A golfing roundup

Simson completes unique treble

AMERICA’S Paul Simson, who won the Seniors British Open Amateur Championship at Walton Heath in August, has completed a unique triple after winning the USGA Senior Amateur Championship. He now holds the British, American and Canadian senior amateur championships, the first time that any one player has held those titles simultaneously.

The 59-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina, defeated strokeplay champion Pat Tallent 2 and 1 at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

At Walton Heath earlier in the summer, Simson dominated the 54-hole event, winning his third Seniors British Open Amateur by five stokes from compatriot Chip Lutz.

And in September, he registered an even more emphatic victory, winning the Canadian Senior Championship by a remarkable 15 strokes at St Thomas Golf and Country Club in Ontario.

Courtesy of the victory in Florida, Simson receives exemptions into the 2011 US Senior Open, the US Amateur, the USGA Senior Amateur and the US Mid-Amateur Championship.

He has already received places in the Senior British Open Championship, which is being held at Walton Heath in July 2011, and next year’s Seniors Open Amateur which takes place from August 3rd-5th at Royal Portrush.

Cutler, Dunbar, and Phelan team up for world amateurs

THE Ireland team for the World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) in Argentina from October 29th to 31st is: Paul Cutler of Portstewart, Alan Dunbar of Rathmore, and Kevin Phelan of the University of North Florida. The team team captain is Dr Kevin Flanagan.

Cutler, the highest ranked Irish player in the world at 19th, captured the Lytham Trophy in May and was named as Ireland’s sole representative on the St Andrews Trophy team that will take on Continental Europe later this month in Milan.

Rathmore’s Dunbar lifted the Irish Amateur Open Championship in May at Royal Dublin and represented Ireland at the European Team Championship and Home Internationals this year. He also captured the Willie Gill Order of Merit award this year.

Phelan, who is attending the University of North Florida, grew up in Waterford. The highlight of his year was his qualification for the US Open at Pebble Beach.

He made his international debut for Ireland at the Home Internationals this year.

The women’s Espirito Santo Trophy (World Cup) will be played at the Olivos Golf Club and Buenos Aires Golf Club, Argentina from , October 20th-23rd.

The team to represent Ireland is is: Leona Maguire and Lisa Maguire of Slieve Russell, and Danielle McVeigh of Royal Co Down Ladies.

Doherty wins the first outing

STRABANE’S Kieran Doherty claimed the first outing of the North Western Alliance when shooting a nett 67 off a six handicap at North West GC over the weekend.

Doherty finished one shot clear of local Gerry Harkin, Eamonn McGlinchey from Letterkenny, Michael Feeney from City of Derry and Maurice McGettigan from Strabane after all four finished on 68.

Michael McGeady took the gross honours with a five-under-par 67, five clear of Ben Corry from Strabane, with Aaron Taylor from City of Derry taking third place from Justin McLochlainn and Charlie Doherty from North West.

Clandeboye and Cairndhu to clash

THE final of the Ulster Fred Daly Plate takes place on Sunday at Balmoral Golf Club (2pm) when Clandeboye and Cairndhu head into battle for the much-coveted trophy.

Thirty three clubs started out in the competition back in June hoping for success in an event that was won by Portstewart Golf Club 12 months ago.

The competition is only open to clubs in the province of Ulster and was named after the first Irishman to win a major championship.

Both clubs have had to work hard to reach Sunday’s decider and have both played four matches each in getting this far.

Cairndhu defeated Moyola Park 5-2 in their semi-final, having already accounted for Rathmore, Galgorm Castle and Ballycastle in previous rounds.

Clandeboye defeated Knock, Kirkistown Castle, Shandon Park and then Fortwilliam 5-2 in the semi-final to earn their place in Sunday’s final.

Castlerea claim Connacht Shield

CASTLEREA GC bridged a 37-year gap when they won the Connacht Shield with a tie-hole victory over Boyle.

Trailing 4-1 from the first leg, it looked in the early exchanges that Boyle were going to put their local knowledge to best use as they raced into a lead in all five matches.

But down the back nine Castlerea struck for the all important point which would guarantee them at worst a play-off as Liam Walsh and Seán Naughton won 3 and 2 against D Wynne and J Tiernan.

However, then the real drama began as Boyle won the last two matches on the 19th to level proceedings at five matches each.

After both captains nominated their play-off pairings it was Castlerea’s Anto McCormack who was rewarded as Dara Bruen and Kieran Kelly repaid their captains belief in them, despite their loss on the 19th in match five earlier in the day, to secure the all-important match-winning putt on the third tie hole against the Boyle pairing of Gary Carty and Brendan Gaffney.

So congratulations go to Castlerea on regaining the Connacht Shield Pennant after the long lapse and in particular to Ignatius Egan who was a member of the winning Castlerea side in 1973 and again this year.

Higgins heads field for final PGA event

IRELAND’S top professionals head to Mount Juliet this week as the Irish PGA circuit season reaches a climax with the final event in the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with Ping and Fáilte Ireland.

Heading into this week’s event on Friday and Saturday which involves a pro-am and a one-day pro-only event, David Higgins from Waterville holds a slender lead at the top of the Order of Merit, with David Mortimer, recent winner of the Irish PGA title, his closest challenger. However, so tight is the contest any one of the top five could clinch the title, so Damian Mooney, John Kelly and Darren McWilliams will all be hoping for a good weekend.

This week’s event features the top 30 in the Irish PGA order of merit, playing for an additional €50,000 in prize money. The winner of the Order of Merit will receive a € 10,000 bonus, plus a place in next season’s PGA Championship at Wentworth and the 3 Irish Open.