Des Smyth will never forget the first time he saw Rory McIlroy hit a golf ball. "Oh my God," was his reaction. This weekend, a new generation of young Irish golfers will be at Seapoint for the Irish Amateur Close Championship.

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy shot a disappointing final round 72 for a final score of six under par in the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio yesterday.

Paul Dunne is keeping his fingers crossed the billiard table Baltray greens can inspire a resurrection in his putting when he begins his defence of the East of Ireland Amateur Open title at County Louth today.

Gary McDermott defied rain squalls and winds gusting up to 30 mph to shoot a sensational 69 for a one shot lead after the opening round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Dermot McElroy is determined to break his championship duck when the Irish Amateur Open gets under way at The Royal Dublin today.

Naas ace Jack Hume produced a strongman finish to beat his fitness coach and capture the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland at Rosses Point yesterday.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley needed just 25 holes to blast his way into this morning’s semi-finals of the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at a sun-kissed County Sligo.

Dungarvan’s Kevin Stack and West Waterford’s Gary Hurley kept Munster interest alive in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship at a sun-kissed County Sligo.

Dermot McElroy hopes to celebrate his call-up to the St Andrews Trophy squad by challenging for his first amateur major when the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open gets under way at Rosses Point today.

One of the richest tournaments on the European Tour schedule, the $5m (€3.7m) Dunhill Links, is on this week over three outstanding links courses on the east coast of Scotland — but just three members of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team are competing.

Irish golf has never produced as many players willing to chase the ultimate dream of a place on the game’s major tours. Whether they can afford to follow their dreams is another matter altogether.

Paul McGinley continues to make it clear that he will be his own man when attempting to mastermind Europe’s Ryder Cup defence at Gleneagles next year.

Ireland suffered a disappointing start to the Home International Championship at Ganton, suffering a narrow 8-7 defeat at the hands of a below strength England side.

Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon angrily headed to Lahinch last night gunning for more South of Ireland glory after being sensationally left out of the 11-man Ireland team for next month’s Home Internationals at Ganton in England.

Ulster withstood a late rally by Munster at Lee Valley yesterday to dethrone the home team as Irish Interprovincial champions and regain the title they last held in 2010.

Ireland finally produced their best golf in the European Team Championship week, winning their final matches in all four tournaments.

Ireland swept into the quarter-finals of the European Amateur Team Championships at Silkeborg in Denmark yesterday and will play seventh placed qualifiers, the Netherlands, in the first matchplay contest today.

Ireland are in a strong position to claim a top flight spot at the European Amateur Team Championships, at Silkeborg in Denmark after a solid opening day performance.

Shane Lowry might have become just the third amateur to win on the European Tour at Baltray in 2009, but he’s not piling his cash on a fairytale repeat from one of the quartet of amateurs at Carton House this week.

Waterford Castle amateur Kevin Phelan is ready to give a US Open encore in this week’s Irish Open in Kildare.

Carton House’s Shane Lowry warmed-up for this week’s Irish Open with a blistering final round 65 in the BMW International Open in Munich.

Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass) won the Silver Medal as leading qualifier in the AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Connemara GC yesterday when he shot a six under par 66 in the second round.

Waterville ace David Higgins felt right at home in producing his lowest first round score in nine months and be just one shot off the lead on the opening day of the Spanish Open at Seville.

Muskerry’s Niall Gorey got out of jail with a dramatic semi-final comeback against Reeve Whitson, but had no answer to a brilliant Rory McNamara in the final of the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point.

He might have been watched by 60 years-old Des Smyth, but Niall Gorey is determined to become the oldest swinger in town by breaking his championship duck in the West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

He might be the last County Sligo man standing, but local hopeGary McDermott welcomes the pressure as he bids to become the first home winner of the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship for 63 years.

Waterford hurling great Paul Flynn is hoping that ignorance is bliss when he makes his championship debut in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

Ireland finished a highly-creditable third in the European Nations Cup after a splendid final day at Sotogrande.

Ireland suffered heartache in a dramatic climax to the Men’s Amateur Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes on the Ayrshire coast last night as their title disappeared in the dying moments of the round-robin series.

Ireland returned to the Glasgow Gailes Links on the Ayrshire coast at the crack of dawn to complete their battle with Scotland in the Men’s Home Internationals after rain halted play last night.

Ireland captain Pádraig Hogan believes a strong start against hosts Scotland tomorrow will be key to success in the Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes.

Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar leads a strong Irish contingent looking to score a home victory against a stacked international field at Carton House this week for the International European Amateur Championship.

Six members of the triumphant Munster team in this week’s Interprovincial Championship at Royal Co Down are included in the field for the South of Ireland Championship starting at Lahinch this morning. And yet, they will all have to take a back seat behind the remarkable Ennis man, Noel Pyne, who is competing for the 50th successive year.

Captain Phil Cooney and his superbly balanced Munster team were celebrating at Royal Co Down last night after they completed a clean sweep in the Interprovincial Championship by beating a hotly fancied Ulster side by 7 matches to 4.

Noel Pyne reaches a remarkable milestone when he makes his 50th successive appearance in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch next Saturday.

Dublin teenager Gavin Moynihan bids to continue his amazing run of form at the British Amateur Championship at Royal Troon this morning.

Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge took the title but not before West Waterford’s Gary Hurley hit one of the most dramatic birdies ever seen at Royal Portrush to set up a nerve-jangling finale to the Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close at a sun-kissed Dunluce Links.

Shane Lowry continued to display his fondness for the Blackstone course on day two of the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul.

Michael Hoey put his rivals to the sword, including fellow Irishman Damien McGrane, in being presented with a ceremonial dagger as his prize for winning the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

Big Break winning hero, Mark Murphy is living the dream after putting himself into contention in the weather affected Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

There was not even the proverbial man and his dog on hand to witness Damien McGrane move to a two-stroke lead with a 65 on the opening day of the Hassan II Trophy in Agadir.

Shane Lowry has never played Augusta National but believes it would be easier to play a round of golf on next month’s Masters venue than to tee up on this week’s host Hassan II Trophy course at Agadir.

For the second day of the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt in South Africa, Pádraig Harrington finished with a double-bogey seven and, having also dropped shots on the previous two holes, the Dubliner’s 73 left him, and Open Champion Darren Clarke (68), with eight shots to make up to leader Branden Grace.

ALAN DUNBAR stepped up his challenge for the Brabazon Trophy at Burnham and Berrow on the Somerset coast yesterday with a stunning three-under-par 68 in his second round.