The sunny south-east lived up to its reputation in style at Tramore, Co Waterford, yesterday when the opening day of the AIG Irish Close Championship was favoured by glorious weather conditions.

A Maynooth University team of considerable talent has emerged as warm favourites to capture the AIG Irish Senior Cup, having come through the Leinster qualifying section in highly impressive fashion.

The death has occurred of Dr Arthur Spring, one of the best-known sporting personalities in Ireland.

Irish Senior Cup

The draw for the West Clare hotels South of Ireland Championship beginning at Lahinch on Saturday suggests the event is again attracting some of the biggest names in amateur golf.

After many unsuccessful attempts at mastering a surfboard, Shane Lowry continued to stand upright in the ancient club-and-ball game with a four under par 68 on day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Ireland suffered a disappointing start to the Home International Championship at Ganton, suffering a narrow 8-7 defeat at the hands of a below strength England side.

Only one member of the Irish team for next month’s Home International Championship turned up for the South of Ireland at Lahinch over the weekend.

A DISASTROUS result in the morning foursomes against Scotland cost Ireland dearly on the final day of the Home International Championship at Rosses Point yesterday.

INSPIRED by the exploits of Pádraig Harrington, Ireland won the Home International Championship when it was last staged at Rosses Point in 1991.

TWENTY-ONE year-old Stephen Walsh from the Baltinglass club in Wicklow staged a magnificent recovery at Lahinch yesterday to become the new South of Ireland champion.

SOUTH Roscommon man Eugene Fayne was elected president of the Golfing Union of Ireland at yesterday’s Annual General Meeting at Carton House, Co Kildare.

THIS will be a big weekend on and off the course for several of our leading golfers.

TWO great old warriors waged a titanic struggle in yesterday's Munster final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup at Muskerry before Dermot Morris carried the day for Limerick Golf Club by getting home at the third extra hole against Tom Cleary of Cork Golf Club.

CIAN McNamara, an 18-year-old Limerick schoolboy, has played himself into position to become the youngest winner of the Shell South of Ireland since Fred Ballingall in 1897, by reaching the semi-finals in impressive fashion at Lahinch yesterday.

Charlie Mulqueen

VERY few here at Troon have heard a great deal about Brian McElhinney but, in truth, he has arrived here with very worthy credentials.

AARON O’CALLAGHAN, winner of this year’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award for golf, is one of a number of entries for the British Amateur Championship beginning at St Andrews on Monday.

THE venue promises to be at least as interesting as the golf itself when the AIB Irish Amateur Open Championship gets under way over the brand new Montgomerie course at Carton House near Maynooth, Co Kildare this morning.

CLAIRE COUGHLAN (ladies), Darren Clarke (professional), Noel Fox (amateur) and Garth McGimpsey (distinguished services) were voted the 2003 award winners by the Irish Golf Writers Association.

CLAIRE COUGHLAN, the heroine of Ireland’s magnificent victory in the Home International Championship at Cruden Bay last month, is a shock omission from the Curtis Cup elite squad announced yesterday.

FAILURE to complete the Grand Slam and win the Triple Crown for only the third time was something of a disappointment for the players and the galleries but Ireland still captured the Home International Championship and the Raymond Trophy at Ballybunion yesterday.

By Charlie Mulqueen MONKSTOWN’S Ada O’Sullivan is preparing for the biggest challenge of her golfing career.

MILLIONS of miles away. Paul McGinley makes a playful grab for his four year old son, Killian, ‘Killy’ around the house.