Caldwell shines in Florida

Irish Walker Cup star Jonny Caldwell claimed a tie for fourth place at the Rio Pinar Invitational in Orlando, Florida, but his University of South Alabama team-mates could not follow suit.

Belfast golfer Caldwell, the only senior on the Jaguars team, fired rounds of 69, 69 and 72 for a six-under-par 210 at the par-72, 6978-yard Rio Pinar Country Club to claim his high finish individually in the 54-hole tournament. South Alabama, however, could only manage 14th place out of 18 squads in the team standings, compiling a combined 21-over 885, 39 strokes behind winners and tournament hosts the University of Central Florida.

“Unfortunately, we did not accomplish what we went down here to do as a team,” Jaguars head golf coach Ben Hannan said. “Jonny played well as a individual, but as a team, we have got to get back to basics over the next few weeks and work hard in preparation for the next tournament.”

Caldwell and his team-mates have two weeks to get ready for their next tournament, the Linger Longer Invitational in Greensboro, Georgia, on March 14-16.

Galway’s Sinead O’Sullivan was robbed of a chance of glory as steady rains forced the cancellation of Tuesday’s third and final round of the Cuthbert Cup as she was tied for third place.

The East Tennessee State University second-year led her team to a fourth-place finish in their spring season-opening tournament after shooting rounds of 73 and 72 at the par 72, 6834-yard Cougar Point Golf Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

That left O’Sullivan just three strokes off the lead heading into the final round, only for the weather to intervene.

The elements also put paid to hopes of completing the Fighting Camel Classic further up the coast at Buies Creek, North Carolina, where a quartet of Irishwomen were competing.

The event was originally scheduled for 36 holes at the par 72, 6,012-yard Keith Hills Country Club, but heavy rains and thunderstorms washed out the second round.

Dubliner Dawn-Marie Conaty had made the best impression during the opening round, the University of Memphis senior shooting an 80 to tie for 20th place, while Carlow’s Ann Marie Dalton, a senior at North Carolina’s High Point University, claimed 24th place with an 81.

Ballina’s Laura Holmes tied for 39th with a round of 83 while her Old Dominion University team-mate, Emma Gilmore of Moylough, Co. Galway, shot 84.

In the sunnier climes of Sa Juan, Puerto Rico, Tara Delaney helped Kent State University claim a tie for third place at the 54-hole Lady Puerto Rico Classic on Tuesday at the Coco Beach Golf Club in an 18-team field that included 14 top-50 squads.

Carlow’s Delaney, a standard bearer for the Ohio-based Golden Flashes in her three previous years on the Kent State women’s squad, finished 34th individually with a 10-over 226 as her No 14-ranked team placed ahead of five higher ranked squads - No. 5 Florida State, No. 6 Arkansas, No. 10 Georgia, No 11 Purdue and No 12 Tennessee.

Delaney and Kent State will be back in action on March 7-9 in the Texas A&M "Mo" Morial Invitational in Bryan, Texas, where Kilkeel, Co Down’s Danielle McVeigh will be representing the hosts.