Olivia Mehaffey had a mixed start on day one of the European Ladies´ Amateur Championship in Switzerland, going into this morning’s second round five strokes off the lead.

Paul McBride is the only Irish star left standing in the 122nd Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s on the Kent coast.

Olivia Mehaffey made a fine start in her bid for European Ladies’ Amateur Championship glory by carding an opening day total of 70 in Sweden.

Collegiate life as a Duke Blue Devils golfer certainly does not lack excitement, according to Slieve Russell talent Lisa Maguire.

Olivia Mehaffey carries Irish hopes into the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship semi-finals at Portstewart this morning – after world number one Leona Maguire suffered a shock last 16 defeat in round three.

Lisa Maguire narrowly missed out on a medal in the European Ladies Amateur Championship in Finland at the weekend.

Lisburn’s Paula Grant staged a magnificent rally and defied gale force winds at Ballybunion yesterday to defeat Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) and capture the Irish Ladies Close Championship for the first time.

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

Ireland’s women selectors have sprung a surprise by dropping Lisa Maguire from the side for the World Amateur Team Championships in Turkey next month.

With the disappointing late withdrawal of the Slieve Russell twins Leona and Lisa Maguire, the focus of attention turned to the other Irish competitors in the smaller-than-usual field in the British Ladies Open stroke-play championship at Shandon Park, Belfast yesterday.

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

Adrian Morrow flew home from Austria yesterday on cloud nine after conquering a top class field to clinch the European Seniors Amateur Championship.

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.

Leona Maguire stepped up the defence of her Portugese Ladies Open Amateur title in difficult conditions in Lisbon yesterday.

IRELAND won the Men’s Senior Home International Championship for an unprecedented fourth successive year at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire yesterday and completed the Triple Crown with a 7-2 trouncing of England.

LEONA MAGUIRE moved into contention for the Ladies British Open strokeplay title at Royal Ashdown Forest, East Sussex yesterday with a second successive three over par 75.

THE BATTLE for the 2011 Irish Open has yet to begin, but already potential venues are lining up for the 2012 renewal, including a Killarney bid for three-in-a-row.

LISA MAGUIRE continued her domination of the European Women’s Individual Championship in the Netherlands yesterday.

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.

LADIES Irish Open boss Roddy Carr avoided some Chinese torture to deliver a world class field at Killeen Castle next month.

THE Maguire twins returned to their normal impressive form yesterday to progress comfortably into the knock-out phase of the British Ladies Open Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush.

PAUL DUNNE and Alan Dunbar held their nerve in Barcelona yesterday to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Spanish Men’s Open Amateur Championship with a stroke to spare.

IRELAND were pipped at the post in a gripping finale to the Women’s Amateur Home International at rain-sodden Whitchurch in Cardiff yesterday.

IRELAND failed to retain their European Girls’ Team Championships title in Denmark on Saturday.

IRELAND are within one match of completing back-to-back victories in the European Girls’ Team Championship after another highly successful day in Denmark.

IRELAND are within one match of completing back-to-back victories in the European Girls’ Team Championship after another highly successful day in Denmark.

DANIELLE MCVEIGH produced a brilliant singles performance in Boston last night to clinch a splendid Curtis Cup point but it was all in vain as Great Britain and Ireland’s woeful record in the bi-ennial transatlantic clash goes on.

THE remarkable Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, from Co Cavan, will create a significant piece of Curtis Cup history when they make their debuts in the bi-annual clash with the US at the Essex Country Club, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachussetts on June 11-13.

World race-walking silver medallist, Olive Loughnane was crowned The Irish Times/Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Year 2009’ today for her performance at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin earlier this year.

RORY McILROY, who has risen from 39th to ninth position in the official world rankings in his second season on tour, has been voted the ‘Professional of the Year’ in the 2009 Irish Golf Writers’ Association Awards, sponsored by AIB Bank.

Fourteen-year-old Irish twins Leona and Lisa Maguire have been included in the squad for Britain and Ireland’s Curtis Cup match against the United States in Massachusetts next June.

THE amazing Maguire twins made sensational debuts for Great Britain and Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe in Hamburg yesterday. However, they could not prevent their team from trailing at the halfway stage.

EMMA O’DRISCOLL (Ballybunion) defeated Paula Grant (Lisburn) to capture the Lancome Girls’ Irish Close Championship title in sensational style at Castletroy GC yesterday.

IRELAND’S girl golfers returned home last night in jubilant mood after winning the European Team Championship in style for the first time over the Kokkola course in Finland.

THE superstar status of the Maguire twins from Slieve Russell has given ladies golf in this country a massive boost. So there was huge disappointment when holder Leona’s early exit ensured there would be no final battle between the 14 year-olds at the Lancome Irish Women’s Close Championship at Fota Island Resort today.

THE Irish Ladies Golf Union has allocated €74,800 to support the country’s top amateurs this year.

THE outrageously talented 13-year-old Maguire twins from Ballyconnell in Cavan have been named in a Great Britain & Ireland preliminary squad for the 2009 Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe in Germany next July.

Thirteen-year-old identical twins Lisa and Leona Maguire have been named in the Great Britain and Ireland senior squad for the Vagliano Trophy against the Continent of Europe in Hamburg next July.

IRISH golfing sensations, identical twins Lisa and Leona Maguire, led the qualifiers for Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup Team after finishing first and second in at the 2008 European Young Masters.

Paul Dunne (Greystones) and Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park) have been selected by The Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the European Young Masters to be played at Chantilly Golf Club, France from July 24-16.

THE Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, remain on course to meet in today’s final of the Lancome Irish Women’s Close Championship in Westport.