Irish Golf News

Pádraig Harrington, pictured at Pebble Beach before the tournament. Picture: Kenneth E Dennis/ kendennisphoto.com

Pádraig Harrington hauled himself back onto the fringes of contention for the victory he needs in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to qualify for the WGC-Accenture Match Play later this month.

The three-time major winner, now 134th in the world, carded a three-under par 69 in the second round at Spyglass Hill thanks to some solid ball-striking and generally tidy play on and around the greens.

Three birdies on his outward half, the back nine, coupled with two sand saves and a couple of single putts from the fringe saw him turn in 33 and officially use the blade just 11 times.

His back nine was less clinical and while the three-putted the par-four sixth for his lone bogey of the day, he came back with a birdie at the short par-four seventh and parred his way home to leap 68 places up the leaderboard to joint 28th on three-under par.

Leaderboard

He's still six shots adrift of leaders Jimmy Walker and Jordan Spieth ahead of his third round at Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

And while breaking a winless PGA Tour streak that dates to the 2008 US PGA is a major challenge, he has the added incentive of chasing the Pro-Am prize alongside close pal JP McManus.

Graeme McDowell shows balance in Thursday's first round at Spyglass Hill. Picture: Kenneth E Dennis/ kendennisphoto.com

The Irish pair are tied for 16th on 13 under par — the same mark as Dermot Desmond and Rafael Cabrera Bello of Spain — and are just inside the top-25 teams who will qualify for Sunday's final round at Pebble Beach.

As for the other two Irishmen in the field, European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley followed his flawless 67 at Pebble Beach on Thursday with a 76 at Spyglass Hills that relegated him from seventh to 60th on one-under par.

The Dubliner had five bogeys with his lone birdie coming at the par-five 14th, his fifth hole of the day, in a round that was a struggle from start to finish.

Graeme McDowell shot a level at 71 at Monterey Peninsula to creep up 13 places to joint 60th alongside McGinley in his first start of the season after a 10-week winter break.

His task now is to shoot a solid round on the course where he won the 2010 US Open, Pebble Beach Golf Links.

After a slugglish start to a round that began on the back nine, McDowell birdied the 15th and 16th to turn in two under but lost momentum on the way home with a three-putt bogey at the first and another dropped shot at the fourth.

At the business end of the leaderboard, Walker put himself in position to win for the third time in the course of the 2013-14 wraparound season with a three-under par 69 at Spyglass Hill.

It was a score that left him on nine under par alongside the impressive, 20-year old Texan Spieth, who carded a four-under par 67 at Monterey Peninsula.

Up to 16th in the world from 810th just over a year ago, Spieth has had one win and four runner up finishes over the past 12 months and looks likely to challenge for a place on the US Ryder Cup team as he's currently 20th in the race for one of nine automatic spots on Tom Watson's side.

Walker and Spieth lead by a stroke from Hunter Mahan (68 at Spyglass Hill) with the overnight leader, rookie Andrew Loupe alone in fifth on seven under after a 73 at a blustery Pebble Beach.

Reigning Open champion Phil Mickelson also shot a 73 at Pebble Beach when he three-putted from more than 50 feet to bogey the last and slip back to 17th on four under, five off the pace.

Peter Lawrie appears lost in thought during the second round of the Joburg Open. The Dubliner has made just two cuts in 17 starts since last year's Irish Open. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

All four Irishmen in the field missed out on the weekend action as Italy's Edoardo Molinari continued his return to form by claiming a share of the halfway lead at the Joburg Open.

Scores

The cut fell at a formidable four-under par 139 for the third year in a row — it was 138 in 2011 — which was two shots too low for Damien McGrane as he followed his opening 66 on the West Course with a three over 75 on the East to finish on two under 141.

Rookie Kevin Phelan had work to do after his level par 71 on day one, but having battled his way to three under without a mistake through 13 holes, he bogeyed the 15th and the 17th on the East to miss out by three.

Waterville's David Higgins was tied for 42nd starting the day but dropped two shots in his first four holes and had 35 putts in a four over 76 on the East Course to end up well off the pace on one-over par.

Peter Lawrie's horrible run continued despite a brave effort to come back from a four over par 76 on the East Course on Thursday.

Two birdies in his first six holes gave him a glimmer of hope that he could end a run of six successive missed cuts.

But a double bogey six at the seventh was enough to send that dream up in smoke and he slumped to a three over 74 and his 15th missed cut from 17 starts since last June's Irish Open.

As for Molinari, the 32 year old Italian has been plagued by injury problems since making his Ryder Cup debut alongside brother Francesco in 2010.

He has slipped from the 14th in the world in October 2010 to 220th this week but having finished ninth in last week's Dubai Desert Classic, the former US Amateur champion impressed with a 68 left him tied at the top of the leaderboard with Scotland’s Craig Lee on 11 under par.

Lee shot 67 on the West Course, having impressed with a 65 on the East set-up on day one, as he chases a maiden European Tour title.

England’s David Horsey and home favourite George Coetzee share third on ten under.

Horsey, like the majority of the field, is chasing not only the €206,050 first prize but also one of three Open Championship places on offer for to those not already exempt and finishing in the top ten.

Coetzee has had 24 top-ten finishes on The European Tour, but is hoping to land his first victory on home soil this weekend.

"I know what to expect and tomorrow I’ll try to stay patient and make a few putts on the way home,” he said.

Seven players sit two shots from the top of a congested leaderboard with Finland’s Roope Kakko most prominent after a brilliant eight under par 64 on the tricky East Course.

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy blamed a cold putter as he finished tied for second behind local hero Jason Smith in the South African Amateur Strokeplay in Johannesburg.

Just a shot behind Scotland's Bradley Neil overnight, the 20-year old North of Ireland Strokeplay champion briefly took the lead with five holes to play but finished with four pars and a birdie for a 71 and was overtaken by Smith, who birdied the 16th and 18th to card a 69 and win by one on 14 under par.

McElroy share second place with Neil (72) and South Africa's Stefan Cronje, who had a hole in one at the 12th and birdies at the 13th and 14th to take the lead before bogeys at the 15th and 17th undid his challenge.

“I played really well, but it was all about putting,” McElroy told the South African Golf Association website. “Four birdies and three bogeys were not too bad, but I missed seven six-footers for birdie.

"When you are putting like that, you can’t expect to win. It was Jason’s day and he was a deserved winner.

“But at least I improved on my fifth place last year; that’s something positive to take home with me.”

Final scoreboard

It was a great week for the Irish with West Waterford's Gary Hurley and Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge getting into the mix with early charges in the final round.

Hurley finished tied for 11th on nine under par after a 68 and was only denied a top ten finish by a bogey at the 17th.

"Two good weeks in SA," he tweeted. "T5th and a T11th :) nice to shoot -20 for the 8 rounds #learning"

Selfridge was also hot on the final day as he birdied the first and second and followed a bogey at the fifth with a birdie at the seventh and an eagle three at the ninth to turn in 32.

 2014 South African Stroke Play champion Jason Smith. Credit Dale Boyce / www.saga.co.za

Further birdies at the 10th and 11th left him just two shots off the lead on 10 under par after. But he ended up coming home in level par 36 for a 68 and a share of 16th on eight under as he followed a bogey at the 13th and a birdie at the next with a costly double bogey six at the 17th.

"Very disappointing finish to a great day's golf," Selfridge tweeted. "Was nice to be in contention though. #onwardsandupwards"

Naas' Jack Hume was joint 19th on seven under after a 69 while Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan closed with a 73 to share of 27th on four under.

Mourne's Reeve Whitson birdied two of his last three holes for a 70 to finish tied 44th on level par while Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon signed off with a 72 to share 58th on four over.

As for McElroy, the Ulsterman got off to a slow start and was one over par before reeling off a hat-trick of birdies from the ninth to briefly take the lead.

However, back to back bogeys at the 12th and 13th proved costly and while he birdied the last, playing partner Smith holed a gusty three-footer for a matching birdie and an emotional one-stroke victory.

“This is undoubtedly the greatest moment of my career, but it was so tough out there,” Smith said. “I am absolutely drained, but it was so worth it."

When Cronje failed to birdie the final hole, Smith knew he need a birdie four at the last to win.

“I wasn’t nervous on the tee, because the tee shot sets up perfectly for me and I executed the approach perfectly,” Smith explained. “I had about four meters to the pin, so I lagged it to about three foot. That’s when the nerves hit me.

“I promise you, I was shaking from head to toe. I was so relieved when the putt dropped that I didn’t even realise at first that I’d won the SA Stroke Play. What a feeling when it hit home!”

South African Amateur Strokeplay Championship, Benoni GC (Par 72)Final

1 -14 Jason Smith Irene Country Club 71 66 68 69 274

T2 -13 Stephan Cronje Nigel Golf Club 69 67 69 70 275

T2 -13 Bradley Neil Blairgowrie 70 66 67 72 275

T2 -13 Dermot McElroy Ballymena 69 65 70 71 275

5 -12 Romain Langasque Bordeaux 71 69 69 67 276

T6 -11 Zander Lombard Woodhill Country Club 70 70 70 67 277

T6- 11 Toby Tree Golf at Goodwood 70 73 69 65 277

T8 -10 Christiaan Bezuidenhout Nigel Golf Club 64 74 69 71 278

T8 -10 Kyle McClatchie Serengeti Golf And Wildlife Estate 68 72 68 70 278

T8 -10 Edgar Catherine Golf d'Aix en Province71 70 67 70 278

--- Other Irish ---

T11 -9 Gary Hurley West Waterfold 69 70 72 68 279

T16 -8 Chris Selfridge Moyola Park 66 74 72 68 280

T19 -7 Jack Hume Naas GC 73 70 69 69 281

T27 -4 Geoff Lenehan 71 70 70 73 284

T44 Ev Reeve Whitson Mourne 73 73 72 70 288

T58 +4 Robbie Cannon Balbriggan GC 71 75 74 72 292

Michael Hoey is the new touring professional for Northern Ireland Open hosts Galgorm Castle.

Hoey, who turns 35 next week, was tournament ambassador for last year’s Northern Ireland Open, the first European Challenge Tour event to take place in Northern Ireland for 10 years.

“I am thrilled to continue the strong working relationship we have with Galgorm Castle,” Hoey said. “I was fortunate enough to take on the ambassador role for the Northern Ireland Open and will continue to do so for this year’s event. To become Galgorm’s Touring Professional forges an already strong bond between us.”

The link with Galgorm is a natural fit, for like the Ballymena venue, Hoey’s story has been one of gradual  progression.

After winning the Amateur Championship and helping Great Britain and Ireland to Walker Cup success in 2001, success in the professional ranks came slowly.

However, after several years learning his trade, he now has five European Tour wins and three Challenge Tour wins to credit with his most recent victory coming in last season’s Russian Open in Moscow.

The dominant manner of his four-shot showed that he is the type of player who knows how to get the job done when in contention.

This season his goal is to achieve greater consistency in a bid to climb the world rankings and hasn’t ruled out playing in the Ryder Cup one day.

As for Galgorm, securing Hoey couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We are delighted Michael will represent Galgorm Castle on tour and promote one of Northern Ireland’s top destinations,” explained Gary Henry, Director Galgorm Castle.

“We feel Michael is the perfect ambassador to profile Galgorm Castle on the international stage. Michael has retained his close connections with Northern Ireland and we look forward to supporting him as his career develops.” 

The announcement coincides with the next phase of an ambitious £8million (€9.6m) redevelopment programme at Galgorm Castle.

Michael Hoey - Biography

• Residence: Northern Ireland DOB: 13/02/79
• Turned Pro: 2002 (plus 3)
• Biggest European Tour prize: €588,149 (Alfred Dunhill Links Championship victory 2011)

Career HighlightsEuropean Tour wins (5)

• 2013: M2M Russian Open
• 2012: Tropheé Hassan II
• 2011: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
• 2011: Madeira Islands Open
• 2009: Estoril Open de Portugal

European Challenge Tour (3)

• 2008: Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic 
• 2007: Tessali-Metaponto Open di Pugila e Basilicata
• 2005: BA CA Open

Amateur Highlights

• 2001: The Amateur Championship, Walker Cup (GB&I won)
• 2000: North of Ireland Amateur Open
• 1998: Irish Amateur Open

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A happy Paul McGinley walks off the fifth green following his birdie two. 

European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley outshone major winners Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell in the weather-delayed opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Following three-hour rain stoppage early in the day, the man who will lead Europe's defence at Gleneagles in September birdied the par-five 18th in near darkness to card a bogey free, five under par 67 to trail unheralded clubhouse leader Andrew Loupe by just three strokes.

The 47-year old putted superbly to pick up five birdies and keep a bogey off his card, which was something that both McDowell and Harrington failed to do on a long opening day in California.

McDowell dropped an early shot at the fourth at Spyglass Hill — one of three venues the pro-am teams play on alternate days — but birdied the seventh, 11th and 17th before dropping his second shot of the day at the 18th.

His one under 71 left him provisionally tied for 73rd while Harrington did well in the end to finish the day tied for 97th after level par 72 at Pebble Beach that was very much a tale of two halves. 

Had he holed a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th, the 42-year old triple major winner would have finished the day in the red.

But considering he was two over par with seven to play and had holed almost nothing little until he made a brace of twos on the back nine, draining a 25 footer at the 12th and a 30 footer at the iconic 17th to get back to level par, a 72 was an acceptable return.

The happier of the Irish trio was undoubtedly McGinley, who got off to a tremendous start with three birdies in his first six holes in partnership with TaylorMade CEO Mark King. 

After a two-putt birdie at the second, he holed a seven footer for par at the third, missed a birdie chance from a similar length at the next before draining a 30 footer from the fringe for a bonus birdie at the par-three fifth.

He then holed a 16 footer for birdie at the par-five sixth and saved par from 10 feet at the eighth and from eight feet at the ninth to turn in 33.

The European Ryder Cup skipper missed a chance from 12 feet at the 10th but was back on the birdie trail at the 11th, holing an 11-footer to move into the top ten on four under par.

He was in trouble just once more after that but resolved the situation with a deft chip from the right greenside to 18 inches at the 16th before getting up and down from 80 yards at the 18th for a satisfying closing birdie.

It was a far tougher day for Harrington as he partnered JP McManus to an eight under 64 and a provisional share of 13th in the team competition (McGinley and King were 42nd after a 66 with Graeme and Kenny McDowell tied 109th after a 69).

Despite struggling with the lefts early in his round, Harrington holed a nine footer for birdie at the par-five second to move into the red.

But after missing a 15-foot chance at the third and another from six feet at the next, he double bogeyed the par-three fifth when he pulled his tee shot so far left that he had 41 yards to the pin for his second.

Unable to advance the ball more than 20 yards, the Dubliner pitched on and two-putted for a double bogey five.

He then parred the par-five sixth without ever seeing the fairway, missed a 12 footer for birdie at the seventh and dropped a shot at the tough eighth, when he fired his approach through the green and left himself no chance of getting up and down.

It was clearly going to be a tough day at the office when he hit a magnificent approach eight feet above the hole at the ninth but missed what was a ticklish putt down the hill.

After failing with a 15 footer for birdie at the 10th and a 12 footer at the 11th, he holed a 25 footer for birdie at the par-three 12th to get back to one over par and then rattled home a 30 footer at the 17th for another two.

Web.com graduate Loupe carded an eight under par 63 at Monterey Peninsula to lead by two strokes from a group of five players - Stuart Appleby (65 MP), Jimmy Walker (66 PB), Jim Renner (65 MP), Scott Gardiner (65 MP) and Richard H. Lee (65 MP).

Phil Mickelson was five under par at Pebble Beach with three holes of his round to complete.

 

Rebecca Codd started well in Australia

Carlow's Rebecca Codd is just three shots off the lead after the first round of the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters.

The 32-year old fired five birdies in a two under par 71 at the Royal Pines Resort on Australia's Gold Coast to share 15th place in her second start of the 2014 Ladies European Tour season.

American Jessica Korda carded a five-under-par 68 to share the lead with compatriot Katie Burnett, one clear of South Africans Lee-Anne Pace and Stacy Lee Bregman, Canadian Lorie Kane,  France’s Valentine Derrey and fellow American Cheyenne Woods.

Korda said: “I’ve been coming here since I was a baby so I love it here, the people are so nice. I basically feel like I am at home every time I come here and that’s why I love spending so much time here. It’s a beautiful place, why wouldn’t you love it?”

"I actually hit my driver quite well today and I only missed one really, really bad shot, but I got away with it and ended up making birdie.

"But I’m just taking every shot as it is, if I hit it upward to the right, I hit it up to the right.

"I need to figure out why I did that and try and put that to the next shot. I’m learning how to figure out this swing that I have, but I like what’s going on right now.”

Defending champion Karrie Webb posted a one-over-par 74 to be tied 59th.

Volvik RACV Ladies Masters, RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Round One 

68 - Jessica Korda (USA), Katie Burnett (USA)

69 - Cheyenne Woods (USA), Lorie Kane (CAN), Lee-Anne Pace (RSA), Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA), Valentine Derrey (FRA)

70 - Minjee Lee (AUS), Kristie Smith (AUS), Yu Yang Zhang (CHN), Rebecca Artis (AUS), Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED), Line Vedel (DEN), Sarah Kemp (AUS)

71 - Cathryn Bristow (NZL), Gwladys Nocera (FRA), Rebecca Codd (IRL), Amelia Lewis (USA), Melissa Reid (ENG), Trish Johnson (ENG), Caroline Hedwall (SWE), Katherine Kirk (AUS) , Tiffany Joh (USA) , So Young Lee (KOR) , Camilla Lennarth (SWE)

72 - Felicity Johnson (ENG), Chella Choi (KOR), Liz Young (ENG), Stacey Keating (AUS), Breanna Elliott (AUS), Marianne Skarpnord (NOR), Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER), Bree Arthur (AUS) , Sarah-Jane Smith (AUS) , Char Young Kim (KOR) , Tania Tare (NZL) , Pamela Pretswell (SCO) , Minsun Kim (KOR) , Nancy Harvey (CAN)

73 - Beth Allen (USA), Sophie Gustafson (SWE), Marina Alex (USA), Mi Hyang Lee (KOR), Lindsey Wright (AUS), Charley Hull (ENG), Linda Wessberg (SWE), Maria Hjorth (SWE), Jia Yun Li (CHN), Laura Davies (ENG), Yani Tseng (TPE), Caroline Martens (NOR), Connie Chen (RSA), Maria Hernandez (ESP), Marion Ricordeau (FRA), Su-Hyun Oh (AUS) , So Young2 Kim (KOR) , Belen Mozo (ESP) , Shin-Ae Ahn (KOR)

74 - Kyu-Jung Baek (KOR), Karrie Webb (AUS), Bree Turnbull (AUS), Ashleigh Simon (RSA), Eleanor Givens (ENG), Courtney Massey (AUS), Kelly Tan (MYS), Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Thidapa Suwannapura (THA), Joanna Klatten (FRA)

75 - Xi Yu Lin (CHN), Christine Song (USA), Mireia Prat (ESP), Alice Hi Kim (KOR), Florentyna Parker (ENG), Hyun Soo Kim (KOR), Louise Larsson (SWE), Patricia Sanz Barrio (ESP), Noora Tamminen (FIN), Caroline Bon (NZL), Hannah Burke (ENG), Alison Whitaker (AUS)

76 - Ginny Brown (USA), Adriana Brent (AUS), Danielle Montgomery (ENG), Victoria Elizabeth (USA), Carly Booth (SCO), Lauren Mielbrecht (USA), Diana Luna (ITA), Jessica Speechley (AUS) , Jean Chua (MYS) , Vikki Laing (SCO) , Becky Brewerton (WAL) , Tamara Johns (AUS) , Kylie Walker (SCO) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Jenna Hunter (NZL)

77 - Sarah King (AUS), Giulia Molinaro (ITA), Song Yi Park (KOR), Tamie Durdin (AUS), Giulia Sergas (ITA), Stacey Tate (NZL), Holly Clyburn (ENG), Vicky Hurst (USA), Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) , Nikki Garrett (AUS) , Kyla Inaba (CAN)

78 - Julia Boland (AUS), Stephanie Na (AUS), Hyun Myung Kim (KOR), Hsin Ning Yeh (TPE), Ashlee Dewhurst (AUS), Nikki Campbell (AUS), Lee Park (AUS), Lauren Hibbert (AUS), Alexandra Vilatte (FRA), Da Eun Kim (KOR), Brooke Pancake (USA), Grace Lennon (AUS), Marta Silva Zamora (ESP), Emma De Groot (AUS)

79 - Whitney Hillier (AUS), Elmay Viking (NZL), Phillis Meti (NZL), Hee Won Na (KOR), Elissa-Jayne Orr (AUS), Minea Blomqvist (FIN), Chloe Leurquin (BEL), Karen Pearce (AUS)

80 - Anya Alvarez (USA), Jiae Hwang (KOR), Rebecca Green (AUS)

81 - Nicky Henderson (AUS), Jiwon Jeon (AUS), Corie Hou (AUS), Mi Hee Jung (KOR), Daniela Holmqvist (SWE)

82 - Joanne Mills (AUS), Cindy Lacrosse (USA), Amy Walsh (AUS), Ashley Ona (AUS)

84 - Jana Welsford (AUS)

86 - Mianne Bagger (DEN)

87 - Georgina Simpson (ENG), Jody Fleming (AUS)

John McHenry. Picture via @mchenryjohn

Cork's John McHenry closed with a super 68 but ending up coming up short in his bid for a  European Senior Tour card.

The former Walker Cup and European Tour player left a six-foot birdie chance short at his final hole and had to settle for 15th place on three over as the top six earned full cards and the next eight got conditional cards for the 2014 season.

Official results

According to the European Senior Tour, McHenry will have conditional status for "a definitive period" but knows he will be lucky to get more than a couple of starts and he has no intention of hanging on the other end of a phone waiting to get into events at the last minute.

"I was playing to give myself some options and haven't being playing a whole lot of golf for the last number of years," said the former Director Golf at The K Club.

"I said I'd give it a go and I've put in a bit of work since December but a bad nine holes yesterday really cost me."

Tied for 14th at halfway, his card bid suffered a major blow when he came home in 43 in a third round 76 to slip to 32nd place.

He pulled out all the stops in the final round at Pestana Golf Resort’s Pinta Course in Portugal and was two under par for his round with seven holes to play but could only pick up one more shot.

"It's disappointing but that is the way it is," said McHenry. "I started on the back nine and got two birdies on the par fives in the first three holes.

"I had some great chances that I didn't convert, birdied the first and then made a poor mistake on the second hole, backed ball off the green and didn't get up and down and made a bogey six.

"I was just chasing all the way around and had three chances on the last three greens but made just one of them, which was a pity. Most of the damage was done yesterday, unfortunately.

"I might get a few starts but really I was coming here to try and get a top six and full status and to be perfectly honest with you, I am not going to be waiting around for starts.

"It was nice to know that I am still competitive but there is no doubt that a few technical issues became obvious and they held me back. 

"I had trouble with my wedges — coming out of my shots and missing to the right — and that was very frustrating because it would be a strength of my game and having done the hard work to put himself in position to score from 80 to 100 yards, I couldn't hit my wedges close enough to the hole.

"I may get one or two starts but I am not going to wait for one or two starts - I have to get on with other things."

Another Corkman, Castlemartyr based amateur John O'Brien, finished tied for 48th after a 76 that was marred by a quadruple bogey nine at the 16th, his seventh hole.

Andrew Murray stormed to a three shot win over compatriot Steve Cipa as a one under 70 gave him his first tournament victory since the 1989 Panasonic European Open.

The two Englishmen were joined by four others, including three Americans, in claiming unconditional cards for the coming campaign.

One of them, Jerry Smith, carded the round of the day - a five under par 66 - to seal the third card on offer, while Barry Conser (72) and Gary Rusnak (69) finished in tied fourth alongside Italian Marco Bianco (69).

Jean Pierre Sallat, a former professional footballer in France’s top league, completed an impressive recovery from a seven over par second round of 78 by carding a second successive 69 to earn one of the eight conditional cards on offer.

He was joined by Robert Arnott of Scotland, Englishmen Mark Belsham, John Gould Wraith Grant , Gary Marks and George Ryall as well as Australia’s Glenn Joyner, who chipped in for a crucial eagle at the par four 17th hole to clinch his spot.

McHenry and England’s Tony Lawrence will have conditional cards for a definitive period, with two of the successful players yet to turn 50, having finished in 15th and 16th place respectively.

European Senior Tour Qualifying School - Final

Full cards

276 A Murray (Eng) 69 69 68 70,
279 S Cipa (Eng) 70 69 66 74,
280 J Smith (USA) 72 69 73 66,
282 B Conser (USA) 70 69 71 72, M Bianco (Ita) 71 73 69 69, G Rusnak (USA) 76 69 68 69,

Conditional cards

284 J Sallat (Fra) 68 78 69 69, J Gould (Eng) 71 69 74 70,
285 W Grant (Eng) 74 71 71 69, G Ryall (Eng) 73 70 70 72,
286 M Belsham (Eng) 70 71 72 73, R Arnott (Sco) 71 70 74 71, G Marks (Eng) 69 72 69 76, G Joyner (Aus) 69 75 73 69,

---

287 J McHenry (Irl) 72 71 76 68, R Roper (Eng) 72 70 70 75, T Lawrence (Eng) 74 72 69 72, E Kocs (USA) 75 70 68 74

Other Irish
298 J O'Brien (am) (Irl) 76 72 74 76

 Damien McGrane is just two shots behind the leaders after an opening 66 in the Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, Gauteng, South Africa. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

Damien McGrane has played in two Open Championships but he could be on course to make his third appearance at Royal Liverpool in July after opening with a five under 66 in the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington in South Africa.

Three players, who have not already qualified and who finish in the top ten at the Joburg Open, will secure places in The Open. Scores

Just one bogey on the card for David Higgins as he opens with a 68 (-3) in the Joburg Open. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

And McGrane is handily place just a stroke outside the top ten after following an early bogey with six birdies on the West Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington to share 15th place on five under.

Scotland’s Craig Lee shot 64 on the East Course as his compatriot Alastair Forsyth, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and home favourite Justin Walters all signed for seven under rounds of 64 on the West in a the tournament which sees the field play both tracks before heading to the East Course for the weekend.

“You don't really change your strategy, but it's a great reward for three lucky guys who'll get a chance to play in The Open,” said Lee, who is yet to play in one of the game’s four Majors.

“It's nice to have qualifiers throughout the year and not just geared up to that 36-hole sprint that most qualifiers are. Hopefully we can keep the game up and take one of those spots.”

Out in the first group of the day on the West Course, Waterville’s David Higgins was among the early pacesetters as he carded four birdies and a bogey in a three under 68 alongside Forsyth on the West Course but ended the day tied for 42nd place.

Waterford’s Kevin Phelan had to settle for a level par 71 on the West which leaves him tied for 118th and in a battle to make the cut.

As for Dubliner Peter Lawrie, his nightmare run of form continued with a four over 76 on the East Course.

Lawrie has missed his last six cuts since he saved his tour card by finishing 18th in the Perth International in Australia last October.

Struggling to compete off the tee having lost his trademark accuracy by being forced to hit more drivers, the 39-year old has made just two cuts from his 16 starts since he finished 10th in the Irish Open at Carton House last year.

Dermot McElroy. Picture by Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy eagled the last to go into the final round of the South African Amateur Strokeplay Championship just one stroke off the lead.

As Scotland's Bradley Neil posted a five under 67 to edge in front on 13 under par, overnight leader McElroy closed with a sweet eagle three at Benoni Country Club to shoot 70 and close the gap to the minimum.

Scoreboard

The 20-year old birdied the second but then bogeyed the third and fourth to turn in one over before Neil made five birdies in seven holes from the eighth to edge in front.

Having followed a birdie at the 13th with a bogey at the next, McElroy birdied the 16th to get back to level for the day before picking up two shots at the last.

South African's Jason Smith (68) and Stefan Cronje (69) are tied for third on 11 under with West Waterford's Gary Hurley (72) and Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan (70) the next best of the Irish in joint 17th on five under.

Naas' Jack Hume shot 69 to move up to joint 23rd on four under with Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge, who was around in level par 72.

Mourne's Reeve Whitson shot 72 to share 60th on two over par while Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon had to birdie his last two holes for a 74 and a share of 70th on four over.

 Graeme McDowell plays his second shot on the 12th during the 2013 Volvo World Matchplay Championship final at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, Bulgaria, 19th May 2013..Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell has welcomed the decision to bring the Volvo World Match Play back to England with the event scheduled for the International Course at the London Golf Club in Kent from October 15-19.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Piccadilly World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in 1964, when Arnold Palmer beat Neil Coles 2 and 1, the 2014 Championship will revert to a 16-man field and offer a prize fund of €2.25m (just over US$3 million) with a first prize of €650,000 (approx US$880,000). 

The elite field will qualify via revised criteria and will be split into four groups of four in the group stages before the leading 2 players per group proceed to the knock out phase to be played over the weekend. The Tournament will now be played over five days starting on Wednesday.

Endorsing the move to the Championship’s former traditional October date as well as a long awaited return to the United Kingdom, the first two players to qualify were quick to confirm their participation – defending champion McDowell and the 2013 Race to Dubai and FedEx Cup winner Henrik Stenson.

McDowell said: “I think it is fantastic that the Volvo World Match Play Championship will be played in England for this special anniversary.

I enjoyed everything about my victory last year at Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria. The course was spectacular and any event that Volvo are involved in as a sponsor is always a privilege to win.

"It seems right though to celebrate the Championship’s anniversary in England, where the tournament was held for so many years.”

He added: “I have heard that the International Course at the London Golf Club is a great track and I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself. I finished third at the 2008 European Open on the Heritage Course there and I think it will make for a fantastic venue. I'm very much looking forward to defending my title there in October.”

McDowell was the first Irishman to lift the coveted title after three previous defeats in the final.

McDowell himself lost one up to Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at Finca Cortesin in Spain in 2012 before returning to beat Thongchai Jaidee in Bulgaria last year.

When the event was played at Wentworth, Pádraig Harrington lost 2 and 1 to Ian Woosnam in th Cisco World Matchplay final in 2001 while in 2005, Paul McGinley went down by the same margin to reigning US Open champion Michael Campbell in a HSBC sponsored edition.

The event did not take place in 2008 or 2010 but Volvo sponsored it in 2009 and since 2011.

Dermot McElroy is in great form in South Africa. Archive picture by Pat Cashman / www.cashmanpotography.ie

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy built on a sensational start — five birdies in his first six holes — to post a brilliant 65 and snatch the halfway in the South African Amateur Strokeplay Championship.

Scoreboard

With tentative plans to turn professional after June's British Amateur, the world No 53 fired eight birdies and just one bogey to lead by two strokes on 10 under par from Scotland's Bradley Neil and South Africa's Stefan Cronje at Benoni County Club in Johannesburg.

Dermot McElroy at last year's Interpros. Picture Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

Seven of the eight-strong Irish challenge made the two-over par cut for the top 70 and ties — Headfort's Rory McNamara shot 74 to miss by one — but McElroy was the star of the show as he posted the joint low round of the day.

And the 20-year old did it with the help of a tour caddie, who proved to be invaluable.

According to the South African Golf Association, regular Sunshine Tour caddie Njabulo Myende carried his bag after his regular pro, Mikhail Tewary, crashed out of the Joburg Open qualifier.

“Mikhail’s loss is my good fortune,” McElroy said. “I struck the ball extremely well and my short game was on form, too, but when you have a caddie that can even read the spike marks, you pretty much can’t go wrong.”

After a birdie four at the opening hole, he then rattled off five threes in row with a birdie at the second followed by a par at the third and another three birdies in a row from the fourth.

Remarkably, his seven under par round yielded a haul of just one birdie from Benoni's four par-fives.

Had he hit form around the turn it could have been an even more spectacular but after settling for par fives at the ninth and 10th, he followed a bogey at the 11th with another birdie hat-trick from the 12th.

 Ireland's Dermot McElroy took a two shot lead in the second round of the SA Stroke Play Championship at Benoni Country Club. Picture credit: Dale Boyce via http://www.saga.co.za

Four closing pars were not what he would have wanted but having ended up disappointed to finish joint fifth in the Free State Amateur in Bloemfontein, he is clearly finding South Africa to his liking.

West Waterford's Gary Hurley is the next best of the Irish in joint ninth on five under after a four-birdie 70 with Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge slipping from second overnight to tied 12th after adding a 74 to his first round 66.

Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan shot 70 to share 21st on three under with Naas' Jack Hume also shot 70 to lie two shots further back on one under.

Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon (75) and Mourne's Reeve Whitson (73) had to battle to make the two over par cut on the mark.

But there was no luck for West of Ireland champion McNamara who paid a high price for a bogey at the 17th as he added a 74 to his opening 73.

Graeme McDowell and his father Kenny are back at Pebble Beach for the first time since the 2010 US Open. Picture via @Graeme_McDowell

Graeme McDowell is back at the scene of his greatest triumph for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. But he's not dreaming of past glories as much as feeding on the good vibes to better plot the next step in what has become a model career.

He has his dad Kenny for company, which should mean a trip down memory lane recalling how McDowell Snr embraced him on the 72nd green, proudly exclaiming "you're some kid" after his second son had holed out on the 18th to capture the 2010 US Open on Father's Day.

Sure, McDowell is enjoying the trip back to the west coast, where he has won three times. But apart from playing Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula in the tournament and not forgetting the rounds he's already had with his Dad at Cypress Point and San Francisco Golf Club over the past few days, he has his eyes firmly fixed on his future not his glorious Californian past.

Graeme McDowell cradles the US Open trophy — and a beer — on his return to his hotel in 2010. Picture © Brian Keogh

The 2010 season still ranks as his best ever as he went on to complete a dream year — the US Open was win No 2 of a four-win year that also saw him memorably clinching the winning putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup in Wales and out-putt Tiger Woods to win a heart-stopping playoff for the Chevron World Challenge.

But he's no longer the same man who touched the heavens that day.

He's changed from Callaway to Srixon/Cleveland equipment, picked up a slew of blue chip sponsors, opened a bar-restaurant and only recently married the stunning interior designer Kristin Stape.

At the age of 34, G-Mac is set for life but having also played his part in Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup win at Medinah and added six tournament victories to his resumé since the 2010 US Open, he's got more than a little unfinished business.

Winning more majors and qualifying for this year's Ryder Cup in Scotland are at the top of his wish list of goals for a player who has had just two Top-10s and missed six cuts in the 14 majors he has played since he captured one of golf's Grand Slam events.

Those Top-10s included two close calls, such as his runner up finish to Webb Simpson in the 2012 US Open down the road at San Francisco's Olympic Club and a share of fifth in that year's Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes, where he played with Adam Scott in that tragic final group on Sunday as Ernie Els snuck in to steal the Claret Jug.

"Of course, my first Major Championship and certainly the way it happened, to be here at Pebble with my dad and on Father's Day was emotionally ...  I don't think that moment will be beaten in my career," said McDowell, who is playing this week to knock the rust off his game ahead of the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson in a fortnight's time. 

"But I'm not going to put Pebble up there on a pedestal and say that is the highlight of my career, because I want more. I want more Pebbles, I want more Major Championships, I want more things.  Hopefully it will not define my career.  I'm hoping to keep defining my career as I go."

Back in tournament mode after a 10-week break, the world No 15 will still be looking out for his Dad despite the fact that they have zero ambitions when it comes to claiming any Pro-Am prizes.

"My dad's a 10 handicap, kind of on the way down, unfortunately, kind of.  He's got a busted up knee, and he's got an old Portrush links game, doesn't fly it very far through the air, relies on a lot of run and a lot of around — along the ground short game...

"I think my dad's goal for the week is really to have a beer with Clint Eastwood, hopefully, on Friday night.  So that's the goal for the week.  If we achieve that, we'll be happy."

Many would say that McDowell "deserves" a second major or a place in Paul McGinley's Ryder Cup team. But as Eastwood famously growled in "Unforgiven" as he prepared to blow Little Bill away, "Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

The morning after the night before. Graeme McDowell sits down with the Irish media for interviews following his 2010 US Open victory. Picture © Brian Keogh

A quick glance at the European Ryder Cup qualifying tables show that McDowell has work to do to win his fourth cap at Gleneagles. He was with skipper McGinley for a charity function in New York last week and knows exactly where he stands in the captain's plans.

As he wrote on his new monthly blog for the BBC Sport website:

"It is very early to get obsessed about it. Come May and June, form is going to be more important. I just know I have to give him all the reasons to have me in the side - ideally qualifying automatically and not having to rely on one of his three wildcard picks.

"Looking at the numbers, there are three or four players who already seem locked in to the team - the likes of Henrik Stenson, Victor Dubuisson, Thomas Bjorn and Jamie Donaldson.

"None of them played at Medinah last time so it's clear some good players are going to miss out and I'm acutely aware it could be me. That's why you just have to focus on your game and let the Ryder Cup come in a run of good form."

"What I was trying to say in the article was that I want to get stuck into my processes this season and let the Ryder Cup get in the way.  It's not going that I'm going to be getting obsessed by.  So we'll see.  But it's great."

Playing well in the big events will take care of the Ryder Cup for McDowell, who is more than a million points behind Bjorn, Dubuisson, Poulter and Stenson at 25th in the European Points List (four to qualify) and more than 30 world ranking points behind fifth man Stephen Gallacher at 21st in the World Points List.

"I'm actually scheduling myself to prepare myself more for the playoffs this year because I feel like I've been beat up by the time I've come to August, September, the last three years now," McDowell said, referring especially to last season when he won three times and missed five cuts in a 12-week spell early in the year before fading.  

"So my schedule revolves around being ready for the summer this year.  Being ready for August, September, the Ryder Cup, and so that's what I'm doing.

"I feel like my life has is quieting down off the golf course now as I achieve some balance and start to move on to some sort of new chapters in my life personally.  And I guess I feel like I'm in a better place to play golf now."

McDowell begins the event alongside his father at Spyglass Hill as five other Irishmen in the field — two pros and three amateurs — take on Pebble Beach.

Pádraig Harrington and JP McManus play opposite Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Dermot Desmond with McGinley partnering TaylorMade CEO Mark King and Gerry McManus alongside the American Heath Slocum.

It's the last chance saloon as far as Harrington is concerned if he's to qualify for the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson by moving in the top 64 in the world.

Ranked 134th in the world this week, he followed a fifth place finish in the no-cut Volvo Golf Champions in Durban with missed cuts by the minimum margin in Abu Dhabi and at last week's Waste Management Open in Phoenix, where he three-putted his final hole on Friday.

Uninspired putting and a very moderate wedge game are to blame for his lack of birdies, as the 42-year old confessed on his blog.

"I just haven't been hitting my wedges close enough... Overall I am happy with my game, I just need to make more birdies and to do this I need to hit it closer when I get the chance.  So when I have a short club in my hands I need to be giving myself decent chances for birdie...
 
"I am not panicking or worrying about my game, in fact, I am feeling good about it.  I just need to be a bit more aggressive and take the risk of making a bogey in order to make more birdies."

Brian Casey in action at The European Club v the MGA last year. Picture Pat Cashman cashmanphotography.com

Headfort's Brian Casey notched the first hole-in-one of his golfing life to give himself a chance of victory on the Gecko Pro Tour in Spain.

The Meath star, who cruised to his first professional victory in the Alps Tour Q--School before Christmas, holed a six-iron from 166 yards on the 17th at former Volvo World Match Play venue Finca Cortesin.

Thanks to his maiden ace, Casey opened with a three under 69 in the 36-hole mini tour event to go into the final round in solo second place, just one stroke behind leader James Robinson of England. 

Casey could take home €2,000 for the win on a tour that pits top amateurs against seasoned professionals.

"It's a great warm up for the Alps Tour, playing with ex tour pros and playing on good courses. I can't wait to get going this season."

Jeff Hopkins (72) is tied sixth with Simon Ward (74) back in 10th at Finca Cortesin where there were several other Irishmen in action. Scores 

Casey has already made some cash on the Gecko Tour and will be in Egypt later this month for the first two events of the 2014 Alps Tour schedule.

Having failed to win his Alps Tour card, Alan Dunbar finished tied 30th in the eGolf Tour's Citrus Open in Florida last week.

Meanwhile, at the halfway stage of the European Senior Tour's Q-School in Portugal, Corkman John McHenry is still alive in the chase for six full cards and an additional seven conditional cards.

The former Director of Golf at The K Club added a level par 71 to his opening 72 to share 14th place, just two strokes outside the automatic qualifiers for full playing rights in 2014.

Former European Tour winner Andrew Murray shot a second successive two under par 69 at Pestana Golf Resort’s Pinta Course to lead on four under.

Castlemartyr based amateur John O'Brien, another Corkman, added a one over 72 to his opening 76 to share 42nd spot on six over

Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge, a third year student at the University of Toledo, opened with a fine 66 in the South African Stroke Play Championship at Benoni Country Club. Archive picture: Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

Chris Selfridge raced into solo second after a red-hot 66 in the South African Stroke Play Championship at Benoni Country Club.

The Moyola Park man, a third student at University of Toledo, had an eagle two and six birdies to lie just two shots behind South Africa’s number one amateur Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Scores

Know to the locals as Rambo, Bezuidenhout racked up eight birdies in a superb eight-under-par 64 in his bid for back-to-back wins following his six-stroke win in the Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship on Sunday.

Selfridge, 21, finished tied for eighth behind Bezuidenhout in the Free State Championship but hopes to get into contention this week and scorching home in 31 blows.

“I played well tee to green, but I left a few putts out there,” Selfridge told the South Africa Golf Association website. “Coming home in 31 feels good. This is a good position to be in so early in the tournament and hopefully I can keep myself in contention for the title.”

Starting on the 10th, Selfridge had two bogeys and a birdie in his first four holes before getting to grips with the course.

Birdies at the 15th and 18th saw him turn in one under par before he picked up shots at the first and sixth, holed a nine-iron for an eagle two from 155 yards at the seventh ["Was perfect," he tweeted. "1 bounce and in."] and then birdied the ninth.

West Waterford's Gary Hurley and Ballymena's Dermot McElroy came back from poor starts - both were two over after three holes - to card three under 69s and share ninth place.

Hurley double bogeyed the par-three third but birdied the seventh and ninth to turn in level before picking up three more birdies on the back nine.

McElroy bogeyed the second and third but birdied the seventh, 10th and 13th before rounding off a good day with a sweet eagle three at the 18th.

Chris Selfridge pictured during the opening round by Dale Boyce

Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon and Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan both racked up six birdies in one under 71s that left them tied for 28th.

But it was a tougher day at the office for Mourne's Reeve Whitson, Headfort's Rory McNamara and Naas' Jack Hume as they all posted one over 73s to share 55th spot.

According to the South African Golf Association:

Bezuidenhout has a three shot cushion on 17-year-old Ewen Ferguson from the Scottish Golf Union’s Mens National Team, and is four shots clear of Scott Gibson of Scotland, Swiss golfer

Joel Girrbach and compatriots Andrew Carlsson, Marco Steyn and top ranked junior Kyle McClatchie, who joined the bus at four under late in the day after boxing a nine-iron from 155 meters at the par-three eighth for his second career ace.

But it was Bezuidenhout who finished birdie-birdie to sit top of the pile at the end of a calm, warm day in Benoni.

“I just played really well, especially off the tee and my short game,” said Bezuidenhout. “I missed just two fairways and had 26 putts, so not a bad day at the office, at all.”

In fact, it doesn’t seem as if the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation player has had a bad day at the office since he claimed the Western Province Stroke Play and Match Play double last April.

Bezuidenhout followed the double triumph at Strand Golf Club with four more victories and took the top spot in the rankings with win number seven at the Nkangala Mining Equipment Mpumalanga Open in September. 

The purple patch continued with a six-stroke victory at the weekend when he scooped the Free State Stroke Play with a winning score of 20-under-par 268. The win came on the back of two runner-up finishes in KwaZulu-Natal, so little wonder he started this week as the outright favourite.

Birdies at the second, fourth and ninth helped the Ekurhuleni golfer move into contention, and he surged ahead of the completion with five more gains at the 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th and 18th.

“You want to get your hands on every trophy you play for, and especially the SA Stroke Play or Match Play trophies, but this game doesn’t really work like that,” said Bezuidenhout. 

“It was nice to start with a solid round and put myself in a strong position. My short game was really good, especially the putts and I think eight under is a good position to be in.

“I wanted to give myself as many chances as possible to make birdies, so I’m happy I pulled that off.”

The view across Mulranny Golf Club to the fifth green. Millions of gallons of seawater and tons of rock have been dumped on the nine-hole course in Co Mayo.

Ireland's great links courses might have survived the winter storms relatively intact but one of the little nine-hole gems that makes us such an attractive destination for golfers looking for something different has almost been lost to the sea.

Mulranny Golf Club as it is meant to be seen.

Little Mulranny Golf Club, the tiny nine-hole links some 20 miles from Westport in County Mayo, was ravaged by storms at the weekend and half the course lies under water and rock.

A combination of a high tide and high winds, saw the ocean break through the coastal defences that had been smashed by the early January storms. 

Famed for its undulating greens — each of them fenced off by barbed wire to keep the cattle, sheep, horses and donkeys that roam the commonage from destroying them — the club's 200 members fear the next storm will wipe them off the map for good.

"It's a real disaster," says the club's Handicap Secretary Fergus Rothwell. "This is the second time this has happened in the space of a month and we are living in fear that the next storm could be the last storm for Mulranny. 

"The third green and half the third fairway are completely underwater.  The water was over the flag and it is now three inches under the flag material. The fifth fairway is completely underwater. The sixth green is under stone. The seventh tee box to the fourth green has a couple of hundred tons of rock on it. It's in a right mess. 

The high tide mark is visibly on the fifth green, close to 6m above normal high tide level and 250m from its usual mark.

An aerial view of the course.

Mulranny Golf Club before the course suffered severe storm damage.

Standing on elevated 5th green with high tide waves breaking over shoreline coastal erosion defenses and filling the run off for stray shots finishing right of the green. The green is approximately 100 yards from shore line defences. Normal beach waves would be at 115 yards.

The 5th green is under threat.

This was once the fifth fairway at Mulranny Golf Club

Millions of gallons of sea water on the 3rd, 5th and 6th. The 3rd green is under 2.5m of seawater.

An hour before high tide

The 6th tee at Mulranny Golf Club on February 1, 2014.

Debris strewn from the 6th tee to the distant 6th green.

Debris from beach strewn along the 5th fairway

"We are hanging on to the edge of a cliff by our fingernails, hoping to God that someone, somewhere, will give us a little hand up. We need to get the sea defences back up or the sea will take it."

Mulranny was once an 18 hole course before the sea took nine holes. Now it appears that if urgent action is not taken - and unless Mother Nature relents for a while - the course may disappear under water forever.

It could cost as much as €100,000 to protect the course from future storms, but given the current economic climate at the priorities of Mayo County Council in more vital, storm-damaged areas, the future looks bleak.

"A month ago we got hammered by the storm because it was the perfect storm in terms of the high tide and the wind direction," Mr Rothwell explained. 

"Back in 1991 we got flooded and the club invested a lot in sea defences but they were annihilated by that first storm a month ago. Boulders as big as cars were dumped on the fairways and tons of water. 

Cows sunbathe on the beach near Mulranny Golf Club in happier times. Picture by Claire McManamon via http://www.dailyedge.ie/

"We had just about got the course playable again because we had big pumps going for 10 days. But on Saturday morning, a high tide came with a south westerly wind and the same thing happened again.

"There is four feet of water on the third green - a month ago the pin was still in the green and it was completely submerged, so that was six and a half feet of water on the third green.

"Back in 1991, the club spent IR£30,000 on sea defences and the council put in IR£10,000 and gave the use of their machinery to put in the cages. But the damage to the coastline is worse now and the area needing reinforcement is much bigger.

"The big clubs find it easier to get help and attention but we have just 150 male members, 50 female members and a handful of country members. Membership costs just €280, we didn't raise the subs, in an effort to try and hold on to our members."

While the course is set on common land [commonge] which the golfers share with donkeys, cattle, sheep and horses, it is still immensely popular with visitors, who must make sure they close the gates that give access to the protected greens.

"The members do a lot of voluntary work and on the Saturday after the first storm we had eight to 10 people out all week cleaning up but it is really going to be hard to get people back out again after this," Mr Rothwell added. "I am sure they are fed up with it at this stage with no golf being played.

"Ironically, I had just updated the club website to say it is one of the driest courses in Connacht at this time of the year because we run an open weekend and it has been quite successful. Two days later it was the wettest course in Connacht.

"When we are going to open again, I just don't know. All the pumps from Galway to Limerick are unavailable because of the flooding there has been.

"So we have had to hire a pump in Carrick-on-Shannon and a member will go up and bring that down on Wednesday.

"It's a disaster to be honest. There is no finance coming in and people are waiting to see what is going to happen and they are not paying their membership and if it goes on any longer, they could just switch to another club.

"During the last storm we had to have a digger there for seven days to move all the big rocks that were scattered over the course - our sea defences - and that was around €350 a day before VAT.

"There was thousands of tons of stones that had been fired 100 yards onto the course. Members gathered them into piles and a machine then came to collect the piles.

"The pump we had cost around €100 a day and then there was the cost of diesel. So that first episode cost us over €4,000 and that was just to get the course back to basics

"We would be down at the bottom of the list as regards help from the County Council give all the other things that would be a priority. But we need coastal protection put in or it will go back to nature.

"If we don't pump this water out, it will just become a tidal swamp. We would lose the third, the fifth, the sixth and the seventh. Basically, we would have no course.

"We will try to open in a few weeks but we will only be able to open about seven holes just to try and get something going for the members.

"The rocks that were free for coastal protection now cost money because there is a demand for them. We'd need €100,000 to reinforce 800 yards of coastline and put in proper protection.

"Our protection is gone now, the dunes are gone and all the pampas grass that we planted is gone and the cages we put in have been stripped bare."

American author Tom Coyne, whose book A Course Called Ireland" chronicled his attempt to walk the entire coast line of Ireland and play every course in his path, wrote in glowing terms of Mulranny Golf Club when he penned a piece [Protecting the Pin in County Mayo] for Golf.com during his trip.

"A worth-the-trip throwback to the way golf was originally played, on pastures shared with one's herd, where that first ruling was made and the first relief taken from a steaming livestock left-behind. And there are a few such deposits to be negotiated around the Mulranny fairways, a small price to pay for grass kept at ideal fairway length by dozens of hungry greenskeepers in fuzzy white coats. The greens are thankfully devoid of any such obstructions, rolling fair and true, nary a hoof print to be found anywhere. See, that's where the fences come in."

Fortunately for the members at Mulranny, local clubs Belmullet (Carne), Castlebar and Ballina have provided playing concessions. If Mother Nature doesn't relent soon, those clubs may be about to acquire 250 new members.

Golf blogger Kevin Markham has also written about his experience at Mulranny. You can read his piece here.

Joint leader Stephen Mondshine. Picture © Getty Images

Former European Tour professional John McHenry is three shots outside the magic number after the first round of the European Senior Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage in Portugal.

The top six after four rounds will earn full membership for the 2014 season, while those placed seventh to 14th earn conditional cards.

McHenry, who turns 50 on March 14, opened with a one over par 72 to lie joint 20th at Pestana Golf Resort’s Pinta Course while Castlemartyr amateur John O'Brien is tied 50th after a disappointing 76.

The top six are on two under or better with American amateur Stephen Mondshine and former French footballer Jean Pierre Sallat leading after three under 68s.

Sallat, who played for Bordeaux and Le Havre, is making his seventh appearance at the Q-School whole Mondshine is a debutant aiming to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Texan Tim Thelen.

“This is the first time I have ever been in Europe," said Monshine, who turns 50 in July. "Years ago I played some mini-tour golf in Texas and I've been practicing and playing with good players recently and just got better so I just decided I would give it a shot.

“I played with Tim (Thelen) a few times in Texas and he’s a really good player. I’ve been a pretty good golfer all my life and I tend to play well in tournaments, so I thought I’d see how it all stacked up.“

Sallet, meanwhile, carded six birdies on the way to his three under 68 over the pristine Pinta Course in the Algarve region as he hopes to emulate his success of 2004, when he finished tied fourth at Final Stage to earn a maiden season on the Senior Tour.

There were four players tied for third place on two under par, including former European Tour winner Andrew Murray, who had the advantage of having his son and Challenge Tour player Tom on the bag.

“I'm really pleased with how I'm playing and a bit disappointed to shoot 69,” said the Englishman, who won the Panasonic European Open in 1989. “I feel like I've left two or three out there to be honest.

“Tom is fantastic on the bag. We didn’t get one read wrong or one club wrong. He’s great to have around. The only problem is that he sometimes thinks it’s a wedge in and I think it’s an eight iron!”

Alongside Murray were Australia’s Glenn Joyner, Englishman Gary Marks and Paul Mayo of Wales. 

Scores:

68 J Sallat (Fra), S Mondshine (am) (USA),

69 G Marks (Eng), G Joyner (Aus), P Mayo (Wal), A Murray (Eng),

70 M Wharton (Eng), K Smith (Can), S Cipa (Eng), P Martinez (Par), M Belsham (Eng), B Conser (USA),

71 R Tlhabanyane (RSA), G Bell (Eng), D James (Sco), R Arnott (Sco), M Bianco (Ita), G Banister (Aus), J Gould (Eng),

72 R Sabarros (Fra), G Norquist (USA), M Stokes (Eng), R Roper (Eng), J Ryström (Swe), J Smith (USA), J McHenry (Irl),

73 K Tarling (Can), T Elliott (Aus), J Hall (Eng), J Murphy (Eng), J Lindberg (Swe), G Ryall (Eng), P Burke (USA),

74 K Hutton (Sco), J Lovell (Eng), J Laforce (Can), T Dodds (Nam), A Mackenzie (Sco), D Morito (Esp), T Lawrence (Eng), A Fernandez (Chi), W Grant (Eng),

75 J Saxton (USA), E Kocs (USA), S Bennett (Eng), D Wettlaufer (Can), T Burgoyne (Sco), B Lincoln (RSA), R Masters (Eng),

76 C Milne (USA), G Rusnak (USA), Y Nilsson (Swe), R Thompson (USA), P Carman (Eng), J Buendia (Esp), G Ralph (Eng), J Harrison (Eng), P Gresswell (Eng), K Tenmark (Swe), S McNally (Eng), A George (Eng), J O'Brien (am) (Irl),

77 T Giles (Eng), J Nougues (Arg),

78 D Ray (Eng), S McAllister (Sco), B James (USA),

79 B White (Eng), M Deboub (Alg),

80 C Grenier (Aut),

82 A Israelsson (Swe), L Warder (am) (Aus),

85 G Litschka (Aut),

87 M Buchter (Sui).

Image directly linked to SI.com Credit: David Walberg/SI

Rory McIlroy admits he has "unfinished business" and "should have adopted a more mature approach" rather than walking off as he played his 27th hole in last year's Honda Classic. 

World No 1 at the time, the then 23-year old was seven over par through eight holes when ge walked in after hitting into the water for the third time in the course of a torrid morning.

Near tears as he stood in the car park with a police escort by his side, a bewildered McIlroy said: “I can’t really say much guys. I’m just not in a great place mentally.”

He then added: “I don’t know what’s going on.”

In a statement issued through his management company at the time, he later said that a wisdom tooth problem had led to his sensational decision to high tail it out of the event.

He apologised at the following week's WGC-Cadillac Championship, explaining: "I realised pretty quickly that it wasn't the right thing to do. No matter how bad I was playing, I should have stayed out there.  I should have tried to shoot the best score possible even though it probably wasn't going to be good enough to make the cut. 

"At that point in time, I was just all over the place, and you know, I saw red, as I said, and you know, it was a mistake and everyone makes mistakes and I'm learning from them.  I guess for me, some people have the‑‑ I guess the pleasure of making mistakes in private.  Most of my mistakes are in the public eye. So it is what it is, and I regret what I did.  But, you know, it's over now and it won't happen again." 

Late last year he admitted that his off-course management and legal problems might have had something to do with his Honda walk out.

But in committing to this year's event at PGA National Resort & Spa from February 24-March 2, he was again contrite about his actions nearly 12 months ago.

"Last year, admittedly, I had a tough week; a forgettable week," he is quoted as saying in an official press release issued by the Honda Classic today. "I guess I let frustrations get the better of me and perhaps should have adopted a more mature approach. 

"But I'm playing really well now, enjoying the game much more, and I am looking forward to getting back to PGA National. You could nearly say that I have unfinished business to attend to this year at The Honda."

After showing signs that he is close to his best form, he said: "I really can't wait to get back to The Honda. It is one of my favourite events of the year, and winning in 2012 was an important landmark in my career. 

"Having a place in Palm Beach now also gives the tournament a kind of special feeling. - nearly like a home event."

McIlroy will take on another world class field in The Honda which already includes fellow Top 10 players Adam Scott (No. 2), Zach Johnson (No. 6) and Sergio Garcia (No. 9). 

Graeme McDowell has also officially committed while Padraig Harrington is also expected to play.

"I feel good about my game and feel like I'm back to the place that I want to be," McIlroy said. "I'm driving the ball well, hitting the ball solid and giving myself plenty of chances for birdies. And if I can keep doing that, the wins will come. 

"Things are really looking good and I'm in a really good frame of mind. I've done some good work and felt like it was coming together for me at the end of last year. 

"I had a good off-season and worked hard on a few things, and it's good to see that that's coming out on the golf course and I'm starting to hit the ball very well. I feel like I'm starting this year on such a different sort of platform. 

"Everything feels like it has fallen into place and I can just focus on my golf.  I'm just really excited to start 2014 and get back to playing the golf that I know that I can."

The green at the wonderful, par-three sixth at Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club in Co Meath. 

Beech Park's Christy Broe won the the RaboDirect Hilary Golf Society's season opener in testing conditions at Laytown and Bettystown.

Despite a testing breeze, the six handicapper carded a fine, five over 76 to pip fellow veteran, Terry Lilly of Slade Valley on a tie.

Defending Gold Medal holder, Gus Fitzpatrick from Naas, finished well down the field after an 82 at the club that gave Irish golf such luminaries as Des Smyth and Declan Branigan.

Royal Dublin's Sean Ryan, making his debut in the Hilary, took the gross honours with a fine 72.

The Island's Paul McBride will, after all, make his debut at Portmarnock Links on Sunday, February 16th.

RaboDirect Hilary Golf Society at Laytown and Bettystown

1st — Christy Broe (6) Beech Park  70 

2nd — Terry Lilly (6) Slade Valley 70

Gross — Sean Ryan Royal Dublin 72

Remaining fixtures - www.hilarygolf.ie

• Feb 16th — Portmarnock Links
• March 2nd — Seapoint
• March 23rd — Co Louth
• April 6th — Royal Dublin
• April 11th — Portmarnock Golf Club
• April 25th — Sutton

Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy wait on the 17th tee during the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy is clearly back in form despite producing a loose performance with the driver and the green-reading skills of Stevie Wonder in the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

A closing 74, fruit of some wayward tee shots and virtually zero success on the greens, left him tied for ninth and four strokes behind playing partner Stephen Gallacher at the Emirates.

McIlroy was so flummoxed by the firm, shiny greens that he called on his caddie JP Fitzgerald for help. He had more success after that but he could just as easily have asked his fiancée Caroline Wozniacki, who was once again very close at hand.

"Anything that could go wrong did - okay, I hit a couple of loose drives, but I didn't get away with them, stuff like that," said McIlroy, who had 30 putts and took home €35,483.

"The golf course played so much differently today, the greens were a lot firmer. I payed pretty solid on the front nine, apart from the par three, but the two bogeys on the par-fives on the back nine were not what I was looking for. 

"It was tougher to get the ball close because the green were firmer and on the rare occasions I got the ball close, I didn't make any putts, so it was one of those days.

"I didn't get a couple of putts to go. I was struggling to read them for some reason, so I got JP to read them for me on the back nine and holed a couple more.

"When the greens get this firm they change colour a little bit and it was very hard to see. Everything I read was straight even though it wasn't - I just couldn't see any movement at all."

Wozniacki and McIlroy chat on the 17th. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Walking inside the ropes, the tennis playing Dane was so close to her beau at times that they were able to have a chat as he waited for the green to clear at the 354-yard 17th, where there was a $2.5m cash prize for a hole in one.

On Saturday, McIlroy's tee shot ran past the pin and over the green, prompting him to joke in a radio interview: "Tea, could have paid for a wedding."

Alas, there was no wedding cash on Sunday either, though observers are now beginning to wonder aloud about Wozniacki's enthusiasm for watching her future husband at such close quarters. 

Knowing McIlroy's disdain for any comment on his business or personal life, this is likely to go down like the proverbial lead balloon at Chez Wozzilrory.

Just two strokes behind Gallacher going into the final round, McIlroy failed to take advantage of a horrific start by the Scot, who went out in 39 but came back in 33 with brave birdies at the 16th and 17th to shoot 72 win by one from Emiiiano Grillo on 16 under.

Gallacher has now given himself a realistic chance of challenging for a Ryder Cup spot but McIlroy will certainly regret his finish having held a share of the lead with seven holes to go.

Bogeys by Gallacher at the first two holes put McIlroy ahead, but that lead proved short-lived as he registered four bogeys in seven holes from the short seventh, where his tee shot came up short in the water.

Having played the previous 13 par fives in 12 under par, he made a bogey six the 10th (poor drive, chip out) and followed a nice two at the 11th with a bogeys at the 12th (poor chip) and another bogey six at the 13th (pulled tee shot into the desert).

While he's still not close to the stellar form of 2012, McIlroy is trending in the right direction with one win and two runner up finishes among his five Top-10s in his last eight starts worldwide.
Tournament winner Gallacher certainly has no doubts after witnessing McIlroy's opening 63 at first hand.

"His first round was unbelievable," Gallacher said on Sunday. "I shot 66 and it felt like 75. His ball flight is just phenomenal.

"I've never played with anyone who flights it as good as him. I think he'll soon be contending with Tiger for the number one spot. He's a class player."

Woods birdied the last three holes for a 71 to finish tied 41st (€10,372) but having missed the 54-hole cut in his first start of the season in San Diego last week, he has officially made the worst start of his career by failing to finish in the top-20 in his first two events.

"I think this is the worst I have ever seen Woods technically," said Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray.

Woods planned to watch the Superbowl in Dubai before heading to India on Monday to play an exhibition at Delhi Golf Club courtesy of Hero MotoCorp.

He is believed to have been paid more than $2m to play in Dubai and another $2m-pus to play in India. And he certainly didn't sound despondent about his game.

"Unfortunately I turned it around too late. I drove it great today, I piped it all day," said Woods, who hit nine fairways, but also had 30 putts. "My iron game was not as sharp as I'd like and I didn't make anything. I had seven lip-outs. That's quite a few lip-outs.

"I had a quick, easy fix to my grip the other day and from then I drove it great. I still need work out of this rye grass. A little different technique, but it's something to fix."

As for the other Irish in Dubai, Damien McGrane finished four shots better than Woods, carding a 71 to finish tied for 20th on 10 under (€ 21,168).

Michael Hoey had a bogey free 69 to finish tied 54th on four under (€5,376).