Dun Laoghaire‘s Alan Fahy won his first senior golf title yesterday when claiming the Munster Strokeplay at Cork Golf Club.

Shane Lowry might not win the Honda Classic, but if last night’s opening 67 is a taste of what’s to come this season, he may well join that major-winning club.

As a player accomplished enough to win the prestigious Mullingar Scratch Trophy over the August Bank holiday weekend and having seen his brother Shane thrill the golfing world both as an amateur and professional, Alan Lowry is no stranger to outstanding deeds and shot making on the golf course.

Thomas Mulligan, the talented 16-year-old from Co Louth GC, demonstrated during yesterday’s second qualifying round in the AIG Irish Close Championship at Tramore why, only two days ago, he was included in the British & Irish Jacques Leglise boys team for the forthcoming bi-annual challenge against the Continent of Europe.

With handicaps ranging from plus 4 to 1.1, the high quality of the entry for the West Coast Hotels sponsored South of Ireland Championship beginning at Lahinch this morning is a source of considerable satisfaction for the organising committee.

Irish women’s golf has gone through many ups and downs over the years but there has nearly always been a big star to keep things ticking over, from a Philomena Garvey or Clarrie Reddan to a Mary McKenna or a Maureen Madill.

Gavin Moynihan might be considered a shoo-in for a second Walker Cup cap but the Dubliner knows he needs to start showing some form to make sure of his place at Royal Lytham and St Annes in September.

There will be a new name on the cup at the Radisson-sponsored West of Ireland Golf Championship in Rosses Point this year.

Defending champion Jack Hume is the bookies’ favourite and Rosses Point’s Gary McDermott the home hope but young Dubliner Kevin LeBlanc could surprise some in the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at County Sligo.

Arthur Pierse has been coming to Lahinch for more than 40 years in search of the Clare Coast Hotels South of Ireland Championship.

When you are one of the championship favourites and things are going against you, there is always a good time to produce a shot out of the ordinary.

The withdrawal of favourite Gary Hurley and Irish Close champion John Ross Galbraith has come as a major disappointment to organisers of the Clare Coast Hotels South of Ireland at Lahinch, which begins this morning.

Ulster players have been the dominant force in Irish golf in recent years and the trend looks set to continue judging by developments over the opening two days of the Senior and Boys Interprovincials at the Island links in North Dublin.

The draw for the West Clare hotels South of Ireland Championship beginning at Lahinch on Saturday suggests the event is again attracting some of the biggest names in amateur golf.

There have been too many examples over the years of promising young Irish amateur golfers losing the run of themselves and turning professional without considering all the implications.

Four Irish amateurs will tee it up at Fota Island today and while they all dream of following in the footsteps of fairytale 2009 champion Shane Lowry, they’re just thrilled to have a chance to rub shoulders with Rory McIlroy and some of the best players in the world.

Never mind the Irish pros and their majors, there is plenty of homegrown talent poised to follow them on the road to stardom if the form of Ireland’s leading amateurs is anything to go by.

Munster interprovincial Geoff Lenehan has no qualms about lifting what could cynically be termed an asterisk AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship at Seapoint Golf Links.

It will not just be Fota Island Resort inviting Irish golf to party in two weeks’ time, the Irish Open hosts’ fellow Corkonians are also getting in on the act as a nation of golfers descends on the county for the prestigious European Tour event.

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.

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.

European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has been voted into the Distinguished Services category of the Irish Golf Writers’ Association and will accept his specially designed Tipperary Crystal award at the annual dinner, sponsored by Carr Golf Group, at Portmarnock Golf Club on Mar 6.

Holder Pat Murray (Limerick), Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) and Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan), the three players with most reason to feel aggrieved at the announcement of the Irish Home Internationals team before the South of Ireland began, all bit the dust on an eventful day at Lahinch yesterday.

A definite whiff of cordite left behind by the announcement of the Irish team for next month’s Home Internationals before a ball was struck in the South of Ireland, combined with electrical storms that caused a suspension of play in both of the opening two rounds, injected a considerable deal of spice into the action at Lahinch over the past two days.

Stuart Grehan and Pat Murray are amongst the big names competing in the South of Ireland, which begins in Lahinch this morning.

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.

Even though they are the defending champions and will be performing on home territory, Munster are regarded as underdogs in the Senior Men’s Interprovincial Championship beginning at Lee Valley this morning.

Castle’s Daniel Holland broke the hearts of the huge home gallery when he left Des Morgan in his wake and cruised to a three-shot win with a brilliant final round performance in the Mullingar Scratch Trophy.

Des Morgan will chase his Mullingar Scratch Cup dream again today — just 10 weeks after a four-hour operation to have a faulty heart defibrillator replaced.

Robbie Cannon’s superior fitness proved to be the difference as he came through two gruelling rounds and four play-off holes to win a thrilling Irish Amateur Open in sensational style at Royal Dublin.

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.

TWENTY-ONE year-old Stephen Walsh from the Baltinglass club in Wicklow staged a magnificent recovery at Lahinch yesterday to become the new South of Ireland champion.

TWELVE months ago, Kelan McDonagh from Athlone felt he was “putted off the golf course” in the final of the South of Ireland Championship by John Greene from Carlow.

A WEST WATERFORD team with an average age of 20 is on the threshold of a historic and remarkable break through in the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup at Tullamore.

WEST WATERFORD’S chances of a first Bulmers Irish Senior Cup pennant at Tullamore over the weekend have taken a big blow because of the absence of key man Seamus Power.

REVITALISED Munster staged a dramatic fight back in the afternoon singles to force a tie with Leinster on the second day of the Golfsure Inteprovincial Championship at Douglas yesterday. Nevertheless, the stage is still set today for a showdown between Leinster and Ulster, who had a comfortable victory over Connacht and go into the decider with a 100% record.