Teenage prodigy Rory McIlroy is through to the semi-finals of the Irish Amateur Close Championship.

Irish Amateur Close Championship at Westport Golf Club

OLIN BROWNE fired a spectacular 59 to grab one of the final spots in the US Open - after almost withdrawing from the qualifying tournament in Maryland.

Brian McElhinney, winner of the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last weekend heads Ireland’s team for the European Team Championship which will be played over the Hillside course in Southport, England, from June 28 to July 2.

WITH the Swedish Federation sending 10 of their leading players ranging in handicap from plus 3.3 to 0.5, there is every chance that the Standard Life West of Ireland Championship starting at Rosses Point, Sligo, this morning could well be for export for the second time in six years.

GARY WOLSTENHOLME, the only Britain and Ireland amateur to feature on four winning Walker Cup teams, has been named in a provisional 29-strong squad for next August’s defence of the trophy in Chicago.

R&A selection chairman Peter McEvoy has named an initial squad of 29 players for next August's 40th Walker Cup, to be held at the Chicago Golf Club, Illinois.

Reigning Irish champion Brian McElhinney (North West) will lead the three-man team to

SOUTH of Ireland winner Cian McNamara (Limerick) and runner-up Greg Bowden (Hermitage) are the two new caps in the Irish team for the Home Internationals at Prestwick on September 8-10.

There are two new caps on the team selected to represent Ireland in the men’s Home Internationals from 8th-10th September at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.

Stackstown’s Mark Campbell slayed his demons to win in the East of Ireland Amateur championship at Co Louth today.

STACKSTOWN'S Mark Campbell produced his best ever round at Baltray to grab the halfway lead in the East of Ireland Amateur championship in Co Louth.

AARON O’CALLAGHAN, winner of this year’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award for golf, is one of a number of entries for the British Amateur Championship beginning at St Andrews on Monday.

CRAIG SMITH, a 6 foot 7 inch tall, 23 year-old from Cardiff, became the third overseas winner of the AIB Irish Amateur Open Championship since the event was revived in 1995 by mounting a highly impressive rearguard action over the Montgomerie course at Carton House, Co Kildare.

Former milkman Craig Smith won the AIB Irish Amateur Open by a shot from Co Sligo’s Sean McTernan at Carton House.

IT has been common knowledge for several weeks that Colm Moriarty and Noel Fox were virtual certainties for inclusion on the British & Irish Walker Cup side to face the Americans at Ganton on September 6-7.

NOEL PYNE first played in the Shell South of Ireland Championship when still a leaving certificate student at St Flannan’s College, Ennis.

COLM MORIARTY (Athlone) and Justin Kehoe (Birr) have been selected to compete in the Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship and the NSW Medal and Amateur Championship in Australia early in the New Year.

IRELAND’S hopes of winning their first Amateur Home International title for 11 years were scuppered in the sunshine at Royal St David’s Harlech yesterday when Wales overcame them 8.1/2 to 6.1/2 in a contest even closer than the scoreline suggests.

ALTHOUGH there has been a serious drain to the professional ranks, especially where outstanding players like Graeme McDowell, Michael Hoey and Stephen Browne are concerned, Irish captain Eddie Dunne is positive where his team’s prospects in this week’s home international at Royal St David’s, Harlech, are concerned.

The Ireland team to contest this year's Home Internationals sees five new caps.

Colm Moriarty claimed victory at the South of Ireland Championship in Lahinch, Co Clare, yesterday evening, despite suffering back and shoulder injuries in a car crash on Friday.

BARRY REDDAN is set to become the oldest winner of the Shell-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.