Today's other stories in brief

Caldwell set for Close

A top-class field, including Walker Cup squad member Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye), will contest the Golfsure-sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Cork Golf Club, starting on Saturday.

Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge), runner-up in the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin, along with international players Pat Murray (Limerick), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) and Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), are included in the line-up.

The entry also includes West of Ireland champion Joe Lyons (Galway), former international Jim Carvill (Warrenpoint) and the 2002 champion John McGinn from Laytown and Bettystown.

The handicap cut for this year's championship fell at 1.6, and no fewer than 100 players in the field of 150 have handicaps of scratch and better.

However, Rory McIlroy from Holywood, winner of the championship in the past two years, and Simon Ward (Co Louth) are not included in the line-up, having opted to compete in the St Andrews Links Trophy next weekend.

This will be the fifth occasion for the Irish Amateur Close Championship to be staged at Cork Golf Club - the last time being in 1975 when Martin O'Brien (New Ross) won the title.

Curragh changes

Ireland's oldest golf course, the Curragh GC, has undergone a make-over and three new holes were unveiled on Sunday last. "The Greer", "Donnelly's Hollow" and "Furze Hill" were officially opened by Lady Captain Anne Delaney and Captain Seán McCann. The three holes were created so players do not have to cross the road which ran through the course, creating difficulties for players and motorists. The old holes have now been made into dog-legs.

Putting course design

One of the largest golf architect firms in Europe, the Ireland-based Jeff Howes Golf Design, is designing Scandinavia's first real grass 18-hole putting course at Hafjell in Norway. With construction about to commence, the putting course is expected to be open in summer 2008. The course design includes sand-based greens and floodlighting to extend Norway's traditional May to October playing season.

"We are delighted to be involved with this significant project, which has the potential to revolutionise when and how golf is played in Scandinavia. The course at Hafjell is perfectly positioned, both in terms of location and landscape, to benefit from a real grass 18-hole putting course. This unique course will offer golfers an opportunity to practice their putting, as well as providing a fun attraction for families living in or visiting the area," said Howes.

First Tee challenge

On June 25th, the First Tee Golf Challenge, sponsored by Anglo Irish Bank, will take place at Druids Glen for the benefit of The First Tee of Ireland. The challenge is a four-person team event with teams priced at €1,000 which includes a four-course meal and presentation of prizes. There is a time sheet in operation from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Contact Druids Glen on 01-2873600 or www.thefirstteeireland.org for more information, or John Warren on 086-8261610

Turner goes distance

Niall Turner, from Muskerry, was Ireland's sole representative in the last round of the NCAA Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia, last week. Turner helped his team to ninth place with rounds of 71, 71, 70 and 74. However, despite playing some excellent golf in the early rounds, Gareth Shaw, Séamus Power and Cian McNamara missed out on the final day when East Tennessee University failed to make the cut. Shaw, after rounds of 69 and 68, slipped to a 73 in the third, while Power and McNamara had 76 and 78 respectively.

Turner, who finished the season in the top 30 in college rankings, returns to Ireland this week for the Close Championship followed by the British Amateur and The Berkshire trophy.

Stanford claimed the 2007 NCAA team title, with USC freshman Jamie Lovemark taking the individual crown on 271.

Barton Cup fixtures

Round three of the Barton Cup, sponsored by FBD Insurance, is due to be completed on or before June 10th. The winners will qualify for the last 16 from an entry of 131 clubs. Headfort take on Dundalk at the top of the draw, and the bottom half matches Arklow and Rosslare. Bray and Old Conna won't have far to travel when they meet. Dublin City take on South County. Other interesting fixtures are the holders, Royal Dublin, against Corrstown, Athy v Carlow, Mullingar v Louth, Portarlington v Cill Dara and another local Dublin derby between Sutton and Clontarf.

Morgan triumphs

Leinster interprovincial Des Morgan achieved what seemed the impossible by winning the Captain's (Frank McKeon) prize in Mullingar last Friday. The format in Mullingar for the captain's prize each year is matchplay, with the top 64 battling it out after the qualifying rounds four weeks ago. Playing off a plus-one handicap, Morgan had to concede in the region of 100 shots in the course of the six rounds. In the 36-hole final he beat Aidan Tomkins. Remarkably, Aidan was also beaten in the final 24 years ago (1983) by Des's late father, Paddy.

Smyth seals win

Co Louth's Val Smyth recorded a final round of 79 for a three-round total of 223 to capture the Portuguese Tourist Board-sponsored Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at the Hermitage GC last week. Smyth, who lost to Philip Walton in the final of the Irish Close Championship at Woodbrook in 1982, led overnight by six strokes, but a third round of 71 from Chris Hurst (London) left the Baltray man needing a birdie on the final hole for victory. Smyth split the fairway with his drive and played a fine approach to 20 feet before rolling in the winning putt.

St Anne's competition

The highly popular annual Father & Son Open Foursomes matchplay will take place in St Anne's GC on June 30th. Entries for the event will close on June 22nd. The qualifying round on June 30th will be in a shotgun format, with slots available at 8.30am and 2pm.

The top 64 qualifiers go through to the matchplay stage the following week with the semi-finals and final scheduled for July 7th. The handicap limit for the fathers is 24, with 18 the limit for sons. Entry is €60 per pair.

Details can be obtained from the secretary manager at (01) 8336471. Application forms are available at www.stanneslinksgolf.com

Donabate duel

The Donabate Mother and Daughter Open Foursomes will take place on June 29th. In existence since 1982, competitors play for the Moran Trophy, which was presented by the late Maureen Moran, a prominent member of Donabate, in memory of her late husband Freddie Moran, an international sportsman. Martha and Amy Jones from the Castle GC will defend their title. Entry is €30 per pair. The timesheet is available from Pauline Byrne at (01) 8318992 or 087 9666982.

Districts on duty

Twenty-three clubs will be represented in the quarter-finals of the ILGU Southern District AA Insurance Championships singles cups which will be played in four venues over next weekend. All counties of the district are represented, with Cork having the biggest number, 11 clubs, reaching this stage of the Junior, Intermediate, Minor and Challenge Cups. Ballybunion has three teams involved, missing out only in the Junior Cup. Six clubs, Cork, East Cork, Killarney, Kinsale, Templemore and Tralee, have two teams through to these quarter-finals.

The Intermediate Cup takes place over the Cashen Course at Ballybunion on Saturday, on Sunday the Junior Cup is at Shannon and the Minor Cup at Youghal, while the Challenge Cup is at Cahir Park

Morgan makes mark

Making waves at Powerscourt GC these days is Debbie Morgan, who has reduced her handicap by two shots following success in the 3Ts competition last Tuesday. Playing off a handicap of seven, Morgan produced a stunning round of 45 points and was two under gross for the competition (72).

Special Olympic events

Special Olympic golfers are facing a challenging season. The Munster Regional Games will take place in Ennis GC on June 12th. Ennis will welcome Special Olympics Golfers in on-course events and skills events.

Inter-regional Skills Games will take place in Ballinrobe, Co Sligo, on June 14th. This is another "first" for Special Olympic Golf - up to now the skills and golf event have been held together at the same venue, but, with increasing numbers, Special Olympics Ireland decided to split the competitions. Now 20 skills golfers from each of the five regions will play in Ballinrobe, while another 20 golfers from the five regions in level 2-5 will gather in Harbour Point, Cork, on June 28th.

In July an international event featuring golfers from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will come together in Dublin to play in the first Triple Crown competition, while in September the 12-person Team Ireland will head to Shanghai to play in the World Summer Games.

Ireland: Antonia Casey (Connacht), Jamie Doran (Ulster), Maeve Long (Munster), Rosaleen Moore (Munster), Kevin O'Callaghan (Leinster), Sarah Sherwood (Eastern), Paul Kilgannon and Liam Hyland (Connacht), Ruth S O'Mahony (Munster), Oliver Doherty (Ulster), Rita Dunne (Eastern) and Gary Fleming (Munster). Head coach: Maurice Carbery (Leinster).