Seamus Power’s track record with Lahinch and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is mixed, but the PGA Tour professional was still thrilled to receive his invitation to return home and play this week.

Alex Gleeson and Rowan Lester are three strokes off the lead heading into today’s second round at the European Amateur Championship after a good opening 18 holes at Royal Hague, Netherlands.

The tee shots may not have travelled as far as they once did and the swings were not quite as well grooved but the former South of Ireland champions who assembled at Lahinch yesterday demonstrated they could still teach the modern tigers a thing or two when it came to manoeuvring a golf ball around a links in demanding conditions.

Participation numbers continue to drop, but the Munster Branch of the GUI celebrated another good year in 2015, with Gary Hurley, John Murphy, and clubs Tramore and Dooks presented with awards during the annual delegates’ meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, last week.

The happiest group of people at last night’s low-key annual delegates meeting of the Munster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland in Mallow were the representatives of Ballyneety Golf Club, formerly Limerick County, who were awarded the Munster Branch Club of the Year award for 2014.

Photographer George Karbus took another stunning shot of Lahinch this morning. He tells us how he got the images.

IN THE heart of Upstate New York, where the accents and the temperatures begin to develop a more Canadian complexion, the Carrier Dome pops up out of the skyline of Syracuse’s southside, offering the prospect of some respite from the stubborn cold.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler and Portmarnock’s James Fox fired three-under-par 69s to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at fast-running Baltray.

Defending champion Darren Crowe will face Limerick's Michael Kemmy in Sunday's second round of the South of Ireland championship at Lahinch.

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.

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.

Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick fired a sensational six-under par 66 to scorch into an impressive six-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Louth.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy struggled to a four-over par 75 as Co Louth's Simon Ward led the qualifiers in the Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Amateur Open.

Holder Jim Carvill said goodbye to the South of Ireland title on a wet and windy afternoon at Lahinch.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy cruised into the last 16 of the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close at The European Club.

CHAIRMAN, Bill Murphy and all the outgoing officers were re-elected at a low key Munster Branch AGM held in Mallow.

THERE have been one or two serious negatives, but on balance Jim Carvill’s return earlier this year to the amateur game after 15 years as a professional has proven a great success.

The Irish Amateur Close Championship at Westport Golf Club

BILL MURPHY of Fermoy is the new chairman of the Munster GUI Branch. He was elected in a secret ballot at the annual delegate's meeting in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, last night in a two man contest with Alan McIlraith of Tramore.

The First Round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championshiop has been completed at Baltray Golf Club in Co Louth.

Frank Guerin, the former Munster heavyweight boxing champion and a wearer of the Kerry football jersey, aced the 3rd at Youghal.

THE Golfing Union of Ireland’s plans to move its headquarters from Glencar House in Dublin to a state of the art centre at Carton House, in Maynooth, were outlined by president elect Albert Lee at last night’s meeting of Munster Branch delegates in Mallow.

Mullingar’s John Morris opened with a five under par 67 to take a one shot lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Louth yesterday.

There were no surprise withdrawals from the Sagitta 1000 Guineas as 18 fillies were declared at today’s 48-hour declaration stage for the fillies’ classic at Newmarket on Sunday.