Higgins looking for home run in Killarney

IRISH golf breaks new ground this week when the European Challenge Tour comes to our shores for the first time.

The Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge takes place over the Lackabane course in Killarney from Thursday to Sunday, boasting a prize fund of €130,000 and offering as many as 32 Irishmen the chance to pick up some Challenge Tour points, and in most cases some badly-needed cash, while six amateurs are also handed the chance to make a name for themselves.

The Challenge Tour has been good to the Irish over the years, with Raymond Burns from Banbridge leading the order of merit in 1994, while others to make their way on to the main tour courtesy of the secondary circuit include David Higgins, Michael Hoey and Peter Lawrie.