Seven of US golfing party believed dead

Up to seven members of a 16strong American party due to arrive in Ireland yesterday for a golfing holiday are believed to have…

Up to seven members of a 16strong American party due to arrive in Ireland yesterday for a golfing holiday are believed to have died in the disaster in Manhattan.

The Old Head golf club in Kinsale, Co Cork, confirmed yesterday that on Wednesday the Carr Golf organisation in New York telephoned to say that five members of the group were believed dead while two others were missing.

"The party was expected to play golf here today and tomorrow but the news came through from America that five of the golfers were believed to have died in the catastrophe while two others are still unaccounted for.

"It's been a very sobering week. We've had at least 200 cancellations from America involving people who don't wish to travel because they are awaiting news of friends or because they are attending funeral services, or simply because they don't wish to travel by air just now.

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"We have also heard news that one member of a fourball which played the Old Head last weekend is missing in Manhattan," a spokesperson at the club said.

The Old Head course, now in its fourth season, has become a major success in the golfing world and has achieved a turnover of £5 million annually, mainly servicing the top end of the American golf market.

Captains of American industry, such as Bill Gates of Microsoft, as well as screen and sports stars like Michael Douglas and Tiger Woods, have played there.

Many of the regular visitors to the course are businessmen either working in or associated with the World Trade Centre.

Yesterday, the course was officially closed as a mark of respect to the victims of the atrocities. A private, five-minute service was held overlooking the 12th green for 100 American golfers who had arrived in Kinsale before Tuesday. The service was conducted by Mgr Declan Murphy of California, who is on a golfing holiday.