Amateur Scene: Brian McElhinney won't have time to dwell on the disappointment of the Walker Cup defeat at the hands of the USA in Chicago over the weekend, when he leads a six-strong Irish challenge for the European Individual Championship at Antwerp International Golf Club, staring tomorrow.
McElhinney, the winner in 2003, will be looking for a repeat performance, after making only one appearance in Chicago, in the singles where he lost 2-1 to Lee Williams as Britain and Ireland lost for the first time since 1999.
The North West club member is joined by five other members of Ireland's elite squad - Connor Doran (Banbridge), Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), Michael McGeady (North West), Rory McIlroy (Holywood) and Cian McNamara (Limerick) in their bid to follow in the footsteps of Ireland's two other winners, Stephen Browne in 2001 and Paddy Gribben in 1998.
England hold the European title following Matthew Richardson's victory in Sweden last August, ahead of Walker Cup team-mate Gary Lockerbie. That win ended a 13-year wait, after Jim Payne in 1991.
The English Golf Union are sending 15 players to Belgium, including four members of the Elite Squad and six players who will represent England in next month's Home Internationals at Royal St George's, Sandwich, Kent.
Meanwhile, Ireland show two changes on the women's international team to defend their Home International title at Dundalk GC on September 14th-16th. Tara Delaney (Carlow), unavailable last year because of studies in the US, and Marian Dunne (Skerries), come into the side in place of Connacht's Sinéad O'Sullivan and Ulster's Helen Jones. They will join Claire Coughlan (Cork), Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Heather Nolan (Shannon), and Deirdre Smith (Co Louth).
Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), a semi-finalist in last week's British Boys championship, and Séamus Power, a quarter-finalist, head a strong field for the Nissan-sponsored Irish Boys' Amateur Close Championship at Kilkeel Golf Club, staring tomorrow.
Lowry, the winner of the Leinster title, will be joined by Simon Doherty (Fortwilliam), the Munster winner, Darren Nolan from Delgany, who took the Ulster title and Connacht finalists Craig Martin (Kilkenny) and Byron Campbell (Malone) in a bid to capture that last boys' major of the season.
This weekend also sees the first leg of the FBD-sponsored Barton Cup final. And this year history is about to repeat itself some 20 years on. In 1985, Greystones Golf Club met Newlands in the final, with the County Wicklow Club lifting the trophy with wins at home and away, after a series of tense matches.
Now the two clubs are to clash again after Greystones beat neighbours Bray and Newlands defeated Royal Dublin to set up the historic clash. The big question is whether Greystones - jointly managed by Pat McGrath and Paddy Malone - will again lift the coveted trophy, or will Newlands and managers Greg Walsh and Vincent Buggy avenge that defeat 20 years ago.
The first leg of the final takes place at Greystones on Saturday, with the second leg on Saturday, September 3rd at Newlands.
Meanwhile, Paul Waring, the new English champion, will be hoping to stay injury-free after being selected to make his full debut when England host the Home Internationals at Royal St George's, Sandwich, on September 7th-9th.
The 20-year-old from Cheshire was due to earn his first full cap a year ago in the same event at Prestwick but a damaged shoulder tendon forced him to pull out. Now, Waring will line up with three other new caps, James Crampton, Matthew Cryer and Edward Richardson, in an experienced team who will defend the title won narrowly in Scotland a year ago.
The others selected on the England team are Robert Dinwiddie, Oliver Fisher, Adam Gee, Jamie Moul, James Ruth, Steven Tiley and Gary Wolstenholme.
Four of those selected, Fisher, Moul, Tiley and Wolstenholme, were in the England team who won the European Men's Team Championship at Hillside last month. Another four, Dinwiddie, Gee, Tiley and Wolstenholme, were in the winning team at last year's Home Internationals.
Scotland's Jordan Findlay, the defending champion, who beat Shane Lowry of Tullamore in the semi-final, just failed in his bid to retain the British Boys title when he was beaten 3 and 2 by Bernhard Neumann (Germany) in the 36-hole final at Hunstanton Golf Club.
Neumann won the 16th and 18th to go to lunch with a one-hole lead. However, the German went three up after 27 holes and there was no way back for the Scot as Neumann closed out the match on the 34th hole.
IRELAND (Women's Home Internationals, Dundalk GC, September 14th-16th): Claire Coughlan (Cork), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Heather Nolan (Shannon), Deirdre Smith (Co Louth). Captain: Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange). Manager: Lillian Starrett (Cairndhu).
