Big week for college golfers

There were some anxious moments for Irish golfers this week as both the University of Minnesota and East Tennessee State needed play-off victories to reach the men's national collegiate golf finals.

Niall Turner, Seamus Power, Gareth Shaw and Cian McNamara all earned the right to contest the NCAA Championships in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the end of next week.

The East Tennessee State trio of Power, Shaw and McNamara were involved with their team in a three-way play-off for two finals berths at the NCAA West Regional in Tempe, Arizona, while Turner's Minnesota got into a play-off with Texas A&M at the NCAA Central Regional near chicago.

ETSU's Buccaneers had posted a tournament score of 25-under-par at the Karsten Golf Course but were not sure it would be enough to finish in the top 10 and thereby ensure progress to the NCAA Championships.

They ultimately finished tied for ninth, behind champions South Carolina but alongside Wake Forest and Oregon State and facing a dreaded play-off for the two remaining places. ETSU wasted no time in that effort, with West Waterford's Power and Limerick's McNamara contributing two of the four birdies to join Wake Forest in the championship line-up at Oregon State's expense.

ETSU's best finish came from Welshman Rhys Davies, at 11-under in a tie for 14th, seven shots back of individual medallist Benjamin Alvarado of tournament hosts Arizona State. Lisburn's Shaw, Davies' 2007 Walker Cup team-mate, shot a final round five-under 67 to reach nine under for the tournament and tie for 23rd.