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.

NIALL GOREY of Muskerry was the Irish hero as the host nation pipped reigning champions England in a dramatic climax on the first day of the Men’s Home Internationals at a wet and windy Rosses Point yesterday.

HEADFORD’S Greg Mungovan was the surprise leader after the qualifying rounds of the Clare Coast hotels-sponsored South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch last night.

A CHANGE in the qualifying process means a new course record could be set at Lahinch over the next couple of days.

CONNACHT joy knew no bounds at Rosses Point yesterday when they staged a remarkable recovery to force a tie with Leinster and capture the Interprovincial Championship for only the third time.

CONNACHT yesterday played themselves into a strong position to win the Men’s Interprovincial Championship for the first time since 1983 when they pipped Munster in a cliff hanger at Rosses Point.

MUNSTER got off to the best possible start on the opening day of the senior and boys interprovincial championships at Rosses Point yesterday.

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

Portstewart's Paul Cutler gave his Walker Cup hopes a boost when he captured the East of Ireland Amateur Championship at Baltray.

DONEGAL giant Michael McGeady feared he might have thrown away his chance of appearing in this week’s 3 Irish Open at Baltray when he faltered over the closing six holes of the Italian Open in Turin on Sunday.

Hamburg's Philipp Westermann fired the first sub-par round of the week to race into the clubhouse lead in the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

AUSTRALIAN Brett Rumford, the winner when the event was previously staged at Baltray in 2004, and newly crowned Spanish Open champion Thomas Levet, are among the latest entries for the 3 Irish Open starting at the Co Louth links on Thursday week, May 14.

SHANE LOWRY will be looking to equal Rory McIlroy’s feat and retain the Radisson-Blue West of Ireland title when the championship gets underway at Rosses Point this morning.

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.

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.

FOUR members of the Irish side that retained the European Team Championship in Turin this month contest the South of Ireland, which begins at Lahinch this morning.

Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs romped to a four-stroke win in the East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth today.

Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs took advantage of perfect early morning conditions to scorch to a six-under par 66 and a two stroke lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Championship at County Louth.

Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo took advantage of a spectacular eagle two to fire a course record five-under par 67 and snatch a share of the lead entering the final 36-holes of the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs fired a course record 68 to take the first round lead in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin yesterday.

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.

England’s Jonathan Hurst has set his sights on the West of Ireland Amateur Open title after a level-par 71 gave him the first round lead at wind-blown Rosses Point 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.

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell found his putting touch to lead at the halfway stage in the East of Ireland Championship at Baltray.

GRAEME DUNLEA aged 18 from Killorglin, Co Kerry, won the fifth Irish News of the World Young Irish Golfers Challenge at Luttrellstown’s par 72 course yesterday.