Irish Golf News

Greg Norman during the design phase at Doonbeg — now rebranded "Trump International Golf Links, Ireland" Picture © doonbeglodge.com

It doesn't sound as though the Trump Organisation is a planning a major rebuild of Doonbeg - or "Trump International Golf Links, Ireland" as it has been rebranded since Donald Trump completed a reported €15m purchase earlier this week.

Despite more than €1m in coastal erosion damage, Trump's son Eric told the Clare Champion's Peter O'Connell that the Greg Norman designed track would simply be repaired.

“We knew that coming into the property," he said of the erosion damage. "Quite frankly, there’s no one better in the world at building than us. It’s what we do. We build golf courses. Not that the golf course here is for rebuild. But we’ll make sure that those areas that are damaged are fixed better than ever."

Whatever about the plans for the course, it appears that Eric Trump and his brother Don Trump Jnr had an adventurous trip to Co Clare on Wednesday as winds gusting over 160kph caused major destruction across the country, especially in the southwest.

"Flights from London and Birmingham were cancelled as the storm took hold on Wednesday. Eventually, the Trump brothers, Eric and Don, left England on a flight for Dublin, which was subsequently diverted to Shannon. So after all of that, they reached Doonbeg, ironically ahead of their re-arranged schedule, on Wednesday night."

Clearly, the Trumps are not going to be put off by a little wind, just so long as there are no wind farms around. 

Last year,  An Bord Pleanála (the Irish Planning Board) refused planning permission for what it called "an industrial scale" €200m windfarm near Doonbeg. The plan was to build 45 turbines to a height of 400ft.

Trump Snr lodged plans in October for the second course at his resort in Scotland but this week lost legal bid to stop a £230million wind turbine development at the Aberdeen venue.

He withdrew the planning application on Wednesday — the day he announced the purchase of Doonbeg — and spoke to The Irish Times about the move to Ireland and his opposition to wind farms in Scotland, controversially describing them as a disaster comparable to the Lockerbie jet bombing that killed 270 people in 1988.

“Wind farms are a disaster for Scotland, like Pan Am 103. They make people sick with the continuous noise. They’re an abomination and are only sustained with government subsidy,” he said. “Scotland is in the middle of a revolution against wind farms. People don’t want them near their homes ruining property values,” he said.

As for fears that the Trumps would turn Doonbeg into a private club, Trump Jnr told TodayFM: 

“It’s not that we bought a trophy estate.

"We are going to be very actively involved and we will be there very often. Nothing’s going to change. It’s not going to turn into a private members only kind of thing. 

“It’s always going to be open to the public. We are always going to welcome that.”

The clubhouse and the 18th at The Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. © Rivera Country Club

Pádraig Harrington slumped to a disappointing four over 75 as Darren Clarke opened with a 78 and promptly withdrew from the Northern Trust Open with a chest muscle strain at a demanding Rivera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Leaderboard

As Dustin Johnson conquered firm and fast conditions to post an impressive, five under 66 to lead by a stroke in the clubhouse from a group of 11 players when play was suspended due to darkness, the Irish pair suffered mercilessly at the storied Pacific Palisades track.

Neither man putted well, both using the blade 32 times with Harrington three-putting twice and Clarke suffering the frustration of a four-putt at his fifth hole of the day en route to a 78.

He withdrew shortly after signing his card, citing from a recurrence of the chest muscle injury that forced him to pull out shortly before what would have been his 500th European Tour start at the Qatar Masters three weeks ago.

He wasn't the only one suffering chest pains on a tough course that demanded utter precision.

Harrington got off to an ideal start, holing a 25 footer for a birdie four at the first and a 10 footer at the third to get to two under.

Sadly, he didn't make another birdie until he drained a tough 17 footer across the 18th green for his 75 at provisionally left him tied for 120th.

In between, it was another forgettable day on and around the greens for a player who has struggled to regain his short game dominance since the ban on square grooves came into force.

His slide down the leaderboard began when he took three to get down from the rough right of the tough, 236-yard fourth before dropping three shots in a row before the turn.

At the seventh, he knocked his 40 foot pitch 11 feet past before being forced to take a penalty drop off his tee shot at the eighth.

He then missed the ninth fairway right and after chipping just inside five feet, he missed the par putt and turned in 37.

Three more shots went — two of them through three-putts — before he rescued a stroke at the last.

After failing to make birdie at the 10th, where he had an 18-yard pitch over the right hand bunker for his second, he pulled his approach to the par-five 11th and failed to get up and down for birdie there too.

Bogeys then followed at the 12th - his tee shot came down 214 yards from the tee in the right rough - and the 13th, where he found the left rough off the tee and three putted from 70 feet, missing a four and a half footer.

He did get up and down at the 15th, but that was for par after coming up 40 yards short with his approach.

Bunkered off the tee at the par-five 17th, he eventually gave himself a 10 footer for birdie but knocked it three and a half feet past and missed the return to pencil in another bogey.

Clarke started on the tough back nine and dropped four shots in four holes in the middle on that nine.

A bad drive cost him a bogey before he four-putted the par-three 14th from nearly 60 feet - he left the first one 10 feet short and knocked the next one four feet past before missing again.

Another shot went after a pushed drive stopped him making the green at the 15th and while he curled in a 16-footer for a two at the 16th, he bogeyed the 18th to turn in 40 and came back in 38.

A birdie at the easy par-five first was followed by bogeys at the second, fourth, fifth and seventh though he did hole a good eight footer for par at the ninth.

Mistakes off the tee were costly for the two former Open champions. Clarke hit just seven of 14 fairways while Harrington hit just one more.

As a result, they failed to hit many greens — Harrington managed just nine but it was still one more than Clarke.

Damien McGrane made six birdies in an opening 67 in the Africa Open. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

How low can you go? On a day when 110 players in the Africa Open field broke par, it appears that Waterford Castle's Kevin Phelan may have to shoot another sub-par round just to make his first cut of 2014.

The 23-year old rookie hit every fairway and missed just two greens at East London Golf Club but after getting to three under thanks to a birdie at the fifth and an eagle two at the sixth, he went bogey-birdie-bogey from the 11th and posted a two-under 69 that left him just inside the projected cut mark.

That Damien McGrane shot a four-under 67 and still found himself tied for 30th, five shots behind Portugal's Ricardo Santos (62), says it all about the standard of play on the European Tour these days.

Santos dominated in windy afternoon conditions to take a two-stroke lead over Garth Mulroy, Rhys Davies, Lucas Bjerregaard and Richard Bland.

“It was a good round today," said Santos, the2012 Madeira Islands Open winner. "I played really solidly today and gave myself a lot of chances for birdie, and I took a lot of those chances. I’m very pleased to make a run like I did.

“The weather is awesome — warm, but with a breeze. If the wind blows this is a very tough course, but today if you put the ball in the fairway you had the chance to shoot a low round.

“Tomorrow I need to just enjoy another day. I’ll try my best on every shot and see what happens, because it’s difficult to follow up a low round like this with another low one."

Michael Hoey will have been pleased to keep a bogey off his card as he posted a three-under 68 but a double bogey in a 70 left David Higgins struggling in 92nd spot while Gareth Maybin also had a double and three bogeys in a 71 with a share of 111th on level par.

Irish Boys champion Robin Dawson is the best of the Irish in the Portuguese Amateur Open. Picture: Pat Cashman www.cashmanphotography.ie

Faithlegg's Robin Dawson birdied three of his last four holes to lead the Irish challenge at the halfway stage of the Portuguese Amateur Open.

The Irish Boys champion fired a two under par 70 at Montado near Libson to share 23rd place on level par, seven strokes behind leaders David Morago of Spain and Italy's Renato Paratore.

Dawson is the only Irish player inside the top 40 and ties who will make the cut after 54 holes with The Island's Paul McBride the next best in joint 48th on three over after adding a 75 to his first round 72.

Leaderboard

Stackstown's Richard Bridges is 59th on five over after a 74 with Claremorris' Stephen Healy (75) a shot further back in 66th.

Lucan's Richard O'Donovan (73) and Belvoir Park's Harry Diamond (78) are 68th on seven over with Matthew Wylie back in 111th on 16 over after an 81. 

John Greene, the 2010 South of Ireland champion, is first off in the second RaboDirect Hilary Golfing Society outing of the season at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links on Sunday.

Former South of Ireland champion John Greene will get the second RaboDirect Hilary Golfing Society outing of the season underway at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links on Sunday.

Players are advised to arrive at least 20 minutes before their allocated tee time and to check in with the starter on the day.

Results will be posted on the Hilary website and IrishGolfdesk.com later on Sunday evening 

If, for any reason, you are unable to play on the day, please mail hilarygolf@gmail com

Hilary Golf Society, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, Sunday, February 16 

• 09:39 F Kennedy (The Island), J Greene (Portmarnock), R Knightly (Royal Dublin), G Cullen (Laytown & Bettystown)
• 09:47 D Foley (Royal Dublin), S Kerrigan (Laytown & Bettystown), B Morris (Portmarnock Links), K Knightly (Royal Dublin)
• 09:56 D Curran (St Anne's), R Hutton (The Island), H Foley (Royal Dublin), D Smyth (Malahide)
• 10:06 G Fitzpatrick (Naas), J  Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), R Greegan (Forrest Little) C Broe (Beech Park)
• 10:15 JP Kelly (Naas), D O'Malley (Royal Dublin), A Doherty (Coorstown), P Brennan (Carton House)
• 10:24 S Ryan (Royal Dublin) A Dowling (Hermitage) E Kelly (Co  Meath) B McDonnell (K Club)
• 10:33 J Toal (St Annes), L O'Rourke (Naas), J  Hutton (The Island), T Lilly (Slade Valley)
• 10:42 R Callan, E O'Hehir (Naas), T O'Regan (Carton House), S Clarke (Royal Dublin)
• 10:51 J Monaghan (Royal Dublin), D Heather (Sutton), S O'Donoghue (Royal Dublin), P Higgins (Coorstown)
• 11:00 V O'Rourke (Naas), M Kelly (Forrest Little), J McCarthy (Forrest Little), C Walshe (Dundalk).

Just some of the damage at Limerick Golf Club.

Wednesday's hurricane force winds have caused major damage all over Ireland and golf courses have not escaped unscathed with Limerick Golf Club losing more than 300 trees, many of them more than 100 years old.

Winds gusting over 168kph (103mph) were registered at Shannon Airport and the effects were felt just 20 miles down the road at Limerick, where secretary manager Pat Murray used the word "levelled" to describe the destruction at the historic course which features several holes designed by Alister MacKenzie of Augusta National and Lahinch fame.

"We have approximately 300 trees down, not to mention the damage to boundaries and walls," said the Irish international.

The cost of repairing the damage is set to be "huge" and will take years to repair.

"All the trees down are signature to the holes in question with a lot of the trees over 100 years old," Pat added. 

Not doubt dozens of clubs have similar tales to tell. 

If you have news or pictures, please get in touch.

 Happier times. Niall Turner tees off in 2011 Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie

Niall Turner's Asian Tour Q-School bid has been wrecked by the recurrence of a long-term hip injury.

The 30-year old Muskerry professional withdrew after a first round 77 at Imperial Lakeview and Springfield Royal Country Club in Thailand.

"I had a big flare up in my right hip — the one I had surgery on in April last year — in mid December and only had three days of practice in two months before playing Q School," Turner said.

"My hip was hurting so had to withdraw. It's been an absolute nightmare. I haven't played a Q-School uninjured since January 2011."

Turner missed four months of the season last year when he finally underwent surgery in April having put it off for nearly 18 months.

“I tore the labrum in my right hip socket back in October 2011 and have been putting off the surgery for a while,” Turner explained at the time

“I tore it again last November before the European Tour event in Hong Kong so it’s been a massive hindrance for a long time. I was just waiting for the best time to get the surgery.”

How many events Turner can expect to play on Asian Tour this year remains to be seen but having played 15 events in 2011 and 12 in 2012, he got just two starts last year after failing to get through Q-School.

As for this year's Q-School, Dubliner Niall Kearney shot a one under par 70 at Springfield Royal Country Club to make the one-under par cut with a stroke to spare.

Kearney is tied for 54th on two under 141 in the battle to finish in the top 40 and ties after four rounds and earn an Asian Tour card for 2014.

Two under for the day with nine to play having started on the back nine, he bogeyed the second and third to find himself on the mark but birdied the par-five fifth to make it comfortably in the end.

Americans Jarin Todd and Paul Peterson lead by a stroke on nine under par from Sebasian Gros of France, Australia's Nathan Holman and Switzerland's Martin Rominger. 

Leaderboard

How Rosses Point beach looked at shortly before high tide. 

County Sigo Golf Club has been put back to square one in its efforts to repair the storm damage caused to boundary of the course at Rosses Point beach in January.

A large chunk was taken out of the stretch of unprotected dunes along the 16th and 17th. But while Sligo County Council workers and volunteers were out in force with machinery earlier this week to try and repair the damage, their efforts were quickly undone by mother mature as Storm Darwin hit Ireland.

Work begins on storm damage 

The aftermath

Here's how the beach looked on January 6.

The Island's Paul McBride. Picture Pat Cashman cashmanphotography.ie

The Island's Paul McBride recovered from a horror start to lead the Irish hopefuls after the first round of the Portuguese Amateur Open Strokeplay at Montado near Lisbon.

As Lucan's plus five handicapper Richard O'Donovan started 8-7 (quadruple bogey-double) but eventually regrouped to shoot 78, reigning Ulster Boys champion followed an early birdie at the 12th — his third — with four dropped shots in the next three holes as he went bogey-double bogey-bogey. 

But the 18-year old regrouped, birdied the 17th, the 18th and the seventh to post a level par 72 that left him tied for 17 and just five strokes behind Portugal's Joao Carlota, who fired a 67 to lead by a stroke from the impressive Italian Renato Paratore on five under par.

First round scoreboard [pdf]

Belvoir Park's Harry Diamond birdied the 16th and 18th to salvage a one over par 73 for a share of 27th while Faithlegg's Robin Dawson came back from three opening bogeys to shoot a two over 74 that left him tied for 39th in the 120-strong field. 

Stackstown's Richard Bridges dropped four shots in his last five holes to post a three over 75 that was matched by Claremorris' Stephen Healy. 

But it was a day to forget for O'Donovan as he began with a quadruple bogey eight at the first and then had a double bogey seven at the next.

In the end he did well to follow that with two birdies, two bogeys and 12 par for a six over 78 that left him tied for 82nd.

Matthew Wylie, meanwhile, was 94th after a seven over 79.

 The clubhouse at Springfield Royal Country Club. Picture © AsianTour.com

Dubliner Niall Kearney made a solid start but Cork's Niall Turner has work to do after the first round of the Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand.

Kearney opened with a one under 71 at Imperial Lakeview to share 58th place in the race to finish among the top 40 and ties after four rounds and earn an Asian Tour card for 2014.

But it will be more of an uphill climb now for Turner, who shot a six over 77 at Springfield Royal Country Club. 

Leaderboard

Australia's Nathan Holman fired an eight under 63 at Springfield to lead the 238-strong field by two strokes from American Paul Peterson with the top 40 and ties on two under or better.

Kearney is just a shot outside the qualifying mark after making  an eagle, four birdies and five bogeys in his 71 at Imperial Lakeview, two hours south west of Bangkok.

The Royal Dublin man turned in level par with three birdies and three bogeys on his card but sandwiched an eagle at the 15th between bogeys at the 13th and 16th before a birdie four at the 17th and a par at the last allowed him to finish the day in red figures.

Turner had a more torrid time on the Springfield Royal Course, where he got to two under par early following birdies at the second and the par-five fifth before things went awry.

A double bogey six at the sixth undid all his good work and after a bogey at the ninth, he limped home in 41 blows following a double bogey six at the 11th and bogeys at the 12th, 13th and 17th.

Martin Rominger of Switzerland and Canadian Stuart Andersson shared third place after rounds of 66 and 67 respectively while 12 players including Asian Tour winner Lam Chih Bing of Singapore, China’s Hu Mu, Thailand’s Suppakorn Uthaipat and Sujjan Singh of India shared fifth.

The day belonged to leader Holman who is playing the Asian Tour Qualifying School for the first time.

“It’s my first time here so it’s been kind of pressure-packed for me," said the 22-year-old, who enjoyed a successful amateur career where he was ranked second in Australia and 25th in the world before turning professional last October.

"I just turned professional recently and I thought playing on the Asian Tour is a great pathway for my career. I’ve got a lot of friends playing on the Asian Tour such as Kieren Pratt. I think it’s great to be able to travel with friends. Hopefully I can maintain my good form and secure my card this week.

The the top 80 and ties after two rounds will play the final two rounds at Springfield Royal Country Club.

 Donald Trump and course designer Gil Hanse at last year's Blue Monster redesign announcement at Doral. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie

Now that Donald Trump has bought Doonbeg the question remains: What will the future hold? And will Doonbeg designer Greg Norman get the inevitable redesign gig?

According to our sources, the Shark has so far heard nothing from Trump about a possible revamp of the storm damaged links in Co Clare, now rebranded "Trump International Golf Links, Ireland."

Even without the damage, it's hard to imagine that Trump would leave the course untouched or miss the chance to use an asset of Norman's stature to give the project even more publicity.

After all, he is investing $200 million in the Doral Resort in Miami and the first reviews of the course enhancements carried out  to the famous Blue Monster by Gil Hanse, the designer of the Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro, have been very positive.

Trump prides himself on improving the properties he buys and his son third eldest son Eric —Executive Vice-President of Development and Acquisitions — left the Clare People in no doubt about the Trump Organisation's intentions when he gave the local paper an exclusive interview on Tuesday. 

Emmet Moloney reported:

“We’re really excited about Doonbeg and can’t wait to add the Trump touch to what is already a true diamond of a world class hotel and golf course,” he told Editor of The Clare People Emmet Moloney on Tuesday....

“It will mean jobs and investment for Doonbeg. This is our 16th hotel and golf club and when The Trump Organization get involved in a project like this, our aim is to make it the best in the world. That’s what we will be doing in Doonbeg and we will have fun doing it too.

“We’re thrilled to have bought Doonbeg and we aim to invest a lot of money, adding the Trump touch with renovation and building. We buy assets and always make them better. That’s will be our plan for Doonbeg, which is already world class,” Eric said.

Fourteen handicapper Eric describes his father as "a scratch golfer" and a visit from The Donald himself can surely not be far away. 

Whether he will be with Greg Norman remains to be seen. 

Pádraig Harrington made the video at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club, not far from his home.

We were lucky enough to meet up with some of Ireland's top deaf golfers for a Golf Digest Ireland feature last month. No doubt the boys would be interested to see that Pádraig Harrington's talents have been put to good use by the R&A, who have produced a ten-minute 'Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf' signed by deaf interpreter Nicholas Padden.

Check it out here

The video is signed in British Sign Language, which is different to Irish Sign Language but still widely understood by deaf people in Ireland. 

According to Inishowennews.com, this should lead to fewer rules problems for the deaf, who sometimes have trouble with written English:

The ten-minute 'Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf' is signed by deaf interpreter Nicholas Padden who enjoyed the "challenge" of trying to match Harrington's personality and style.

”It’s been a real privilege to interpret for such a great champion golfer as Padraig Harrington. I understand he has a quick delivery in an Irish brogue!" he said.
Mr Padden was assisted in his interpretation of Harrington's instructions by Signworld director and keen golfer Linda Day.

“Information in written English isn’t always clear to deaf people. I’d now expect to see fewer arguments between deaf golfers about what they think the rules mean," added Ms Day.

Given the rules mistakes made by top professionals such as Rory McIlroy recently and the lack of interest some players have in studying them, this video could be just the ticket.

This "lake" used to be a fairway at Mulranny Golf Club. 

Top golf course designer Tom Doak is aware of the plight of Mulranny Golf Club and its battle to resist the onslaught from the sea. He's even willing to put some of his own hard-earned cash into any potential bid to save the course and even help in the search for backers.

In case you missed it, the nine-hole links in Co Mayo suffered severe flooding damage over the past month and having lost nine of the original 18 holes to the sea in the 1980s, all but three were under water, stone and debris — or all three - just a few days ago.

A fundraising campaign is likely to be the only way to save Mulranny's nine-hole course from oblivion.

And Doak, who has acclaimed designs such as Bandon Dunes and Barnbougle Dunes to his credit to name but two, appears to be moved by Mulranny's plight, according to the Golf Club Atlas forum. [Thanks to reader Jay for the heads up]

Posting on the news story published here last week, Doak wrote: 

Tom Doak. Pic via renaissancegolf.com

I think this golf course is worth saving.  I'd be happy to put some of my own money behind that sentiment, as well as helping to find other money.  All I need is some assurance from the coastal engineers who have consulted there that they can make a difference for a reasonable amount of money.
Has anyone started trying to raise money on the Irish side?  How can we help?

Mulranny Golf Club held a meeting last night to discuss the way forward.

If saving the course is feasible and protecting it from further damage in future storms is an option, Irish clubs and others with a love of grassroots clubs such as Mulranny Golf Club may be willing to raise the estimated six figure sum needed.

José Manuel Lara and Sergio Garcia joke at the prize-giving for the HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2012 Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie

Spain's José Manuel Lara is battling to get fit again after recent back surgery. But he took time off from his rehab to speak to Spanish golf portal Ten-golf.es about a range of subjects. The modern game? Well, he thinks it's pretty boring in general. 

Asked what he thought of the plethora of coaches on the range at tournaments, he said: "Uff, well it's the new school of golf — hard hitting by players who are very well prepared physically. But it's much more monotonous, much more boring, more direct. 

"It's a game of golf where you don't shape the ball, you hit it straight and the further it goes, the better... Today's fans are watching a different type of golf to when Seve played or the greats played the game. New technology has a lot to do with it, but it's not the same. 

"[Is it more boring?] Definitely. It's a lot more boring. Maybe I'm cutting the branch I am sitting on but it really is much more boring. The only player I see really having fun playing the game these days is Miguel [Angel Jiménez]; Pablo [Larrazabal] too because he has a lot of different shots in his locker.

"Sergio has fun simply because he hits it so well; Tiger and Rory too. There are maybe five or six players who really connect with the fans in that way, shaping the ball at the flag.

"Miguel loves shaping the ball. But players don't do that now. They go for the heart of the green or if they do go at the pin it's because they are only hitting pitching wedge because they hit the ball so far.

"Henrik Stenson? He's a great great guy, really funny and someone I've known since my amateur days. But he's more of a caveman because he plays a very physical game, He hits three wood, he putts well but he just hits it as hard as he can to take advantage because the courses are getting longer and longer. 

"They should design courses that are more intricate, more complex, with more trees. I have an idea for a course in my head — I can see the undulations and the vegetation — but it would have to be 6,700 metres long (7327 yards) with the distance guys hit the ball these days.

'They have lots of great course like that in America – Akron is a good course, for instance. But the problem is that the same guy wins all the time — it's designed for the number one."

Doonbeg will be renamed "Trump International Golf Links, Ireland"

Donald Donald Trump has confirmed his purchase of Doonbeg Golf Club in Co Clare according to the Irish Examiner's Tony Leen.

Donald Trump at Doral last year, when he unveiled his plans for the revamping of the Blue Monster. The Miami design has met with positive reviews. But what plans are afoot for Doonbeg? Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

“I am thrilled to announce that we have purchased yet another incredible golf resort.

“From Trump National Doral, Miami to Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, known as ‘the greatest golf course in the world,’ we only have the best.

"Doonbeg is an already terrific property that we will make even better - it will soon be an unparalleled resort destination with the highest standards of luxury,” said Mr Trump today.

Doonbeg Golf Club will be renamed Trump International Golf Links, Ireland, and is spread over 400-acres fronting for 2 ½ miles on the Atlantic Ocean and features an 18-hole championship golf links course." 

What Trump made of the erosion damage caused by the massive storms that hit Doonbeg in early January and again recently, remains to be seen.

Considering he's spent a reported €15 million ($20.5m) on the acquisition he can't have been too worried about reports that, among other damage, the back tee at the 18th has been lost along with 10-15% of the 18th fairway.

Preservation orders on the famous "grey dunes" and moves to protect of the famous Vertigo Angustior snail held up construction of the golf course for several years. 

According to an Irish Independent report, reproduced by course designer Greg Norman on his website, the snails are now thriving.

Waiting to see if Doonbeg thrives under Trump is another question.

According to The Irish Examiner, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump will be arriving in Ireland tomorrow to announce further details.

Donald Trump. Pictured at Doral last year by Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie

Donald Trump's interest in Ireland is not new. In 2011, his son Donald Jnr flew to Dublin and trawled through the NAMA properties looking for a potential investment.

He also visited St Patrick's at Rosapenna with a view to buying the course. Nothing happened and Rosapenna was snapped up by the Casey family at Rosspenna.

Now, according to the Irish Examiner, Trump is set to swoop in and pay €15m for Doonbeg in Co Clare, which went into receivership last month.

Tony Leen writes: 

The flamboyant New Yorker, who already owns a suite of 15 golf resorts around the world, is understood to be close to agreeing a package to purchase the resort from investment fund company, King Street. 

Ernst & Young’s Luke Charleton and David Hughes were appointed receivers last month, and expressed their confidence at the time that a sale would be completed within six weeks... The resort’s general manager, Joe Russell, said last month that those who had declared an interest in the purchase “have money”.

Doonbeg Golf Resort in Co Clare.

Trump is in the process of investing $200m in revamping he Doral Resort and the redesigne Blue Monster re-opened to positive reviews just a few days ago.

Twelve months ago, when rumours were circulating about his interest in acquiring an Irish course. he said: "I guess it's possible, right?"

He ruled out Adare Manor, saying: "When you can buy 'em for 10 cents in the dollar, I've no interest."

Now it appears that Doonbeg is ripe for the picking — a five star resort with a Greg Norman designed links course — that has debt due to unsold properties but still works well.

Given the problems the people of Aberdeen have had with Trump International Golf Links, some will be worried about the arrival of the most famous combover in golf.

Cian Curley refuses to just fade away and has reached out to the public for help through crowdfunding via Pledge Sports

When you’re 28, living with your parents and your annual income is so small that even the smallest expenditure leads to more soul-searching than you care to imagine, it’s hard to persuade people that you are a prospect worthy of investment, a talent worth nurturing.

After nearly three years as a professional golfer, Dubliner Cian Curley has barely made a dent in the rhinoceros-stiff hide of the pro game and yet he’s got a story worthy of attention and talent and the determination to some day look back on this stage of his career, shake his head and say, I remember when…

Pro sports is replete with stories of stars who were on true verge of quitting but got a helping hand just when they needed it most.

What would have become of Paul McGinley if Padraig OhUiginn had used his considerable clout as Secretary-General of the Department of The Taoiseach to free up funds to back his move to the University of San Diego?

Where would Pádraig Harrington have ended up without those early sponsors or Darren Clarke, when he borrowed money to buy a cashmere coat and turned up to see Chubby Chandler about representation, looking every inch the superstar he went on to become.

McGinley, Clarke and Harrington all battled their way through the hard school of knocks, I hear you say — the Q-School. But while old school pros like Des Smyth will recall a time when sponsorship meant playing everyone in the Links Golf Society on the card over the winter to scrape together the money to fund his early forays onto the European Tour, the golfing landscape has changed utterly over the past decade.

Cian Curley, back centre, with the 2008 Irish team that won the European Amateur Team Championship. Shane Lowry was a member of the same team. 

Having some financial backing, however, small it might seem to those handing over the cash, is a huge boost to the modern player looking for another reason to put in the hard work when it would be far easier to throw in the towel.

Even the great Jimmy Kinsella, the first Irishman to win on the fledgling European Tour in 1972, admits that he would never have been able to keep going had a kindly Castle member not given him £150 and said, “It’s not a loan, just go out there and play.”

Within a few months, Kinsella turned the £150 into £800 and within a year, he was accepting a £1,500 fortune from the future King of Spain for winning the 1972 Madrid Open at Club de Campo, the same course where Harrington would win his first event 24 years later.

Curley – a former Irish international, East of Ireland champion and Irish Close runner up — is taking the modern route and joined another nine young Irish sports people at Pledge Sports, a revolutionary new crowdfunding platform that’s designed to help fund professional athletes, teams and clubs.

Cian Curley. Picture © Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

How does it work? It’s simple. By reaching out to their fans and the general public through their Pledge Sports profile page, they offer fans something in return for a raft of small investments as they try to reach a set amount goal amount that will make a massive difference in their battle to make it through the pro sports jungle.

Fans are encouraged to support through donations and in return can receive rewards such as being publicly thanked via social media, raffle tickets to win valuable items, signed merchandise, coaching and mentoring.

Pledge €10 and you will get a simple thank you on the campaign website. Promise €25 and you get “a shout out on my social media accounts and a personal thank you email.”

For €50 you get all of the above and a signed photo, for €100 you get than and personal golf tips. Up the ante to anything between €500 and €3,000 and you could anything from a corporate day to logo placement on Curley’s clothing.

According to founder Richard Pearson, “Pledge Sports is a ground breaking new funding mechanism for professional sports people, teams and clubs.''

A massive $5.1 billion was raised globally through crowdfunding last year and that figure is expected to double in 2014 to over $10 billion.

“I’ve tried everything at this stage and had almost give up, but this could be really great for me" — Cian Curley. Picture © Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

As Pledge Sports said at its launch this week: “Companies can get promoted through social media, brand endorsement, photo calls and brand ambassadorship. It's a great grassroots PR story for any company seen to be helping out our most talented athletes. It is essentially a form of micro sponsorship for companies."

Curley has joined a team of promising young Irish sports people such as swimmer Barry Murphy, eventer Camilla Speirs or 1,500m runner John Coughlan, son of former world champion Eamonn Coghlan.

It’s a no-brainer for Curley, who could need anything from €15,00 to €30,000 to fund a full season’s golf that will see him compete on the PGA Europro Tour, the Challenge Tour and return to the Q-School having been forced to give it a miss last year through lack of funds.

“I’ve tried everything at this stage and had almost give up, but this could be really great for me,” says Curley, who will return to action on the Europro Tour in April.

“If people support me, no matter how small their support might be in money terms, they will get something back in return - a simple thank you, a round of golf, a lesson… right up to branding and corporate golf days. I know it has worked in the US and Canada but I don’t think it has be tried on his scale in Ireland before.

“I haven’t set any exact target yet playing on mini tours and the Europro Tour if can cost a lot of money to fund yourself for the year.”

Having helped an Irish team that featured the likes of Shane Lowry to win the European Team Championship in 2008, Curley finished runner up in the 2009 Irish Close before going to win the East of Ireland in 2010.

"I am now 28 and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but here I am three years later, feeling more positive than I have ever felt about my game. Things are looking up." — Cian Curley 

He shot 69 in his first pro start, injured his back warming up for the second round and missed the next six months. Since then it has been a struggle with more highs than lows. But having toyed briefly with the thought of joining some many others in throwing in the towel when he was at his lowest point last year, he’s hoping Pledge Sports can help re-iginite his career.

“I didn't have a good year last year and after only playing six events I stopped in August to assess where my career was going. I needed technical help to get some confidence back into my game and that’s worked brilliantly and I am putting the ball in play off the tee now.

"I would have expected to progress a little further after nearly three seasons as a pro but I think, I’ve always had certain flaws and the professional game exposes them a bit.

“Last year I really struggled with my driving and made the cut in only three of the six events I could afford to play. I wasn’t progressing as I wanted even though I’ve been to Stage Two of the Q-School and come close to getting through. I simply didn’t have the money to go last year.

“As hard as it was not to go, I decided it was better to start preparing for this year. I am now 28 and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but here I am three years later, feeling more positive than I have ever felt about my game. Things are looking up. 

“Six months ago I was thinking about all the guys I have seen pack it in. And I admit, the thought did  cross my mind. But I’ve put a new plan in place and been working hard on it since last September. To be honest, perhaps I needed to have that season to make the decisions that I needed to make to go forward.

Getting off the mini tour merry-go-round is now the goal and if his crowdfunding campaign works, he will have enough cash to give it a real go this year.

“With the mini tours, when you turn pro, you really need to come out of the blocks fast, play well and get off the mini tour as fast as you can. When you do that, you move up a level and you are playing for bigger prize funds.”

While God helps those who help themselves, a helping hand at the right time could make all the difference.

 Rory McIlroy splashes out of a greenside bunker in the first round of the  142th Open Championship at Muirfield last year. 18/7/2013 Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy wants to follow in the footsteps on Phil Mickelson next July.  Yes, he wants to win the Scottish Open and The Open back-to-back, but if he does win the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen, he will have matched Mickelson by winning a 72-hole strokeplay event on a links course for the first time.

McIlroy won two national senior events as an amateur and seven provincial titles in different age categories in Ireland between 2002 and 2006.

But while three of those wins came on links courses, all were matchplay events. 

He won back-to-back West of Ireland Championships at County Sligo Golf Club in Rosses Point in 2005 and 2006 — becoming the youngest winner aged 15 — and the 2006 Irish Amateur Close at The European Club in Co Wicklow.

While he came close, he didn't win the medal award to the leading qualifier in either of the three and in the two Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay Championships he played on links courses, he came closest to victory when he lost a three-hole aggregate playoff to Finland's Antti Ahokas  at Portmarnock in 2006.

Even the year he shot a course record 61 in qualifying for the 2005 North of Ireland Amateur Open at Royal Portrush, he failed to go on and win one of Ireland's premier matchplay titles.

He had no luck in the big links strokeplay championships held in England, Scotland or Wales either, despite twice coming close to victory in the Lytham Trophy while in his Irish Open appearances on links courses he has finished tied 50th at County Louth (2009) and tied 10th at Royal Portrush.

As a professional, he has an enviable stroke average at St Andrews and yet he has never won the Alfred Dunhill Links Trophy.

He was beaten by two strokes by compatriot Michael Hoey in the 2011 edition, having finished third as a rookie in 2007, eighth in 2008, tied second in 2009 and 53rd in 2010.

As for The Open, he won the silver medal awarded to the leading amateur at Carnoustie in 2007 but as a professional, his results have generally been discreet.

While he opened with a 63 and eventually finished tied third in the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews, his best performance in his other five Opens as a professional is share of 25th behind Darren Clarke at Royal St George's in 2011.

Following his disappointing missed cut in last years Open at Muirfield, he vowed to prepare for this year's Open at Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) by playing the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen the previous week (July 10-13).

That news was confirmed on Monday and if he didn't need any more encouragement, he pointed to Mickelson's stunning links double last year as a good reason to give it a go.

“I can think of no better preparation for The Open, especially on a respected course like Royal Aberdeen," he is quoted as saying in a press release. "There will also be so many similarities I can bring to the following week’s Open Championship...

“Phil winning the double last year made me realise that the Scottish Open is more than good preparation for The Open - he showed it was possible to win both weeks. 

"The Scottish Open going back to a traditional links course was something that made a lot of sense”

“Yet you can play as much golf on links courses as you want, but until that’s in a competitive environment you can never tell how ready your game will be. It really is so important, then, to get some competitive golf on a true, challenging links."

Rory McIlroy's Amateur titles

• 2006 European Amateur Championship (Strokeplay), Biella Golf Club, Italy (parkland)
• 2006 Irish Amateur Close (Matchplay), The European Club (links)
• 2006 West of Ireland Amateur Open (Matchplay), Co Sligo (links)
• 2005 Irish Amateur Close (Matchplay), Westport (parkland)
• 2005 West of Ireland Amateur Open (Matchplay), Co Sligo (links)
• 2004 Irish Boys Amateur Open (Strokeplay), Castlebar (parkland)
• 2004 Irish Youths Amateur Close (Strokeplay), Clandeboye (parkland)
• 2004 Ulster Boys, (Matchplay), Holywood (Parkland)
• 2003 Ulster Boys, (Matchplay), Donaghadee (Links/parkland)
• 2002 Ulster Under 15 Boys, Shandon Park (Parkland)

Graeme McDowell holes a birdie putt in the final round at Pebble Beach, where he finished tied for seventh. 

Graeme McDowell began his year with a Top-10 finish for just the third time in 13 seasons as Jimmy Walker claimed his third win from his last eight starts with a nervy victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

As Pádraig Harrington signed off with a 72 and finished nine behind Walker on two under in a share of 27th — no doubt regretting those six dropped shots in a three-hole stretch at Monterey Peninsula on Saturday — McDowell posted an impressive 67 to finish tied for seventh on six under.

The Rathmore man surged 32 places up the leaderboard thanks to a seven-birdie round that required just 26 putts and boosted his Ryder Cup World Points account to boot.

Having flirted briefly with the cut mark on Saturday, he saved the best for last as he covered Pebble Beach's back nine in 34 and then came home in an impressive 33 thanks to a generally clinical performance on the greens.

Graeme McDowell speaking to the media earlier in the week  at Pebble Beach.

A missed four footer at the 11th saw him drop an early shot but there were few errors after that as the world No 15 showed some welcome early season form before his next appearance in the WGC-Accenture Match Play in less than a fortnight.

Three birdies in a row from the 12th — he holed from seven feet, nine feet and 14 feet — followed by a hole-out from 15 feet from the fringe of the 16th, catapulted him into the higher echelons of the leaderboard.

Not even a bogey at the 18th, where he missed the fairway and then failed to get up and down after putting his third in the front bunker, could stop his momentum for long.

After picking up a shot at the par-five second, he drained an 18 footer for birdie at the third and got up and down from 43 yards for another birdie at the par-five sixth to get to five under for the day.

Even after airmailing the par-three seventh, he managed to save par from nine feet and if he can show that kind of form with the blade in Tucson, he will be an opponent to fear.

Pádraig Harrington had a mixed week at Pebble Beach but finished tied for 27th.

As for Harrington, the Dubliner was again far from his very best inside 100 yards but apart from his lack of success with 15 footers, he generally holed out well and pulled off several of his trademark par saves around the greens.

To put his performance in context, he made just one birdie fewer than eventual winner Walker but had seven bogeys, two double bogeys and a triple compared to just six bogeys all week by the champion.

In fact, five of Walker's bogeys came in the final round, where he went out in one under to lead by six shots but then went on the defensive.

Four bogeys and a birdie left him just one clear playing the last and he ended up having to hole a nasty five footer for his par five, a closing 74 and a one-stroke win over Dustin Johnson (66) and Jim Renner (67) on 11 under.

"It's drama, man," 35-year old Texan Walker said at the finish. "It was too much for me."

There wasn't much too drama in Harrington's round with the longest putt he holed a solitary 10 footer in a 29-putt round.

Like McDowell, he started on the back nine and was forced to make a sensational par save at the short 12th, where he hit a gloriously soft cut up shot to two feet from the rough left of the green.

Pádraig Harrington watches his birdie try shave the hole at the 15th.

He then three-putted the 13th from 40 feet, knocking his first putt nearly five feet past before missing the return.

Bunkered off the tee at the par-five 14th, he left himself 102 yards to the pin for his third but over shot the green, came up 11 feet short with a difficult chip from below the surface and bogeyed again

Little went right for him all day.

At the 15th, he hit a nice wedge over the pin but was unlucky that it failed to spin even a fraction, leaving him a treacherous 15 footer from above the hole that failed to break in time.

At the 16th, he missed the green with his approach but got another bad break when his ball hit a greenside microphone and ricocheted even further right of the green.

Short sided, he still managed to save par from eight feet and then pulled off a similar recovery at the 17th, where he splashed out to five and a half feet from the trap left of the green.

Two superb strikes to the 543-yard 18th set up a 15 foot eagle chance. But he didn't give the left to right putt enough speed, missed low and had to settle for birdie and an outward nine of one over par 37.

He again hit the green in two at the 502 yard second and two putted for birdie, but handed that shot straight back at the next when he bunkered a 129 yard approach and barely made the green with his sand shot.

He was smiling again a hole later, where he hit a 72 yard pitch to 10 feet and confidently drained the birdie putt.  But he missed the green with a wedge at the par-five sixth and had to get up and down from around the green at both the eighth and ninth to post his 72.

Having failed to win, Harrington will now miss the WGC-Accenture Match Play for the second time in three-years.

He has yet to qualify for the Masters or the US Open but still has time to earn the PGA Tour win he almost certainly needs.

It was still a good week for Harrington in the Pro-Am as he and his 13-handicap partner JP McManus finished tied for 11th.

It was even better for Dermot Desmond and Rafael Cabrera Bello, who were joint third behind Renner and restaurant tycoon John Harkey Jnr. 

Pádraig Harrington went from contention to making up the numbers in the space of two holes. Archive picture: Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Two holes from hell — a triple and a double bogey in quick succession — crushed Padraig Harrington's hopes of a heavenly return to the winner's circle in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

The Dubliner was cruising at Monterey Peninsula, four under for the day and comfortably inside the top 10 as he prepared to tackle his final eight holes.

He'd made five birdies and just one bogey all day — a three-putt at the fourth — before he bunkered his tee shot at the par-three 11th and failed to get up and down.

It appeared to be only a minor hiccup but two holes later, the 42-year old's hopes of challenging for his first PGA Tour win since 2008 had been dashed to pieces, not by his putting but his long game.

A triple bogey eight at the 12th, where he took four to reach the fairway after a bad drive, was quickly followed by a double bogey six at the next after another poor tee shot from a player who has been hitting the ball extremely well from tee to green.

Suddenly, Ireland's triple major winner was back on one-under par and anxiously looking at the projected, level par cut.

Two pars, followed by a bride at the par-five 16th frightened that spectre away and he eventually signed for a one over 72 that left him tied for 31st on two under par but out of contention for a win that could have qualified him for the WGC-Accenture Match Play in a couple of weeks as well as the Masters.

He's a distant 11 strokes behind clubhouse leader Jimmy Walker, who posted an impressive four under 67 at the same track - the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club — to lead New Zealander Tim Wilkinson and American Hunter Mahan  by six shots on 13 under par. Leaderboard

A victory at Pebble Beach on Sunday would be Walker's third of the 2013-14 season but hopes of an Irish triumph rest with Dermot Desmond, who is tied for third in the Pro-Am with his partner Rafael Cabrera Bello.

Harrington and JP McManus also made the cut for the top 25 teams but there was no luck for the McDowells.

Like Harrington, Graeme McDowell also had to grind to make the final day as he carded a level par 72 in tough conditions on his first competitive round at Pebble Beach since his 2010 US Open victory.

The Portrush man was two over for the day through 12 holes after mixing birdies at the second and the fifth with bogeys at the third, fourth, ninth and 12th.

At one over par, he was heading for a day off on Sunday but he got up and down from 34 yards for birdie at the 14th, and then holed a 10 footer for another birdie at the next before closing with three pars to end the day 12 behind the leader in a tie for 39th on one-under.

European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley had a tough, made tougher by a suspension in play for high winds that blew balls off the more exposed greens as it gusted over 30mph.

Playing at Monterey Peninsula, the Dubliner had no luck on the greens as he racked up eight bogeys and just one birdie in a 78 to finish well off the pace on six over in what is one of his favourite events.

Play was suspended due to darkness with 12 players yet to complete their third rounds.