Irish Golf News

Jorge Campillo (left) and Colin Nel both shot unofficial 59s in the Nelson Mandela Championship. Picture via sunshine tour.com

Spain’s Jorge Campillo and South Africa’s Colin Nel both shot rounds of 59 at the Nelson Mandela Championship but neither will count as preferred lies were in operation on a soggy Mount Edgecombe course reduced to a par-70 because of torrential rain.

Miguel Angel Martin leads in Mauritius. Picture © Getty Images

Des Smyth is five shots behind Spain’s Miguel Angel Martin following the opening round of the European Senior Tour’s season-ending MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius.

Danielle McVeigh has decided to put the professional game aside for now. Picture courtesy http://www.daniellemcveigh.co.uk

Thinking of turning professional? Stop for a moment to listen to Danielle McVeigh, who has decided to seek her future in the real world for now after coming to the conclusion that the weekly tour grind was going to change her irrevocably as a person.

Paul McGinley with the incoming officers at Grange. The Ryder Cup captain will double as honorary Captain of Grange in 2014.

Paul McGinley will finally see his name in gold letters on the board of honour at Grange after being named as Honorary Club Captain for 2014. 

Kevin Phelan lines up his putt on the last during round one of The Nelson Mandela Championship. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

Kevin Phelan struggled to a four over par 74 but it was still a good day for the Irish before play was abandoned in the weather-plagued Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa.

A bearded Simon Ward looks pleased after his 68. Picture courtesy Agathe Séron/ www.alpstourgolf.comSimon Ward got his Alps Tour bid off to a perfect start when he fired a four under par 68 on a good day for the Irish at the first stage of the Qualifying School in Spain.

The O’Meara Course at Carton House. Picture via cartonhouse.com

You may never get the chance to win ‘the West’ or the Irish Amateur Close but you can still find out what it feels like to lift a big matchplay title.

Rory McIlroy in action during the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge in California last week. Photo: Kenneth E.Dennis / kendennisphoto.com / golf file.ie

He may simply have been trying to fob off a reporter but when Rory McIlroy loudly insisted at the door of the clubhouse to Sherwood Country Club that he would not be doing any one-on-one interviews until the middle of the next summer “when everything has settled down” you wonder if an out-of-court settlement of his dispute with Horizon Sports Management might be on the cards.

Greg Norman at the 2011 US PGA in Atlanta. Picture Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ieGreg Norman knows all about life at the top - he was world No 1 for 331 weeks in his career. And while he might not have won more majors that Rory McIlroy, ending up stuck on “just” two despite his talent, he can still teach the Holywood star a thing or two.

Gavin Moynihan is now an Honorary Life Member of The Island. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie

Walker Cup star Gavin Moynihan has been made an Honorary Life member of The Island.