Star duo to miss South

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.

Hurley was 10/1 to claim the title but informed organisers yesterday he would not be playing due to exhaustion.

His absence and that of several others come as a huge blow to an event struggling for a high-class field for some years.