first win in the match since 2008 and the squad features seven Scots, five Englishmen, four Irishmen and three Welsh players.

“I’m very much looking forward to the match and want to build on the success that Nigel and the team enjoyed two years ago in Sweden,” Watson said.

Tullamore and Maynooth University's Stuart Grehan. Picture: Pat Cashman

“We have a strong group of players to call upon again this year and there is a good mixture of experience and youth in the squad. We know we will be in for a tough match at Prince’s so we have to pick the best team we can and the players will be working hard throughout this season to impress the selectors.”

Four members of the squad — Hume, Grant Forrest, Jack McDonald and Ewen Ferguson — appeared in GB&I’s record 16½-9½ win over the USA in the 45th Walker Cup Match at Royal Lytham & St Annes last September.

The three Scots were also part of the winning team at the 2015 European Amateur Team Championships alongside Greig Marchbank and Connor Syme.

Syme has enjoyed an excellent start to the year by winning the Australian Amateur Championship in Melbourne. In February, Hume won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship and earlier this month Craig Ross secured a memorable victory in the South African Amateur Championship.

England’s Jamie Bower has also enjoyed early season success in South Africa, winning the Gauteng North Open and the Southern Cape Open.

Whitehead's John Ross Galbraith. Picture: Pat Cashman

The St Andrews Trophy has been played alternately on British/Irish and mainland European courses since 1956. GB&I has won on 25 occasions and the Continent of Europe has won five times, including the 2010 and 2012 matches.

The 2016 GB&I squad is:

England

1. Jamie Bower (Meltham) - Yorkshire
2. Scott Gregory (Corhampton) - Hampshire
3. Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) - Derbyshire
4. Marco Penge (Golf at Goodwood) - Sussex
5. Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park) - Lincolnshire

Ireland

1. Jack Hume (Naas) – County Kildare
2. Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) – County Offaly
3. Alex Gleeson (Castle) - Dublin
4. John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) – County Antrim

Scotland

1. Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) - Dunbartonshire
2. Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) – East Lothian
3. Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) - Ayrshire
4. Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) – Argyll and Bute
5. Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) – Dumfries and Galloway
6. Craig Ross (Kirkhill) - Lanarkshire
7. Connor Syme (Drumoig) - Fife

Wales

1. David Boote (Walton Heath) - Surrey
2. Owen Edwards (Llanwern) - Newport

Naas' Jack Hume. Picture: Pat Cashman

Player bios

• David Boote (Walton Heath) age 22 – won the Welsh Amateur Championship in 2015 and finished fourth in the South American Amateur Championship in Lima in January.
• Jamie Bower (Meltham) age 22 – has notched up two victories in 2016 at the Gauteng North Amateur and the Southern Cape Open in South Africa.
• Owen Edwards (Llanwern) age 23 – finished tied second in the individual event at the European Nations Cup in Spain and tied fourth in the Portuguese International Amateur Championships in February.
• Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) age 19 – a member of last year’s winning GB&I Walker Cup and Scottish European Team Championship sides. Named Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year for 2015.
• Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) age 22 – the Walker Cup player won four times in US collegiate golf before graduating from the University of San Diego last year. Runner-up at The Amateur Championship in 2015.
• John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) age 21 – won the North of Ireland Amateur Open title last year and finished in a tie for third at the St Andrews Links Trophy.
• Alex Gleeson (Castle) age 21 – featured in the winning Irish team for the Home Internationals at Royal Portrush last year and won the Boyd Quaich at St Andrews.
• Scott Gregory (Corhampton) age 21 – runner-up in the 2016 Spanish Amateur Championship and tied fourth in last year’s International European Amateur Championship.
• Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) age 23 – won the East of Ireland Amateur Open and South of Ireland Open Amateur championships last year.
• Jack Hume (Naas) age 22 – the Walker Cup player won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship last month.
• Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) age 19 – won the Scottish Amateur Championship in 2015 and finished in a tie for sixth in the individual event at the European Nations Cup in Spain in February.
• Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) age 23 – a member of the winning GB&I Walker Cup and Scottish European Team Championship sides and twice a semi-finalist at The Amateur Championship.
• Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) age 21 – a member of Scotland’s winning European Amateur Team Championship side in 2015 and a quarter-finalist at The Amateur Championship.
• Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) age 18 – first reserve for the GB&I Walker Cup team and captained the GB&I Jacques Leglise Trophy team to a draw with the Continent of Europe in the 2015 match at Royal Dornoch.
• Marco Penge (Golf at Goodwood) age 17 – played in the 2013 and 2015 GB&I Jacques Leglise Trophy teams and won three times last year: the Peter McEvoy Trophy, the Scottish Stroke Play Championship and the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters.
• Craig Ross (Kirkhill) age 23 – won the Grand Prix de Chiberta in France last year and claimed the 2016 South African Amateur Championship title.
• Connor Syme (Drumoig) age 20 – member of the winning Scottish side at the European Amateur Team Championship in 2015 and won this year’s Australian Amateur Championship.
• Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park) age 20 – won the Darwin Salver last year and achieved a top ten finish at the European Nations Cup in Spain in February.

The St Andrews Trophy

The St Andrews Trophy is played biennially between Great Britain and Ireland and the Continent of Europe. It was first played in 1956 over the West Course at Wentworth when the European Golf Association accepted an invitation from The R&A to put forward a team.

The GB&I team won the inaugural match and it was not until 1974 that the Continent of Europe won for the first time. The matches have been closely contested in recent years and the Continent of Europe won the matches at Castelconturbia in Italy in 2010 and Portmarnock in 2012 with GB&I securing victory at Barsebäck in 2014.The GB&I team is selected by The R&A and the Continent of Europe side by the European Golf Association.

Annabel Wilson

Annabel Wilson and Julie McCarthy opened with 72s to lead the Irish challenge for the French International Lady Junior Championship in Paris.

They share 13th place on one over par at Golf de Saint Cloud near Paris in the race for the for a top 32 finish after two rounds and place in the matchplay battle for the prestigious Esmond Trophy.

 Italy's Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso shot a four under 67 to lead by one from European champion Maria Parra (68) with another Spaniard, Ana Palaez (69) third on two under.

Scores - Round 2 tee times

The Irish team in Paris

Lurgan star Wilson had three birdies and four bogeys in her 72 with Forrest Little's McCarthy mixing four birdies with three bogeys and a double bogey in her round.

Killarney's Mairead Martin did brilliantly to come back from eight over after eight holes to shoot a three over 74 for a share of 27th, playing her next eight holes in five under.

Niamh McSherry is tied 58th after a six over 77 in an event won by Leona Maguire in 2009 and 2010.

What just happened? Rory McIlroy consoles Thorbjorn Olesen after snatching a 1-up win on the 18th in Austin. it was the first time he'd been up in the match all day. Picture: Getty Images

Rory McIlroy got lucky at the death but Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell both ended up with defeats on the first day of the WGC-Dell Match Play in windy Austin.

The world No 3 was two down with five to play in a scrappy match with Thorbjorn Olesen but he found something under pressure and took advantage of mistakes by the Dane to win the 18th with a par and steal a one up win that felt like daylight robbery.

“You feel bad because he's up basically the whole match, and to finish like that, as well," McIlroy generously conceded. "If I had birdied 18 and he parred it, I would feel like I won the match and he probably would feel the same way.

"Whereas he's definitely going away like he lost it. It was his to lose. I feel a little bit bad for him, but I'm just happy that I snuck through with the win and I’m looking forward to the next couple of days.”

If it was a frustrating day for Olesen, it was infuriating for Lowry, who had a seven footer to go two up at the 15th but then lost the 16th to a brilliant Martin Kaymer birdie, three putted the 17th to go one down and shook hands on the last as the German drove the green and putted up close to match his birdie.

Jason Day clinches his back at the 16th

McDowell fell by 3 and 2 to Jason Day, who hobbled off the course complaining of back pain just two weeks before the Masters where he was expected to be one of the favourites.

As Thongchai Jaidee beat Paul Casey 2 and 1 in the other Group 2 clash, it remains to be seen how well Day recovers so that he can face the Thai today after he limped away and had treatment from not one but two physios.

“Jason tweaked his back on hole No. 15 and had some work done post round,” Bud Martin, Day’s agent, said in a statement. “He is pleased with the outcome of the match and is getting prepared to play tomorrow.” 

Having won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Sunday and with two Top-3 Masters finishes since 2011, many see 28-year old Day as one of the clear Masters favourites.

But his latest health scare — he was severely hampered by vertigo in last year’s US Open and has twice suffered back problems at events in recent years — casts a shadow over what looked like a perfectly timed run to Augusta National.

McDowell will feel he let Day off the hook on a course that suits him game.

He holed from five feet for birdie on the third and was conceded the fourth after Day found trouble off the tee to go two up.

Jason Day injures himself on 16 but holds off G-Mac to win 3&2.#DellMatchPlay https://t.co/KzuNIoGvlt

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 23, 2016

But Day didn’t go away and his power was key as he hit a 356 yard drive to the edge of the fifth green and two putted for birdie to reduce the deficit to one hole

He then birdied the sixth, eighth and ninth to turn one up and doubled his advantage at the par-three 11th where McDowell hit his tee shot into the water and conceded.

He appeared to be cruising to an easy win when he birdied the par-five 12th from 12 feet to go three up but experienced shooting pain in his lower back and legs after his tee shot at the 15th, where he holed a clutch 11 footer for par to remain three up.

He then cried out in pain and dropped his driver on the 16th tee but struggled on to win the match with a half in par fives.

McIlroy’s match was a poor quality affair that Olesen threw away with some poor putting and dubious decisions at the death.

In fairness to McIlroy, he put his game face on and hit some good shots coming down the stretch having hit pulls into water at the 12th and 13th to find himself two down.

The latter cost him a hole, and while he explained that his two iron rode the wind he was trying to use to get close to the green, he has struggled a few times with pulls and hooks over the past two weeks.

“Scrappy,” McIlroy said of a match that he squared with a par at the 14th and a birdie three at the 15th, where Olesen overshot the green and failed to give himself a putt for par. 

“The quality of golf out there wasn't too good. I feel like it's hard for the quality to be that good too because the wind is gusty.”

After a halves in pars at the 16th and 17th, McIlroy drove into a green side trap short of the 18th and watched as Olesen hit a fairway metal left into the rough, overshot the green again with his second and took three more to get down.

“I didn't have my best stuff today, but I hung in there and hit good shots when you needed to. I felt like I played tee to green very well from sort of 14 on. So I'm just happy to get the win.

“It was a day where you just sort of had to hang in there. With the wind it's tricky. It swirls around here. It drops, it gusts. It's tough to pick a club. I really struggled with that today. I hit some good shots, but I just had to grind out pars and that's what I did coming in and ultimately that was good enough.

2 down with 5 to play...@McIlroyRory fights back to defeat Olesen by 1-hole. https://t.co/BtnIeAYdL6

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 23, 2016

“I know if I want to progress further in this tournament, I'm going to have to play better than I did today.”

Asked if he upped the intensity level after going two down with five to play, he said: “I sort of needed that. I felt like the first few holes I was a little bit flat. I think teeing all off so late as well, I came off at 2:20. We're not really used to do doing that too much. I was a little flat the first few holes. Once I needed to play well, I felt like I went up a gear and hit some good shots on the way.

“Match play is all about just getting through. Especially this time you don't have to play your best golf these rounds. You have to get through and get by and get into the weekend. I'm one step towards doing that after today. I know that I'm going to have to play a bit better if I want to win my next matches.”

On his experience of dealing with pressure down the stretch, he said: “I draw upon it a lot. I know that when I need some of that stuff, I'm able to produce it. So that's huge. I'm going to have to do that more and more as the week goes on, because the matches only get tougher. The quality of my play needs to get better, as well. But the way I played the last five holes, if I can continue that, I'll be happy.”

As for the new Nike two-iron he put in the bag, he explained: “It goes miles. It goes so far. It's a great club in the wind, the ball flight is really, really stable. I tested it with Nike a couple of weeks ago and thought it would be perfect for the likes of Oakmont and Troon.

“But getting here this week and seeing the golf course, it's sort of great for here as well. The ball speed I'm getting off it is close to some guys' drivers. Flight probably carries 265, 270 and runs close to 290. So it's hopefully going to be a great club this week, but I think for the summer coming up, some of the golf courses it's going to be a great club.

McIlroy will next play Smylie Kaufman who lost 2 and 1 to Kevin Na in their Group 3 game.

Shane Lowry always entertains.#DellMatchPlay https://t.co/dogbMzLN7N

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 23, 2016

.@MKaymer59 flushed that.#DellMatchPlay https://t.co/JrjjdPjPb3

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 23, 2016

376 yards?!

Martin Kaymer drives the 18th green. https://t.co/PBrLp1TNBx

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 23, 2016

In Group 14, Lowry will be looking for a win Marcus Fraser, who fell to an impressive Zach Johnson by 4 and 3.

Kaymer will take on Johnson and he’ll be looking for a repeat of some of the clutch shots he pulled out of nowhere to rattle Lowry.

“It was a sensational finish, but the rest was very average, I would say. I didn't hit many fairways today. I couldn't really get the driver going, but I stayed into the game,” Kaymer said. “We gave each other way too many chances. 

“Both of us had chances to really close the match on 14 and 15. Shane had a huge putt on 15 to go 2-up. Then possibly I made a great birdie on 16. So very pleased with the finish.”

On the thrill of winning a pressure match, just as he did in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, Kaymer said: “It’s difficult to describe how much I love that pressure, because you don't get it anywhere else. You get it when you try to win tournaments. 

“When you are in contention after nine holes, you have to feel it. In match play it can come up every single day and that is such a beauty. You can't practice it and you need to adjust in the situation.

McIlroy didn’t play well but emerged stronger from day one, as did Jordan Spieth, who beat Welshman Jamie Donaldson 3 and 2.

No 4 seed Bubba Watson lost the 18th to a birdie to halve with No 63 seed Patton Kizzire 

while No 5 seed Rickie Fowler lost to Jason Dufner 2 and 1.

Adam Scott was also held to a halved match by Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and like the rest of the field, both wore ribbons a mark of respect for the victims of the terrorist bombings in Brussels.

As for Phil Mickelson, he also showed he’s close to his best form with a 5 and 4 thrashing of Matthew Fitzpatrick while Sergio Garcia beat Ryder Cup team mate Lee Westwood one up in a match featuring just three halves.

A delighted Michael Dallat gets the last spot for Friday. pic.twitter.com/1wvKbxJNKZ

— West Golf 2016 (@2016woig) March 23, 2016

County Sligo's Cian Feeney shot a fine 69 to lead 13 qualifiers for the strokeplay qualifying rounds of the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point as Cian O'Donnell and Michael Dallat survived a six-man playoff for the last two spots.

Feeney made four birdies and a double bogey at the eighth to top the 13 qualifiers by a shot on two under par from Alan Gaynor (Co. Sligo), Robbie Hynes (The Royal Dublin) and Eoghan O'Donovan (Craddockstown).

Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) shot 71 as Patrick McCarville (Clones) and Shane O'Connor (Castlebar) posted 72s and Fergal Kennedy (Island), Conor McCaughey (Dungannon), Darragh Flynn (Carton House), and Dave Lowry (Corballis Links) signed for 73s to occupy the top 11 places.

Eight players finished tied for 12th after 74s, which would have meant an eight way playoff for the final place in the draw for Friday and Saturday. 

However, an extra spot became available when Gavin Smyth withdrew from the championship leaving Matt Wylie, John Hadnett (Castletroy), O'Donnell (Castletroy), Robert Moran (Castle), Nils Conway (Grange), TJ Ford (Co. Sligo), Gareth Mann (Tullamore) and Dallat (Ballycastle) to play off for two places as John Hadnett (Castletroy) and Nils Conway (Grange) did not take part 

O’Donnell's birdie three at the first clinched the first spot and with Wylie eliminated after a bogey there, Ford, Moran, Mann and Dallat headed up the second.

Dallat, Moran and Ford all birdied which meant Mann was out. But while all three parred the par-five third, which will be played to the original green this week as the new approach area is not quite ready, Ford bogeyed the par-three fourth and exited.

Two players playing for 1 spot now. Michael Dallat & Rob Moran pic.twitter.com/uzOKvhFU1J

— West Golf 2016 (@2016woig) March 23, 2016

That left Moran and Dallat to head down the 18th in fading light to battle it out for the final spot.

And it went to Dallat with a two-putt par after Moran missed the green right and failed with a 20 footer for par.

West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship Pre-Qualifier (12 to qualify)Detailed scores

Qiualifiers

69 Cian Feeney (Co. Sligo)

70 Alan Gaynor (Co. Sligo), Robbie Hynes (The Royal Dublin), Eoghan O'Donovan (Craddockstown)

71 Harry Duggan (Kilkenny)

72 Patrick McCarville (Clones), Shane O'Connor (Castlebar)

73 Fergal Kennedy (Island), Conor McCaughey (Dungannon), Darragh Flynn (Carton House), Dave Lowry (Corballis Links)

74 Cian O'Donnell (Castletroy), Michael Dallat (Ballycastle)

Non qualifiers

74 Matt Wylie, John Hadnett (Castletroy), Cian O'Donnell (Castletroy), Robert Moran (Castle), Nils Conway (Grange), TJ Ford (Co. Sligo), Gareth Mann (Tullamore), Michael Dallat (Ballycastle)

(O’Donnell, Ford, Moran, Mann, Dallat and Wylie contested a playoff with 2 spots going to O'Donnell @19th and Dallat @23rd)

75 Ciaran Corcoran (Royal Tara), Brian Shally (Dromoland), Jack Blake (Island), Stephen Dixon (Island), Declan O'Hara (Belvoir Park)

76 Garth McManus (Co. Sligo), Peter Hennessy (Lahinch), Stefan Greenberg (Tandragee), Paul Murphy (Rosslare), Ruairi O'Connor (Co. Sligo), Jack Madden (Dungannon), Liam Bresnahan (Omagh), Ryan O'Doherty (Enniscrone), Martin Hynes (Athenry), Mark Healy (Kinsale)

77 Eoin Glynn (Lahinch), Jason Murphy (Greenore), Cathal Nolan (Galway), Greg O'Mahony (Fota Island), Mathew Murphy (Clandeboye), Keith Daniels (Loughrea), Declan O'Leary (Dromoland), Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis), Hugh Foley (The Royal Dublin), Brian Timlin (Galway)

78 James Lindsay (North West), Matthew Fitzsimons (Ardglass), Niall Carroll (Athlone), Eoin O'Brien (Clontarf), Alan Craven (Roscommon), Shane Underwood (Co. Sligo), James Monaghan (The Royal Dublin), Sean Burke (Galway), Darragh Fitzgerald (Limerick)

79 Ciaran Henry (Strandhill), Thomas Finnegan (Co. Sligo), Eoghan Long (Monkstown), Joe Bernie (Athenry), Richard Tighe (Elm Park), Jamie Dunne (Borris), Jamal Sabir (Moate), Des Timbs (Strandhill), Darragh O'Connor (Fota Island)

80 Jack Walsh (Castle), Rob Fitzpatrick (Naas), A.j. Crinion (Newlands), Jack Tuohy (Galway Bay), Sean Ross (Kilkeel), Alan Duffy (Royal Tara)

81 Dale Jackson (Massereene), Eoin Gaughan (Co. Sligo), Ryan Corry (Clandeboye), Ryan McCullough (Massereene), Mark McKenna (Fortwilliam), Bill Hannan (Carton House), Adrian Wynne (Strandhill), Max Thallon (Bangor)

82 Cian Healy (Ballyneety), Ronan O'Callaghan (Mannan Castle), Bill Murray (Waterford Castle), Gerard Noone (Claremorris), Alan Considine (Lahinch), Serryth Heavey (Co. Sligo), Conor Ryan (Dun Laoghaire)

83 Paul Tobin (Cork), Michael Shiel (Athenry), Bob Loftus (Lahinch)

84 Michael Kennelly (Athenry), Tommy Malone (Co. Cavan)

86 Eamonn McAleer (Omagh), David McAleenon (Edenmore)

87 Colin Rayfus (Knightsbrook)

NR Evan Farrell (Ardee), Nigel Mann (Adare Manor).

Dani Alonso and Ben Stow

Killarney's Tommy O'Driscoll clinched his best finish since turning professional when he tied for 14th in the Allegria Championship on the Mediterranean Tour in Egypt.

The 19-year old former Ulster Youths champion added to his pro golf experience when he closed with a 73 to finish on two over par. Scores

Ben Stow (75) and Dani Alonso (72) tied on six under with Stow taking the title after a playoff.

Pictured at The Royal Dublin on 22 March 2016: (L-R) Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey, Royal Dublin manager Eoin O'Sullivan, Brian Casey, Noel Murray, Niall Kearney, David Carey, Jeff Hopkins, Declan Loftus, Joe Dillon, Ger Hall and David Rawluk. (Click to enlarge)

When the Team Ireland Golf Trust hands out its annual grants it’s a sign that Irish sport cares about its golfers.

And while support and facilities are part of the deal, as welcome as the cash that the athletes receive every few months, it’s not always easy to take advantage of it.

Having the funds to enter an event or knowing that you can use the National Academy or consult with professionals — “physiologists, sports psychologists, biomechanists, physiotherapists and doctors.,, coordinated by the Institute of Sport at Abbotstown” —  is a source of comfort. 

But it’s not always easy to use these resources or find time to use them when you are frequently on the road.

Golfers need support from golfers and, just as importantly, a way of gauging their level or progress beyond the week to week scores they post on whatever feeder tour they are playing.

Whether they are PGA trained professionals looking to make it to the European Tour, Challenge Tour or mini tour players hoping to step up, it’s important they get to play against European Tour regulars and see how their game stacks up.

The Irish Tour Pro Shootout Series designed to give these young players the chance to compete against these senior figures and pick their brains on a weekly basis and the second outing of what is a fledgling band of brothers was held at The Royal Dublin on Tuesday.

European Tour professional Damien McGrane is surprised how well the group has come together so far and having attracted Shane Lowry to Carton House last week, the 11-man outing that teed it up for a €100-a-head, winner-takes-all, €1,100 payout at the Bull Island links this week included five-time European Tour winner Michael Hoey.

“The boys who played were delighted to see Michael Hoey joins us today and the club and the members of Royal Dublin — which incidentally was in superb condition — they were delighted to see us around the clubhouse afterwards.”

Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney, who retained the Irish Professional Championship last year, won the outing with a four under par 68 edging out another rookie Royal Dublin professional, Jeff Hopkins (69) by a shot.

Hoey played in a four ball with Sunshine Tour player Hopkins, 19-year old Alps Tour player David Carey (third with 71) and last week’s joint winner, the Irish Assistants champion Joe Dillon from Headfort.

McGrane played with Kearney, who was an impressive, five under par after six holes before following a mid-round wobble with a strong finish on a day that saw Europro Tour regulars Brian Casey and David Rawluk, Edenderry’s Ger Hall, talented Massereene professional Noel Murray and former Maynooth University scholarship golfer Declan Loftus also play for the cash.

“Royal Dublin did a magnificent job for us with freshly cut greens and new holes for us and we had a great chat afterwards and Kate Gleeson, a nutritionist representing Wyldsson, came to give us a talk about nutrition and hydration which we all learned something from.”

What’s more important from McGrane’s point of view is that players were able to tee it up with others who are at a higher level and see exactly where they stand and what they need to do to improve.

Fresh faces have already been lined up for next Tuesday’s third Shootout at The Island and while the identity of the European Tour star has yet to be revealed, McGrane is pleased with the positive reaction his idea.

“The boys who played today are keen and highly motivated,” Damien says. “I was very impressed by how much they want to learn and how seriously they take their golf

“One of the lads is getting up a four in the morning and driving from the west of Ireland. But the main thing is that everyone knows why they are there.

“Everyone need to understand where they are at and where they are with their golf. The only way they can realise it is by playing with the likes of Shane (Lowry) and Michael (Hoey). There is no other point in turning up with these people. Play with a good player and make up their own mind and see the standard first.

“We have a lot of interest from clubs and people who’d like to get involved but it takes a bit of organising so hopefully, as our pool of Tour Pros grows, a committee of sort will form to make that aspect easier to organise these Shootouts, which are about quality competition and communication between a small, 12-man group every week. 

“It’s not a golf society. It’s for guys like Michael Hoey or Shane Lowry and others who will come along to be able to give back the next generation of guys coming through. It’s there to give the younger guys some regular, top professional competition on a weekly basis during the off season and a chance to pick the brains of others and get a slap on the back and some encouragement.”

Next Irish Tour Pro Shootout Series event: The Island, March29, (800-830am).

A view from the back of the new third green at County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point

Jack Hume surprised nobody but disappointed a few when he withdrew from this week's Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa sponsored West of Ireland Championship at County Sligo.

The 2014 champion, Ireland's leading amateur and a recent winner of both the South African Amateur Strokeplay and the European Nations Cup, may have had a busy start to the year with more big events to come, but his absence still sends out the message that our historic championships are way down the priority list for our top players these days.

Hume is a great player and clearly can't play everything though having starred in the Walker Cup and having recently won four points out of four for Europe in their Bonallack Trophy victory over Asia Pacific in Portugal, he'd have added greatly to the championship, which begins on Friday with the first of two strokeplay qualifying rounds after which the top 64 will square off in matchplay combat from Sunday.

The Lytham Trophy (29 April – 1 May) is  a bigger event in the eyes of the top players and Hume will lead a strong Irish party that also includes Conor O’Rourke (Naas), Alex Gleeson (Castle/UCD), Stuart Grehan (Tullamore/MU), John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) and Dermot McElroy (Ballymena).

As for the West, the 18 hole qualifier (draw) for the last 11 spots in the 132-strong field for the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier, goes ahead on Wednesday.

There will then be 0830 and 1330 "claxon" starts on Friday and Saturday — a repeat of last year due to lack of light but not a permanent format.

The draws

Bookies Paddy Power have drawn up odds and made defending champion McElroy the 7/1 favourite ahead of reigning East and South of Ireland champion Stuart Grehan (15/2) with Robin Dawson and Alex Gleeson both 12/1.

Championship winners in the field:

• Dermot McElroy 7/1
• Stuart Grehan 15/2
• John Ross Galbraith 14/1
• Tiarnan McLarnon 20/1
• Colm Campbell Jnr 20/1
• Pat Murray 28/1
• Stuart Bleakley 28/1
• Joe Lyons 80/1
• Michael Sinclair 80/1
• John Greene 150/1

McElroy is also fancied to win the medal awarded to the leading qualifier.

Looking forward to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open qualifying events are (l-r) K Club Lady Captain Angela Cirillo and Captain Tony Kelly, European Tour Championship Director Rory Colville and Dubai Duty Free Golf Ambassador Des Smyth.

More than than 160 golf across the length and breadth of Ireland have signed up to compete in this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Club Challenge with a chance to play alongside international golf superstars and world famous celebrities in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Pro–Am at stake.

The theme for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation at The K Club (May 19-22) is ‘History in the Making’ and that will certainly be the case on May 18 when, for the first time ever, one lucky club team lines up to play alongside a top golfer in the prestigious Pro-Am competition.

The European Tour and Irish Open title-sponsor Dubai Duty Free, which has kindly donated one of its own Pro-Am team spaces for the competition, today revealed the venues and dates for the five ‘Club Challenge’ regional qualifiers as well as the names of the 166 clubs who will be represented.

The qualifiers will all take place between Monday April 11 and Monday April 25 at five of Ireland’s top golf courses - Powerscourt GC in County Wicklow, Hollystown GC in Dublin, Rockmount GC in Belfast, Dooks GC in County Kerry and Galway Bay Golf Club.

Details of the qualifying events, which are being managed by the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) and leading golf magazine Golf Digest Ireland, are as follows:

DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN CLUB CHALLENGE:  REGIONAL QUALIFIERS Where is your club playing?NORTH: Monday 11th April 2016 at Rockmount Golf Club - 40 teams (top five will qualify)

1. 10:00 Rockmount, Dunmurry
2. 10:10 Belvoir Park, Bangor
3. 10:20 Warrenpoint, Kilrea
4. 10:30 Clandeboye, Tandragee
5. 10:40 Dunfanaghy, Ballycastle
6. 10:50 Spa, Faughan Valley
7. 11:00 Loughgall, Greenacres
8. 11:10 Banbridge, Clones
9. 11:20 Townley Hall, Cairndhu
10. 11:30 Lurgan, Moyola Park
11. 11:40 Fortwilliam, Ardglass
12. 11:50 Fintona, Antrim
13. 12:00 Co Cavan, Castle Hume
14. 12:10 Ballyclare, Ormeau
15. 12:20 Royal Portrush, St Patrick’s
16. 12:30 Aughnacloy, Ballyliffin
17. 12:40 Portsalon, Blacklion
18. 12:50 Donegal, Enniskillen
19. 13:00 Letterkenny, Castlerock
20. 13:10 Carnalea, Greencastle

WEST: Wednesday 13th April at Galway Bay Golf Club - 28 teams (top four will qualify)

1. 10:00 Galway Bay, Galway
2. 10:10 Gort, Mountbellew
3. 10:20 Oughterard, Portumna
4. 10:30 Cregmore Park, Connemara
5. 10:40 Athenry, Woodstock
6. 10:50 Lahinch, Athlone
7. 11:00 Ballinasloe, Roscommon
8. 11:10 Doonbeg, Castlebar
9. 11:20 Ballyhaunis, Balllina
10. 11:30 Enniscrone, Castle Dargan
11. 11:40 Mulranny, Co Sligo
12. 11:50 Belmullet, Strandhill
13. 12:00 Bundoran, Ballyneety
14. 12:10 Nenagh, Birr

EAST (1):  Tuesday 19th April 2016 at Powerscourt Golf Club- 40 teams (top five will qualify)

1. 09:30 Powerscourt, Wickow 
2. 09:40 Bray, Charlesland
3. 09:50 Blessington Lakes, Killiney
4. 10:00 Lisheen Springs, Woodbrook
5. 10:10 Castle, Slade Valley
6. 10:20 Craddockstown, Newlands
7. 10:30 Heritage, Gowran Park
8. 10:40 Grange Castle, Enniscorthy
9. 10:50 The Smurfit, Athy
10. 11:00 Tulfarris, The K Club
11. 11:10 Carlow, Royal Curragh
12. 11:20 Palmertstown Stud, Callan
13. 11:30 The Heath, Elm Park
14. 11:40 Roscrea, Millicent
15. 11:50 Newbridge, Highfield
16. 12:00 Grange, Mount Juliet
17. 12:10 Tullamore, Knockanally
18. 12:20 Faithlegg, Tramore
19. 12:30 Borris, Waterford Castle
20. 12:40 Foxrock, Cahir Park

EAST (2): Wednesday 20th April 2016 at Hollystown Golf Club – 30 teams (top four will qualify)

1. 10:00 Hollystown, Skerries
2. 10:10 The Island, St Margaret’s
3. 10:20 Howth, Ashbourne
4. 10:30 Seapoint, Kilcock
5. 10:40 Royal Tara, Mullingar
6. 10:50 Westmanstown,Laytown & Bettystown
7. 11:00 Black Bush, Co Louth
8. 11:20 Clontarf, Sutton
9. 11:30 Malahide, Headfort
10. 11:40 Beaverstown, Hermitage
11. 11:50 Forrest Little, Dundalk
12. 12:00 Balbriggan, Donabtate
13. 12:10 Kilkenny, Ashfield
14. 12:20 Carton House, Milltown
15. 12:30 Co Armagh, Rush

SOUTH:  Monday 25th April 2016 at Dooks Golf Club - 28 teams (top four will qualify)

1. 10:30 Dooks, Killorglin
2. 10:40 Killarney, Castlerosse
3. 10:50 Ballybunion, Waterville
4. 11:00 Kanturk, Castlegregory
5. 11:10 Ring of Kerry, Macroom
6. 11:20 Lee Valle, Glengarriff
7. 11:30 Newcastle West, Mallow
8. 11:50 Blarney, Fermoy
9. 12:00 Clonakilty (Dunmore), Fota Island
10. 12:10 Fernhill, Lisselan
11. 12:20 Kinsale, Muskerry
12. 12:30 Mitchelstown, Thurles
13. 12:40 Skibbereen, Youghal
14. 12:50 Gold Coast, Tipperary

Rules

• The format of the event is fourball stableford.
• Teams consist of one male and one female player. 
• Handicaps are to be applied in accordance with the CONGU Unified Handicapping System.
• Qualifying teams will advance to the All-Ireland Final to be played on The Smurfit Course at The K Club. 

 

Rory McIlroy

Four-time major winner and world No 3 Rory McIlroy has been drawn in what appeared to be an accessible group for his defence of the WGC-Dell Match Play in San Antonio.

Set to face 24-year old American Smylie Kauffman, short-hitter Kevin Na and his fellow Nike stablemate and long time European Tour pal Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark in Group 3, the Co Down man is expected to progress to Saturday morning's round of 16.

But it may be a lot tougher for Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry — not to mention world No 1 Jordan Spieth — after they drew some experienced major winners.

Lowry is in Group 14 with former Masters winner and current Open champion Zach Johnson (the world No 14), former US Open and US PGA winner Martin Kaymer (44) and Australia's Marcus Fraser (60),

Hey @SmylieKaufman10, @McIlroyRory has his eye on you … https://t.co/5sQDyjUdGR

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 21, 2016

It could be even tougher for McDowell in Group 2 against Bay Hill winner and world No 2 Jason Day (his nemesis in Tucson when the Australian won this title two years ago), the resurgent Englishman Paul Casey (the 2006 HSBC World Match Play Championship winner) and the always combative Thongchai Jaidee, the player McDowell beat 2 and 1 in the final of the 2013 Volvo World Match Play in Bulgaria.

No easy groups is right GMac! I'll see you Thursday. https://t.co/HbSwL2HpDD

— Paul Casey (@Paul_Casey) March 22, 2016

As for world No 1 Jordan Spieth, he takes for Junior and college golf rival Justin Thomas and European Ryder Cup players Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson while the Group of Death ay well be Phil Mickelson, a second seed after falling out of the top 16 this week, who is drawn with Patrick Reed, former US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick Daniel Berger, the PGA Tour rookie of the year.

Of course, form and rankings traditionally go out the window in this event, even if the group format has removed some of the excitement of the straight knockout system.

A childhood rivalry renewed.

We're set for @DellMatchPlay https://t.co/Ub3FF3Vv84 pic.twitter.com/B8uWulzLGX

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2016

"Thorbjorn is a good friend of mine," McIlroy said of his draw. The first time I played with Thorbjorn was in Egypt in 2010. We've got a little bit of history.

"Smylie, I really don't know that much about. I know that he got off to a great start in his PGA Tour career [winning in his second start]. As I said, no matter who you draw in this event, you know you're going to get a tough match."

As far as the brackets go, McIlroy and Lowry could meet in the last 16 with McDowell only meeting one of them in the semi-finals. 

The event switched from knockout to group play last year to appease sponsors who feared losing top players before the weekend.

Matches during group play can end in a draw but only one player from each of the 16 groups advances to Saturday's knockout stage which means that if two players in a group are tied, they go to a sudden-death playoff.

Irish tee-times

(Click here for daily running order)

Wednesday - Round 1

• Jason Day v Graeme McDowell
• Shane Lowry v Martin Kaymer
• Rory McIlroy v Thorbjorn Olesen

Thursday - Round

• Paul Casey v Graeme McDowell
• Shane Lowry v Marcus Fraser
• Rory McIlroy v Smylie Kaufman

Friday - Round 3

• Zach Johnson v Shane Lowry
• Rory McIlroy v Kevin Na
• Thongchai Jaidee v Graeme  McDowell

GROUP 1

• Jordan Spieth (1)
• Justin Thomas (31)
• Victor Dubuisson (39)
• Jamie Donaldson (51)

GROUP 2

• Jason Day (2)
• Paul Casey (23)
• Thongchai Jaidee (36)
• Graeme McDowell (62)

GROUP 3

• Rory McIlroy (3)
• Kevin Na (26)
• Smylie Kaufman (46)
• Thorbjorn Olesen (64)

GROUP 4

• Bubba Watson (4)
• J.B. Holmes (21)
• Emiliano Grillo (33)
• Patton Kizzire (63)

GROUP 5

• Rickie Fowler (5)
• Byeong-Hun An (27)
• Scott Piercy (47)
• Jason Dufner (58)

GROUP 6

• Adam Scott (6)
• Bill Haas (30)
• Chris Wood (41)
• Thomas Pieters (55)

GROUP 7

• Justin Rose (7)
• Matt Kuchar (28)
• Anirban Lahiri (48)
• Fabian Gomez (57)

GROUP 8

• Dustin Johnson (8)
• Jimmy Walker (22)
• Kiradech Aphibarnrat (37)
• Robert Streb (49)

GROUP 9

• Patrick Reed (9)
• Phil Mickelson (17)
• Matthew Fitzpatrick (42)
• Daniel Berger (53)

GROUP 10

• Danny Willett (10)
• Brooks Koepka (18)
• Billy Horschel (40)
• Jaco Van Zyl (50)

GROUP 11

• Branden Grace (11)
• Russell Knox (32)
• David Lingmerth (38)
• Chris Kirk (54)

GROUP 12

• Hideki Matsuyama (12)
• Kevin Kisner (20)
• Soren Kjeldsen (43)
• Rafa Cabrera Bello (52)

GROUP 13

• Sergio Garcia (13)
• Marc Leishman (25)
• Ryan Moore (45)
• Lee Westwood (59)

GROUP 14

• Zach Johnson (14)
• Shane Lowry (24)
• Martin Kaymer (44)
• Marcus Fraser (60)

GROUP 15

• Brandt Snedeker (15)
• Charl Schwartzel (19)
• Danny Lee (34)
• Charley Hoffman (56)

GROUP 16

• Louis Oosthuizen (16)
• Andy Sullivan (29)
• Bernd Wiesberger (35)
• Matt Jones (61)

Wesley Bryan

Web.com Tour — West Waterford's Seamus Power closed with a one over par 72 to finish tied 35th in the $550,000 Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

Tied 19th starting the day, the former East Tennessee State star made an eagle and three birdies in the final round at Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club in Broussard. Scores

But he also had two bogeys and two double bogeys on his card and ended the week on six under par, eight stroke behind Wesley Bryan (66 65 71 68) who edged out Argentina's Julian Etulain by a shot with five-time PGA Tour winner Jonathan Byrd in a four way tie for third with Martin Flores, Ryan Brehm and Joel Dahmen. Charlie Wi was tied seventh.

“Coming into the season, I felt like I was really in good form,” said Bryan, after he collected a first-prize cheque for $99,000. “I felt like I was playing really well. I felt really good coming down here.”

Tommy under par at AllegriaMediterranean Tour — Killarney's Tommy O'Driscoll opened with a two under par on the Allegria Championship to sit in seventh place at the Greg Norman designed Allegria Golf Club near Sheikh Zayed City in west Cairo.The Kerry man is three shots behind Spain's Dani Alonso while his brother Dylan, playing as an amateur, started well but ended the opening day on 10 over par.Scores

Jason Day wins at Bay Hill

Jason Day snatched the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill to take over from Rory McIlroy as world No 2 and underline his credentials as a major contender for Masters glory.

As Rory McIlroy closed with a spectacular 65 to prove his game is not far away as Augusta National approaches, Day brilliantly birdied the 17th to take the lead and then got up and down from sand at the last, holing a clutch four footer for a 70 and a one shot win over Kevin Chappell on 17 under par.

“This is a really rewarding win for me,” Day said. “To be able to get in the house and make the par on the last was very satisfying.” 

It was the eighth PGA Tour win of Day’s career, the fifth in his last 12 starts and his third since he captured the US PGA at Whistling Straits last year.

It also ended all doubts about his form.

"It does a lot of confidence for me knowing that everyone was asking what's wrong, what's going on, why aren't you playing well? I just kept on saying to myself, kept on saying to the people, the fans, the media, just be patient, I'm just going through the process and I'm going to keep working hard. Things take time. It happened this week. I'm just happy that I won."

Two ahead of Chappell, Henrik Stenson and Troy Merritt starting the day, he made three birdies and two bogeys in his first six holes before a tap in birdie after a towering approach to the ninth gave him a share of the lead heading into the back nine.

Merritt the birdied the first five holes coming home to get within one of Day, Chappell and Stenson with four to play. But playing alongside Day and convinced he needed a birdie, he ended up finding water and taking six at the last for a 71 to finish fourth on 14 under alongside the Swede, who bogeyed the 14th and 16th for a 71.

Seeking his maiden win, Chappell had birdied the 13th and 16th to lead by one from Day and Merritt on 17 under.

But he drove into the right rough at the 18th and bogeyed for a 69 that left him to settle for solo second on 16 under.

Rory McIlroy smiles after holing a 60 footer at the 18th

Day was far from his best but he hit a towering, 222-yard tee shot to 12 feet at the par-three 17th and poured in the putt to snatch the lead and then got up and down from the left green side trap at the last to take victory.

As for McIlroy, he rebounded from a third round 75 by firing two eagles and five birdies in a closing 65 to finish tied 27th on six under par.

But admitted that he needed to go easier on himself mentally and improve his course management after racking up six double bogeys over the four days — the worst tally of his PGA Tour career

After signing off by holing 59 footer for his 16th birdie of the week at the 18th, he assessed his rollercoaster start to the season and concluded that it’s not his swing but his decision making and his attitude that’s causing him to make big mistakes.

What was that about anger?

"I think the first day it was more of a shock element more than anything because I was -- I played so well in practice and I practiced well at home and I get here on the first tee on Thursday and hit one OB left. Don't know, where does that come from?

"I just told myself to keep trusting my swing and obviously there's a lot of trouble left and water left on this golf course. I find out a couple times after that. So, yeah, more mentally than anything else. Just need to try to get over it quicker and rebound and not -- just not be so hard on myself or sort of get so angry, I guess."

Asked where his double bogeys were coming from, McIlroy said: “Missing it on the wrong side, not being smart. When I do miss it, not take my medicine, trying to be too cute with it, trying to make up for the bad shot I hit instead of maybe giving myself that 12, 15-foot putt for par.

“And I hit a lot of balls in the water here this week which doesn't help. Just trying to make my bad shots a little bit better.”

Assessing his year — he’s shot under par in 15 of 22 rounds with all six of his over par rounds coming in recent weeks — he said: “It's been the story of the week and sort of been the story of my year as well. I've played some great golf and not great golf. I've made a lot of mistakes as well.”

Big moment. Big putt. Never a doubt.#QuickHits https://t.co/y4o6stw0re

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 20, 2016

Jason Day will have this for the win ... #QuickHits https://t.co/T8Wbn1iTHF

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 20, 2016

Congratulations Jason Day on winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational!

Sebastian Soderberg. Picture: Img Kenya

French amateur Romain Langasque finished second behind Swede Sebastian Soderberg  in the Barclays Kenya Open but there were also some good Irish performances with Gary Hurley and Gavin Moynihan clinching Top 20 finishes in Nairobi.

As Langasque shot 65 to finish on 15 under, Soderberg surged to a maiden European Challenge Tour victory by closing with a five under  67 to win by three on 18 under.

Soderberg now takes an early lead in the Road to Oman Rankings after earning 35,200 points and the 25 year old has already fulfilled one of his season aims by winning for the first time.

Hurley shot 69 and Moynihan a five under 67 to leave them tied 19th on seven under, earning €2,477 each while Ruaidhri McGee (70) was 33rd on four under and Kevin Phelan (72) 38th on three under.

Langasque, playing in his penultimate event as an amateur before he turns professional after competing the Masters, was the first player to take advantage of new regulations allowing amateurs to earn Road to Oman Ranking points.Final scores — 270 S Soderberg (Swe) 67 68 68 67; 273 R Langasque (am) (Fra) 69 70 69 65; 274 B Ritthammer (Ger) 71 65 73 65; 277 S Heisele (Ger) 72 69 65 71, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 70 71 68 68, D Frittelli (RSA) 71 69 69 68, E Kofstad (Nor) 73 69 66 69.

Irish — 281 G Moynihan (Irl) 72 71 71 67, G Hurley (Irl) 70 71 71 69; 284 R McGee (Irl) 76 68 70 70; 285 K Phelan (Irl) 72 70 71 72

Castle's John Williams

Williams wins Hilary at Baltray

Amateur golf — Castle's John Williams was the clear winner in the Rabo Direct sponsored Hilary Golf Society outing at County Louth on Sunday.

In benign conditions, the two handicap player shot an excellent, five under par  67, finishing with two birdies to beat Slade Valley' s Terry Lilly by two shots. Third place went to Corrstown's Alan Doherty, who also shot 69.

The gross prize was won by Royal Dublin's Sean Ryan with a fine 71 while the team prize was won by Liam Hutchinson (The Royal Dublin), Eamonn McCartan (Greenore) and Gus Fitzpatrick (Naas) with a 61.

Next outing: Portmarnock GC on Sunday April 10th.

SSP Chawrasia. Picture: Getty Images

Dunne undone in Delhi

Paul Dunne hit hit just three of 14 fairways as he closed with a six over 78 to finish tied 58th in the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi.

The Greystones man was tied for 20th with a round to go but a bad day off the tee at a tight venue meant he didn't make a birdie until the 18th having made five bogeys and a double to that point.

The former Walker Cup player earned €3,994 as SSP Chawrasia held off India’s number one Anirban Lahiri to secure a dream home victory having finished second on four previous occasions.

It marked an incredible journey for the man who began his career as a caddie in Kolkata and had to borrow a set of golf clubs to compete in the professional ranks.

Now, thanks to his two-stroke victory at the Delhi Golf Club over Lahiri and Korean Jeunghun Wang, Chawrasia has secured a full-time return to the European Tour, won US$276,660 and looks likely to qualify to join Lahiri in representing India at this summer’s Olympics in Rio.

Chawrasia, who had won 14 times in India in his pro career and finished runner-up in his national open four times before Sunday’s final round, relied upon a combination of short game wizardry and a lion’s heart to get over the line with a final round of one under par 71 for a 15 under winning total at the notoriously tricky Delhi Golf Club.
 
Nowhere was that more evident on the final hole of the tournament when, under pressure from defending champion Lahri to get up and down from the rough from around 70 yards, Chawrasia produced a magnificent a chip to four feet to put the pressure back on his rival. When Lahiri failed to get up and down for birdie on the par five, Chawrasia stepped forward to secure his place in Indian golfing folklore.
 
Lahiri, who posted a final round 69 while Wang carded a 68, was among the first to congratulate Chawrasia, who will prove a hugely popular winner in India. The 37 year old’s father was a greenkeeper at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, where a young SSP taught himself how to play. He eventually became a caddie and then took a leap of faith to the professional ranks, when had to borrow a set of clubs from a friend when he started competing in 1997.
 
Almost 20 years on, Chawrasia has been crowned the Hero Indian Open champion after a career-defining performance in Delhi.

Chawrasia said: “It is a very important day for me. I have finished second four times in the Indian Open and every time that happen to me I wondered if I would ever be able to one day be the champion. This year, I came believing I had to win. I knew that I could do it.  

"There was a lot of pressure on me on the last hole but I had to say thank God when Anirban missed his birdie putt!  Played a great chip there and then when he missed I knew I would win the tournament.

“I think every Indian player looks at this tournament as the biggest. It is our national championship and a huge honour for me. Also, I think I have now qualified for the Olympics and the world cup and all of that was going around in my mind when I was playing today. It was a lot of pressure but I can relax and enjoy it now. My main goal was the Olympics so I am so happy. I am not sure how we will celebrate but I will leave that for my wife to take care of. She is very happy.”

Lahiri said: "This win is huge for him. We were tied for second three years ago, he was second last year and has been second four times at this tournament so it’s great for him to win and lock down the Olympics and everything else that comes with it. I am really pleased for him.”

273 S Chawrasia (Ind) 67 67 68 71; 275 A Lahiri (Ind) 68 71 67 69, J Wang (Kor) 67 74 66 68; 276 A Que (Phi) 70 71 70 65, A Da Silva (Bra) 72 66 69 69; 278 R Khan  (Ind) 69 68 69 72, N Thangaraja (Sri) 69 71 68 70, G Havret  (Fra) 68 70 71 69, D Im (USA) 65 74 70 69; 279 S Kapur (Ind) 72 67 70 70, J Campillo (Esp) 66 71 71 71, J Quesne  (Fra) 70 68 70 71, D Lipsky (USA) 69 67 75 68, R Gangjee (Ind) 69 72 66 72. Irish — 289 P Dunne (Irl) 74 66 71 78.

Forget the fact that their friendship was strained long before the 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy race. Darren Clarke sat down the the Daily Mail in Florida and set about fixing what he sees asa misperception of the incidents that led to the further breakdown of his relationship with Paul McGinley.

The fall out with McGinley is back on the agenda because Clarke had a chat with the 2014 captain on the range at the Dubai Desert Classic. As elephants in the room go, it was crucial to Clarke's cause and European unity that he was seen to have healed those wounds.

It's true that the Dungannon native wrote to McGinley but only an optimist would bet they will ever be close again even if Clarke says he apologised to his former close friend, team mate and neighbour.

"Paul and I had a great conversation in Dubai," Clarke told Oliver Holt in the Mail. "We must have stood and talked for an hour on the range. He was giving me tips and advice about what he had done. We had a great conversation there and I apologised to him.

‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I have made some mistakes in my career. We have all made some mistakes. I held my hands up and I got things wrong. Just with what was going on around that time."

The source of the most recent fallout between the pair was their rivalry for the 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy. Both wanted the job but McGinley eventually outmanoeuvred Clarke, who had stood up at a PGA lunch in December 2012 (a month before the captain was selected in Abu Dhabi) and said that with Tom Watson handed the US captaincy, Europe needed a major figure too.

"Maybe we have to consider other people as well," Clarke was quoted as saying. "Whoever it is standing on that stage opposite Tom Watson needs a huge presence. We seriously need the right man for the job. We do have an unwritten rule where we don’t ask anybody to do it again, but we might have to look at that.”

Clarke clearly meant Montgomerie and while he was still in the running for the captaincy himself. at that time, he knew the writing was on the wall as far as support for him in the committee room was concerned.

He was already hinging that he was looking more to Hazeltine and eventually withdrew his name from the hat when it became clear that McGinley was the man with the votes. Then Rory McIlroy took a Ryder Cup question at the launch of his Nike deal, was asked if he thought McGinley would be a good choice for the captaincy later that week. Checkmate.

While Clarke was not quoted in the media as mentioning Montgomerie by name, he claims in today's Mail that his words were twisted and the wrong impression given.

"Did I support Monty that much? No. I was just trying to do what I thought was the right thing for the team. I wasn’t against Paul. I just saw options."I got accused of all sorts of bits and pieces, which were incorrect at the time. There was no point in me saying a word because I wasn’t going to go anywhere with it. All I was concerned about was doing the right thing for Europe and things got twisted and taken out of my hands."

The clash of Clarke and McGinley is just a distraction here though it speaks volumes about both men. That the less successful player could so ably overcome Clarke's "popularity" to get the support he needed told you all you needed to know about his tactical nous and Clarke's.

Still, the Mail insists that writing to McGinley and intoning the mea culpa is a good sign:

Clarke deserves plenty of credit for moving to put things right with McGinley. To be able to admit a mistake is a promising sign in a leader and the Northern Irishman possesses other qualities that bode well for his attempt to retain the trophy in Minnesota in the autumn.

In setting out his stall in the British media for 2016, it's clearly important for Clarke to be seen to be fair to everyone and that means keeping Lee Westwood at arms length, according to today's Mail.

Clarke knows he will face tough choices. Others have already wondered aloud whether he might be tempted to offer preferential treatment to old pals like Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter if they fail to qualify automatically for Hazeltine and need to rely on being among Clarke’s three wildcard picks. Clarke snorts with contempt about that idea.‘An old pals’ act?’ he says. ‘How could I possibly do that? The Ryder Cup is much, much more important than an old pals’ act. That does not happen. Under no circumstances would I let myself... that’s not going to happen. No chance.'I would have no problem with saying to Lee I was picking a rookie instead of him for a wildcard. Lee would be my best mate but I would have no problem. Why? Because it’s for the team. It’s not individuals. You have got to manage individuals’ egos but the team is there together.

It promises to be an interesting summer for Ryder Cup watchers.

Rory has fallen apart. Water on 18. Double. Water on 3. Double. He's now Even Par. Tracker: https://t.co/H0xAcBLbFF pic.twitter.com/guYqPOtQLY

— Golfweek Magazine (@GolfweekMag) March 19, 2016

Is Rory McIlroy running out of time to be ready for the Masters? After a three over 75 that featured three double bogeys and three trips to Bay Hill’s water hazards, he is a hopeless16 shots behind world No 3 Jason Day with a round to go in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Merely making the cut was McIlroy’s goal on Friday after the shock of his opening 75. But having appeared to cure the lefts on the range on Thursday night and shot a 67 on Friday that could have been a 63, he is now back in the dark again.

Bar the late addition of the Shell Houston Open to his schedule, this is McIlroy’s last strokeplay event before he tries to become just the sixth player in the modern history of the game to complete the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters.

The world No 2 has spoken about winning before Augusta National several times since the season began but he’s been nothing short of highly inconsistent since finishing third and sixth in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in January and February.

Rory McIlroy in 2016 How he's fared versus par

He had chances to win heading into the final rounds in Los Angeles and Miami (he led by three there). But he produced poor final rounds each time to finish tied 20th and tied third in the Northern Trust Open and the WGC-Cadillac Championship respectively

In between he missed the cut in the Honda Classic and so has shot over par in six of his last 10 rounds, having broken par in 10 of the first 11 this year.

In other words he’s in one of those mini slumps he finds himself even at some stage every season only in this case, he has just Sunday’s final round with pencil in hand before he must put his matchplay hat on for next week’s defence of the WGC-Dell Match Play in Texas.

With just 19 days to go before he tees off at Augusta National, McIlroy finds himself tied 64th on one over par.

World No 3 Day shot added a 70 to opening rounds of 66 and 65 and at 15 under par he’s two clear of the Swede Henrik Stenson and the American Kevin Chappell. 

Having won four times in the last eight months, including his first major at the USPGA last August, Days knows what it takes to get over that line. 

“At the BMW Championship [in ­Illinois in September], I shot 18-under the first two days, four-under the next two. Very boring, but I won,” Day said making four birdies and two bogeys.

SSP Chawrasia. Picture: Getty Images 

European Tour — Paul Dunne had four bridies and three bogeys in a third round 71 but moved up just one spot to tied 20th heading into the final round of the Hero Indian Open.

The Greystones golfer is on five under par, just three shots outside the top 10 but nine strokes behind inspired leader SSP Chawrasia, who established a two stroke lead over Terry Pilkadaris at the end of day three at Delhi Golf Club.

Defending champion Anirban Lahiri (67) is lurking four shots behind his countryman and hoping for a repeat of last year’s final round.

Lahiri was seven shots behind Chawrasia when the fourth round began at the Delhi Golf Club 12 months ago, but Chawrasia posted a hugely disappointing 76, allowing Lahiri to force as play-off, which he duly won at the first extra hole.

202 S Chawrasia (Ind) 67 67 68; 204 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 67 64 73; 206 R Khan  (Ind) 69 68 69, A Lahiri (Ind) 68 71 67; 207 S Gros (Fra) 69 70 68, J Wang (Kor) 67 74 66, A Da Silva (Bra) 72 66 69, R Gangjee (Ind) 69 72 66; 208 J Quesne  (Fra) 70 68 70, J Campillo (Esp) 66 71 71, A Atwal (Ind) 70 71 67, N Thangaraja (Sri) 69 71 68, A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 69 71; 209 G Havret  (Fra) 68 70 71, S Kapur (Ind) 72 67 70, D Im (USA) 65 74 70, R McEvoy  (Eng) 71 70 68, M Kieffer (Ger) 69 70 70; 210 J Janewattananond (Tha) 71 69 70.

Irish — 211 P Dunne (Irl) 74 66 71

Sebastian Soderberg. Picture: Img Kenya

Hurley heads Irish in KenyaChallenge Tour — Ireland’s quartet of cut survivors are well down the field with a round to go in the Barclays Kenya Open.Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg’s four under par round of 68 gave him a three shot lead over Frenchman Joël Stalter whose superb 64 broke the course record and moved him into a share of second place with Germany’s Sebastian Heisele.French amateur Romain Langasque, the first player to take advantage of new changes to the Challenge Tour regulations allowing amateurs to earn Road to Oman Ranking points, is inside the top five on eight under par.But the best of the Irish is West Waterford’s Gary Hurley (70 71 71) who is nine off the pace in tied 26th on four under par.Kevin Phelan (72 70 71) shares 38th on three under with Gavin Moynihan (72 71 71) and Ruaidhri McGee (76 68 70) tied 44th on two under.203 S Soderberg (Swe) 67 68 68; 206 J Stalter (Fra) 71 71 64, S Heisele (Ger) 72 69 65; 207 C Berardo (Fra) 67 72 68; 208 E Kofstad (Nor) 73 69 66, J Blaauw  (RSA) 68 66 74, D Huizing (Ned) 71 70 67, S Tiley (Eng) 74 69 65, R Langasque (am) (Fra) 69 70 69;Irish -  212  G Hurley (Irl) 70 71 71; 213 K Phelan (Irl) 72 70 71, 214 G Moynihan (Irl) 72 71 71, R McGee (Irl) 76 68 70.Power battling for top finish in Louisiana

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power made five birdies in a third round 68 to move into the top 20 with a round to go in the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

The West Waterford star opened with a 64 but followed it with a 74 before moving back up the leaderboard at Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club in Broussard.

The 29-year old is was tied for 19th, five shots behind leaders Julian Etulain  (67) and Greg Chalmers (67).

The 17th at The European Club. Picture © Pat Ruddy

Pat Ruddy's County Sligo facelift will test the best in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship next week. But Ballymote's biggest golfing export has not been twiddling his thumbs at home over the winter and The European Club at Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow is also ready for what promises to be a busy season.

The wonderful gorse bushes - wonderful when observed from afar and not when looking for balls - will, as usual, offer an explosion of colour at Mr R's seaside golfing playground. 

The pictures shown here are now incorporated into the second edition of Pat's book describing the genesis of the course, The Perfect Golf Links, which is currently at the printer's. 

But that's not all the news. 

A bird's eye view of the 10th hole. Picture © Pat Ruddy

A side view of the par-four 17th hole at The European Club. Picture © Pat Ruddy

Looking up the 17th. Picture © Pat Ruddy

Work this winter has included an extension to back of the fifth green, creating more pins and a panoramic view of the Irish Sea.

An extension to the front left of the 15th green has also created more pin positions and lots of subtle banking.

Mr Ruddy  has also re-contoured the front right corner of green 18 which is now, he writes, "very pleasing to the eye and full of putting and chipping possibilities."

Finally, he has reshaped Harry (Bradshaw) "our main putting green."

He adds: "Indicators are that the golfers are coming to Ireland as never before. The advance parties have been loud in their praise and quite thrilled with their golf.

"Myself ....I've new grips on the big stick and am going to war."

Chaaaaaarge!

Jack Hume in action at the Bonallack Trophy

It was a good Friday for four of Ireland's 2015 Walker Cup heroes with Jack Hume, Gary Hurley, Gavin Moynihan and Paul Dunne all playing well around the world.

Amateur golf - Jack Hume finished with a 100 percent record as Europe crushed Asia Pacific 21.5 to 10.5 in the Bonallack Trophy in Portugal.

The Naas star, a two time winner already this season and now 13th in the world, beat Japan’s Toshiki Ishitoku 6 and 5 to win his fourth point from four matches at Vidago Palace Golf Club in north Portugal.

In the Patsy Hankins Trophy, Asia Pacific edged out Europe 17-15, winning five and losing just four of the 12 singles matches.

• Bonallack Trophy
• Patsy Hankins Trophy

Pádraig Harrington at Delhi Golf Club on Friday

Dunne makes India cut; Harrington and Hoey head homeEuropean Tour — Padraig Harrington and Michael Hoey missed the cut in the Hero Indian Open as Greystones’ Paul Dunne made a secodn round charge with a roller coaster 66The Greystones talent made an eagle and eight birdies in a rollercoaster, six under 66 to move from below the cut line into a share 21st on four under, nine shots behind Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris (64) at Delhi Golf Club.Harrington made two bogeys and three birdies on the front nine to claw his way to two under but he bogeyed three holes coming home and missed the level par cut by a shot after a 74 withl Hoey two shots further back on after a 75.Pilkadaris, a veteran of 128 European Tour events and more than 100 on the Asian Tour, recorded nine birdies with a single bogey on the last in an eight under par second round.Tied for second at the Made in Denmark last season but still seeking his first European Tour win, Pilkadaris feels comfortable in India and moved himself to a 13 under par total, three shots clear of SSP Chawrasia and Nacho Elvira.Home favourite SS Chawrasia is a four-time runner-up at this event and is in contention again after a 67. He turned in 34 and then made two brilliant up-and-downs from the trees for birdies on the 11th and 14th before securing another on the 16th.Key Quotes Terry Pilkadaris: “I've played about 40 rounds here at least. We play in different times of the year here so the course plays differently every time we are here but it is just a matter of adapting. It was good. I felt really good out there and I kept going at flags. Everything was feeling good and I kept going at them.”Second round scores131 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 67 64; 134 N Elvira  (Esp) 66 68, S Chawrasia (Ind) 67 67; 136 D Lipsky (USA) 69 67, B Evans  (Eng) 70 66; 137 R Khan  (Ind) 69 68, A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 69, J Campillo (Esp) 66 71; 138 J Quesne  (Fra) 70 68, G Havret  (Fra) 68 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 67 71, C Paisley  (Eng) 70 68, A Da Silva (Bra) 72 66; 139 D Im (USA) 65 74, S Kapur (Ind) 72 67, S Gros (Fra) 69 70, S Kumar (Ind) 67 72, M Kieffer (Ger) 69 70, R McGowan  (Eng) 73 66, A Lahiri (Ind) 68 71Irish: 140  P Dunne (Irl) 74 66. CUT 145 P Harrington (Irl) 71 74, 147 M Hoey  (Nir) 72 75

Jacques Blaauw. Picture © Stafford Ondego

Hurley leads Irish in Kenya

Challenge Tour — West Waterford’s Gary Hurley is tied 22nd on three under after a second round 71 at the Barclays Kenya Open.

The rookie is seven strokes behind South Africa’s Jacques Blaauw, who shot 66 to lead by one on 10 under from Sweden’s Sebastian Soderbergh and South Africa’s Danie Von Tonder at Karen Country Club in Nairobi.

Mount Juliet’s Kevin Phelan (70) shares 33rd on two under  with Gavin Moynihan (71) a shot further back in tied 45.

Rosapenna’s Ruaidhri McGee had six birdies in a fine 68 to make the cut on the mark but Gareth Shaw slipped to a 74 to miss out by one as Chris Selfridge was five off the pace after rounds of 76 and 73.

Back to earth for SeamusWeb.com Tour — Seamus Power crashed back to earth with a bump in the weather-delayed Chitimacha Louisiana Open.The West Waterford man was flying after carding an seven under 64 on St Patrick’s Day to lie just a shot off the lead overnight.But he followed it with a three over 74 on Friday, double bogeying the 18th to falll 46 places to tied 49th on four under to trail clubhouse leader Matt Fast by eight shots when play was suspended due to inclement weather.Fast shot a second successive 65 to lead by a shot on 12 under from Wesley Bryan. Scores