The traditional first big event on the domestic annual calendar, the Radisson sponsored West of Ireland Championship, gets underway today with the first of two stroke-play qualifying rounds leading up to the final on Tuesday next.

THE youngest and oldest players in the field met with mixed fortunes in yesterday’s second round of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.

DEFENDING champion Alan Dunbar hopes his batteries will be recharged when he tees it up at Royal Dublin this morning and takes on six of his fellow Walker Cup squad members in the Irish Amateur Open.

SIXTY-ONE years have passed since a Rosses Point man last lifted the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship.

Paul Dunne (Greystones) today became the first player to successfully defend the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship with a two-stroke victory over Knock’s Colin Fairweather at Bangor Golf Club.

New Junior Health Minister John Moloney today vowed to press ahead with plans to build a super prison on the same site as the new Central Mental Hospital.

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.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

A revitalised Rory McIlroy is licking his lips at the prospect of a head-to-head battle with Mark Campbell for the Mullingar Scratch Cup.

IRISH YOUTHS AMATEUR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006

Big-hitting Andrew Pitcher led the qualifiers in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has set his sights on Tiger Woods' course record in the Irish Close at the European Club.

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell found his putting touch to lead at the halfway stage in the East of Ireland Championship at Baltray.

Sixteen-year old Rory McIlroy, who successfully defended the West of Ireland Championship last weekend, heads the entries for the AIB Irish Amateur Open Championship.

Dunmurry's Darren Crowe is determined to break his title hoodoo in the Radisson SAS West of Ireland championship at Rosses Point.

The Irish Youths Amateur Open Championship at Portumna Golf Club

Irish Amateur Close Championship at Westport Golf Club

East of Ireland Championship 2005 at the Co Louth Golf Club

East of Ireland Championship at the Co Louth golf club

EVEN in the rarefied atmosphere of professional golf, the albatross, three under par, is unusual.

G Bowden claimed the Mullingar Scratch Trophy at Mullingar Gol Club tonight as he beat M Geady in the third play-off hole.

Mark Campbell of Stackstown leads the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Louth Golf Club.

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

The news that Jack Nicklaus is set to design his second course in Ireland — on the grounds of the Killeen Castle in Co Meath — has renewed the debate on just how many more new multi-million euro complexes this country can take.

THE news that Jack Nicklaus is set to design his second course in Ireland — on the grounds of Killeen Castle in County Meath — has renewed the debate on just how many more new multi-million euro complexes this country can take.

ACE Cork golfer Claire Coughlan had a commanding seven strokes to spare as she added the Suzuki Irish Ladies Strokeplay Championship to her titles tally at Rathsallagh yesterday.

PATIENCE is a virtue in every walk of life.

Eamon Logue is the surprise overnight leader after the first round in the Smurfit PGA Irish Region Championship at Westport.