Happiness for some is a long walk with a putter. But for West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill, few things match the thrill of ripping a drive a mile — especially if he’s trying to beat a souped-up track car down the straight at Mondello Park.

Jack Hume defied end of the world conditions to card what he described as the round of his life to take a two-stroke after two rounds of the Irish Amateur Open at a weather-lashed Royal Dublin.

Scotland’s Marc Warren was one of four players to claim a share of the lead heading into today’s final day of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley stormed into the lead in the European Amateur Championship on the Dukes Course at St Andrews yesterday following a stunning opening round.

The 97,000 fans who thronged the magnificent Fota Island Resort over the last four days had it all. The weather, the big names, the course looking better than an airbrushed postcard.

From the sunshine, smiles and autographs of the pro-am — it was strictly game faces at Fota yesterday. And that was just the spectators.

Jack Hume sets out at Royal Portrush today in the 119th Amateur Championship determined to continue his summer of consistency and book his place in the St Andrews Trophy team to take on the Continent of Europe later in the year.

There was no victory birthday celebration for Rory McIlroy at the Wells Fargo Championship and the 25-year heading home after yet another top-10 finish this season.

Kieran McCarthy defends his title against another high-class field in the Munster Stroke Play Championship at Cork Golf Club tomorrow and Sunday.

Local teenager David Brady made a sensational debut in the Radisson Blue sponsored West of Ireland Championship when he racked up nine birdies in a seven under par course record 64 at Rosses Point.

Captain Phil Cooney and his superbly balanced Munster team were celebrating at Royal Co Down last night after they completed a clean sweep in the Interprovincial Championship by beating a hotly fancied Ulster side by 7 matches to 4.

The traditional first big event on the domestic annual calendar, the Radisson sponsored West of Ireland Championship, gets underway today with the first of two stroke-play qualifying rounds leading up to the final on Tuesday next.

ALAN DUNBAR stepped up his bid for a place in the Walker Cup team to face the Americans at Aberdeen next month when he fired a splendid opening 68 — four under par — in the European Amateur Individual Championship in Sweden yesterday.

ROLLO McCLURE remembers the first time he saw Rory McIlroy swing a club.

SIXTY-ONE years have passed since a Rosses Point man last lifted the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship.

BALLYMENA teenager Dermot McElroy ticks all the boxes as he pitches up at County Sligo today bidding to become the youngest winner of the West of Ireland Championship since Rory McIlroy.

AFTER finishing runner-up in four previous championships, Rory Leonard finally won the big one when he lifted the Radisson-Blu West of Ireland trophy at Rosses Point yesterday.

Defending champion Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) will contest the Golfsure-sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Belvoir Park Golf Club from June 7-11.

The AIB-sponsored Irish Amateur Open Championship, which will be played at The Royal Dublin Golf Club on May 9-11, has attracted a record 91 overseas players from 17 countries.

Esker Hills' Shane Lowry claimed the West of Ireland Championship with a 2 and 1 win over Mullingar's Dessie Morgan at Rosses Point.

Irish Close champion Shane Lowry beat the Castle's Ryan Boal at the 20th to clinch his place in Wednesday's West of Ireland Championship semi-finals at Rosses Point.

Five Irish internationals have made an early exit from the West of Ireland championship at Rosses Point.

Newlands’ Andrew Hogan defied 40 mph gusts to card a four-under par 67 and grab the silver medal for the leading qualifier in the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

Galway's Joe Lyons produced a sensational putting performance to win the Radisson-SAS West of Ireland title at Rosses Point.

Rory McIlroy's bid for a third successive Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Championship ended in a dramatic quarter-final defeat at Rosses Point.

Former Shamrock Rovers striker Stephen Grant fired a sensational course record 64 in the first round of the Radisson SAS sponsored West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Gareth Shaw (Lurgan) and Simon Ward (Co Louth) will represent Ireland in the World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy which will be played at the De Zalze Golf Club and Stellenbosch Golf Club, near Cape Town, South Africa on October 26 to 29.

Lightning struck twice for Esker Hills’ Shane Lowry when he was disqualified for the second time in a row in a senior amateur championship.

Sixteen-year old Rory McIlroy, who successfully defended the West of Ireland Championship last weekend, heads the entries for the AIB Irish Amateur Open Championship.

England's David Horsey fired a four under par 67 on his 21st birthday to grab the first-round lead in strokeplay qualifying for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland Championship.

GRANTS totalling €65,000 were awarded by the Irish Sports Council to leading Irish golfers.

Irish close champion, Rory McIlroy (Holywood) is one of four new caps included in the Ireland team for the Home Internationals which will be played at Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich,England on September 7-9.

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.

RORY McILROY may be only 16 but already he is being hailed by Ryder Cup heroes Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood as a star of the future.

Darren Clarke has secured an invitation for one of his Golf Foundation graduates to play in the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters at the Forest of Arden next week.

FIFTEEN YEAR-OLD West of Ireland champion Rory McIlroy has been selected to compete in the Nissan Irish Open Championship at Carton House Golf Club next month.

West of Ireland champion Rory McIlroy has been selected by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the Nissan Irish Open Championship at Carton House Golf Club from Thursday May 19.

THE use of the term "hidden gem" to describe an emerging golf course is more than a little overdone. But I will risk the wrath of the reader by placing Dr Arthur Spring's creation at Bodyke in Co Clare in that category.

Dubliner Paul McDonald cruised into the semi-finals of the West of Ireland Championship with a one hole win over international Johnny Foster at Rosses Point today.

Holywood teenager Rory McIlroy cruised into the last 16 of the Standard Life West of Ireland Championship with two brilliant performances at Rosses Point.

West of Ireland championship