Sexton still shining in Lahinch.

The Irish Ladies Close Championship began yesterday around the Old Course at Lahinch, Co Clare, where competitors played 36 holes strokeplay. The championship course, measuring 5,968 yards, was in immaculate condition and good scores were there for the taking.

Olivia Mehaffey surrendered the Helen Holm Trophy with England’s Olivia Winning snatching Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship victory from her grasp at Troon.

Northern Ireland teenage star Olivia Mehaffey made a sensational start to the defence of her Scottish women’s open stroke-play championship over Troon’s Portland course yesterday.

Cheshire’s David Horsey shot a course record 63 to claim the first-round lead at the Made in Denmark tournament in Farso at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.

Open Championship hero Paul Dunne will attract much of the attention at Royal Portrush in two weeks as Ireland bid to defend their Home Internationals title on home soil.

Whatever about her Olympic hopes, Leona Maguire is certain to be an inspiration for Ireland in the European Ladies Team Championships at Helsingor Golf Club in Denmark today.

Cork teenager Jean O’Driscoll led the Irish challenge on the first day of the British Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship at Ashburnham in West Wales yesterday.

Two double bogeys in the first three holes prevented teenage sensation Olivia Mehaffey from being among the leaders after the first round of the European Ladies Amateur Championship in Estonia yesterday.

Emma O’Driscoll bids to consolidate her sparkling start to the season when she lines up in the prestigious St Rule Trophy over the New Course at St Andrews today.

Congratulations to Tricia Mangan on her appointment as the next high performance director of the Irish Ladies Golf Union (ILGU).

Paul McGinley’s love/hate relationship with the PGA Centenary course continued with Europe’s Ryder Cup captain delighted to make the cut in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Ireland suffered an inexplicable singles collapse at Silkeborg in Denmark yesterday to crash out of contention for the European Men’s Amateur Team Championship.

A brilliant two under par 70 by former British champion Stephanie Meadow gave Ireland a chance of qualifying for the top flight — the last eight — in the European Ladies Team Championship at Fulford, York today.

Two Irish internationals made history for the wrong reasons in the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship at Machynys Peninsula in South Wales yesterday.

Ireland slipped to a second consecutive defeat in the Women’s Home Internationals at Cork Golf Club yesterday, going down 6-3 to Wales.

Ireland’s hopes of a first Women’s Home International victory since 2004 were dealt a hammer blow on the opening day as the hosts were trounced 9-0 by England at Cork Golf Club.

Ireland will go into today’s Women’s Home Internationals at Cork Golf Club with team captain Claire Coughlan-Ryan determined her side can make a mockery of the world rankings.

Most of the top lady golfers from Ireland and Britain, including Curtis Cup stars, will compete in the prestigious Ladies Home International Championships at Cork Golf Club next week.

Ireland hope home advantage will help them regain the Boys Home International title at County Louth over the next three days.

A six over par 77 for an aggregate of 225 at Slovenia’s Diners Club wrecked any chances Irish girls champion Jessica Carty had of surviving the 54 hole cut in the European Ladies Individual Amateur Championship.

Seven Irish players contest this week’s Scottish Open but while Pádraig Harrington will tee up on the acclaimed Castle Stuart course to the east of Inverness with the comfort of a British Open tee time, it won’t be the same for six others.

Teenage star Leona Maguire is in position at Carnoustie to grab a prominent place in the matchplay stages of the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship after yesterday’s second qualifying round.

Europe are on course for a landslide victory at this year’s Bonallack Trophy after dominating Asia-Pacific in Portugal yesterday.

Ulster remain on track to claim their third successive Women’s Interprovincial title at Cork Golf Club following their hard-earned 6-3 victory over Munster on day two of the action yesterday.

It is all to play for after day one of the Women’s Interprovincials at Cork GC yesterday.

Ulster’s ambition to win a third consecutive Women’s Interprovincial golf title this week at Cork Golf Club has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of two of their more experienced players.

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

RICHARD O’DONOVAN produced the best final round of the Irish contingent in the European Amateur Individual Championship in Sweden.

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.

WORLD number one Luke Donald warmed up for the British Open with his third victory of the year yesterday — and what a win it was.

IRELAND’S hopes of a third European Women’s Team title disappeared over the Murhof course in Austria yesterday after a titanic struggle with Sweden.

PORTUGUESE Ladies champion Leona Maguire and her twin sister Lisa, the current Spanish Ladies champion, will lead the Irish challenge at the inaugural Irish U-18 Strokeplay Championship at Knightsbrook Hotel Spa and Golf Resort in Co. Meath next weekend.