YOU could be forgiven for thinking the end of the competitive golf season had finally arrived now we are almost into the month of December.

NIALL TURNER flies into Spain today to prepare for what he describes as the biggest pressure week of the professional golfing year.

THE golf industry may be in a state of flux in the current economic climate but three young Irishmen are managing to find their way in some of the most ideal circumstances — an exclusive country club in America’s Deep South.

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.

LUIS “El Leon” Garcia could be contemplating Olympic gold medals if he remained in his native Cuba but, instead, he faces the biggest assignment of his short professional career at The Aura in Letterkenny tonight when he takes on Uruguay’s Jorge Rodriguez on the undercard to Paul McCloskey’s European title defence.

ULSTER justified pre-tournament favouritism at Douglas yesterday when they defeated Leinster 7½-5½ on the final day of the Golfsure Interprovincial Championship to complete the grand slam and regain the title they last held in 2006.

REVITALISED Munster staged a dramatic fight back in the afternoon singles to force a tie with Leinster on the second day of the Golfsure Inteprovincial Championship at Douglas yesterday. Nevertheless, the stage is still set today for a showdown between Leinster and Ulster, who had a comfortable victory over Connacht and go into the decider with a 100% record.

Defending champions Leinster were held 6 ½ - 6 ½ by Munster on the second day of the Golfsure sponsored Interprovincial Championships at Douglas Golf Club, while Ulster beat Connacht by 9 ½ - 3 ½ .

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

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.

CLASS, youth and fitness made all the difference at Athlone yesterday when Leinster won the Golfsure Interprovincial Championship for the first time since 2004 by beating Munster 7-6 in an enthralling decider.

Fergal Rafferty helped his Sam Houston State University team to a second victory of the season as he secured an 11th-placed finish at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock First Tee Collegiate tournament.

ULSTER redhead Darren Crowe and Limerick’s Pat Murray will be hoping for better luck over the coming days in the South of Ireland Golf Championship at Lahinch.

Ulster secured an impressive victory against Connacht in the Youths Interprovincial Matches at Donegal Golf Club today.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

Seamus Power collected his first collegiate win in grand style today by taking the individual title at the Atlantic Sun Conference championships.

A SCHEME by Doonbeg Golf Club to offer a scholarship at a top US college has been praised by an Irish golfer already on campus Stateside.

Strong performances from Irish golfers Gareth Shaw and Seamus Power helped drive East Tennessee State University into America’s top 10 team rankings this week.

Niall Turner led home a strong Irish contingent at this week’s Puerto Rico Collegiate Classic.

Cork golfer Aaron O’Callaghan kicked off his spring campaign in style with a victory at the 54-hole Rice Intercollegiate tournament in Texas.

PETER O’KEEFFE has seen the decision to reconstruct his swing pay dividends with a maiden victory in US collegiate golf.

Rory McIlroy scorched into a commanding five shot lead at the halfway stage of the European Individual Amateur Championship in Italy today.

Rory McIlroy was in form again today as Ulster secured the Interprovincial Championship crown at Ballyliffin.

Ulster and Leinster today enjoyed convincing Interprovicial victories at the Ballyliffin Golf Club.

Ulster and Leinster both hold comfortable leads at the Interprovincial Championship at Ballyliffin after today's action.

The five players selected by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the European Individual Championship at Biella Golf Club, Italy from 23rd-26th August have been announced.

Ireland scored a decisive 7 ½ - 1 ½ victory over Wales in their annual Youths International match at Royal Tara Golf Club.

Seventeen-year-old Rory McIlroy has been named in the team of six to represent Ireland in the European Youths Team Championship.

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

IRISH international Aaron O’Callaghan made the perfect start to his US collegiate career by claiming victory in his debut tournament.

Pre-Championship favourites Ulster captured the Golfsure sponsored Interprovincial

THE numerically strong Irish contingent collapsed in disappointing fashion during yesterday’s second day of the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge tournament over the Lackabane course at Killarney, leaving 25-year-old Scot Peter Whiteford clear at the top of the leaderboard with a highly impressive total of 12 under par 132.

THE DONALD Steel-designed Lackabane course at Killarney hosts the first European Challenge Tour event in the Republic of Ireland over the next four days with the arrival of the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge.

DARREN CROWE, a 24-year-old full-time golfer from Dunmurry, meets Pat Murray, 34, secretary/manager at Limerick Golf Club, in the first semi-final of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch this morning.

IRISH golf breaks new ground this week when the European Challenge Tour comes to our shores for the first time.

LIMERICK teenager Cian McNamara faces strong opposition in his bid to retain his South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch over the next five days.

The Irish Youths team beat Scotland in the Youth International at Portumna Golf Club in Co Galway today.

OLIN BROWNE fired a spectacular 59 to grab one of the final spots in the US Open - after almost withdrawing from the qualifying tournament in Maryland.

Brian McElhinney, winner of the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last weekend heads Ireland’s team for the European Team Championship which will be played over the Hillside course in Southport, England, from June 28 to July 2.

The Irish Youths Amateur Open Championship is destined to have a new name on its list of winners this year, as 75 young golfers head to Portumna Golf Club from June 23-24 for the 37th staging of the event.

WITH the Swedish Federation sending 10 of their leading players ranging in handicap from plus 3.3 to 0.5, there is every chance that the Standard Life West of Ireland Championship starting at Rosses Point, Sligo, this morning could well be for export for the second time in six years.

PETER O’KEEFFE and Aaron O’Callaghan, two of the most promising young golfers in Ireland, have been awarded scholarships to the University of South Eastern Louisiana.

There are two new caps on the team selected to represent Ireland in the men’s Home Internationals from 8th-10th September at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.