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.

Munster interprovincial Geoff Lenehan has no qualms about lifting what could cynically be termed an asterisk AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship at Seapoint Golf Links.

Des Smyth will never forget the first time he saw Rory McIlroy hit a golf ball. "Oh my God," was his reaction. This weekend, a new generation of young Irish golfers will be at Seapoint for the Irish Amateur Close Championship.

A bank moved to possess a family home yesterday — but targeted the wrong house.

Pat Murray’s perseverance was finally rewarded when after 20 years of trying, he finally won the South of Ireland at Lahinch yesterday, defeating Stephen Healy from Claremorris by two holes in the final.

If perseverance and commitment count for anything, then Pat Murray will win the West Coast Hotels-sponsored South of Ireland at Lahinch today.

IT WAS a chilly, windy morning for the third round of the Irish Close Championship at Tramore in 1987.

IT IS something of a cliche when a young athlete bursts on the scene that his or her potential had been obvious from the start, but unless you’re a two-year-old Tiger Woods filmed putting with Bob Hope for US network television, very few can attest to the veracity of the testimonials.

ONCE the slide begins, it is incredible how quickly even the greatest can fall from grace.

RORY McILROY’S recent comment that he “looked forward to playing for Team GB” in the 2016 Olympic Games revived a controversy that blew up more than 50 years ago when a great Irish lady golfer withdrew from the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team because the blazer badge displayed only the Union Jack flag.

PAT MURRAY has the ideal opportunity to show the Irish selectors the error of their ways in the 108th South of Ireland Championship which begins at Lahinch today.

FOUR-TIME European Tour winner Graeme McDowell says new Irish Open champion, Shane Lowry should forget September’s Walker Cup and “strike while the iron is hot” by turning professional.

LEINSTER include the three outstanding players of the amateur season so far — Shane Lowry, Niall Kearney and Paul O’Hanlon — in their side for the Interprovincial Championship getting under way at Athlone tomorrow.

CORK’S hopes of achieving an historic golfing double were dashed yesterday when they lost to Knock in the most dramatic of circumstances in the semi-final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup.

TWO Irishmen watched Greg Owen’s misery at Bay Hill on Sunday from the closest possible quarters.

BRIAN MCELHINNEY (North West) will face stiff opposition when he defends his Irish Close Championship title, sponsored by Golfsure, at Westport Golf Club from June 11-15.

Brian McElhinney from North West will face stiff opposition when he defends his Irish Close Championship title next month at Westport Golf Club.

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.

WEATHER delays or not, it was a marvellous weekend for Ireland's Graeme McDowell and Fiji's Vijay Singh.

CORK’S Claire Coughlan will be the 12th Irish golfer to play in the Curtis Cup when she lines out for Britain & Ireland against the United States at Formby on June 12 and 13.

IRELAND’S top golfers have sounded a ringing endorsement for the Co Louth Club in Baltray being confirmed today as the venue for next year’s Nissan Irish Open.

IRELAND’S Darren Clarke returns to the scene of his greatest triumph this week when he contests the $5 million Accenture World Match Play Championship at La Costa in California.

THE partnership that clinched the Ryder Cup for Europe last September has broken up.

IT has been another wonderful weekend for Irish golfers Peter Lawrie and Denis O’Sullivan. Lawrie made sure of his card on the main European Tour for next year, while O’Sullivan claimed his fifth title on the European Seniors circuit.