Austin Garvin
ONE of the most eventful and best Masters tournaments in living memory concluded in a blaze of glory for Phil Mickleson on Sunday night. The sight of his wife Amy greeting him after his famous win was enough to bring tears from a stone.
Mickleson’s form coming into the competition was patchy, but he put that behind him to perform when it really mattered. In doing so he won his third green jacket in seven years. It says a lot for his temperament and sheer will to win that he produced brilliant golf in such trying circumstances.
Afterwards he confessed that he wasn’t sure if his wife would be in attendance. Due to her battle with breast cancer, Amy hadn’t attended a tournament for 11 months.
After a long embrace with his devoted caddy Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, he then embraced his wife. Standing behind them was his mother Mary, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July. So ended a Masters like none other in history.
In winning his fourth Major title Mickleson took some risks along the way. His birdie on the par five 13th hole was a case in point, with his remarkable six iron from pine needles and over Rae’s Creek. His 16-under-par 272 was the lowest by a Masters champion since Tiger won in 2002.
The Masters was remarkable for the sharp rebuke to Tiger Woods from Masters Chairman Billy Payne. Tiger performed very well considering the circumstances. He played some great golf, and probably only failed because of his lack of real competition coming into the event.
One could only feel sorry for Lee Westwood, whose putter went cold at the worst possible time. It was a dismal Masters for the Irish, with all three failing to make the cut.
Overall, it proved to be a generally poor Masters for the Europeans with a few notable exceptions, which will give Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie food for thought.
Rory Leonard wins West of Ireland title
RORY Leonard (Banbridge) struck a blow for the more senior figures in Irish amateur golf when he won the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point last week.
The huge Ulsterman has been competing at the West for some time now and is currently enjoying one of his best ever seasons on the circuit. Leonard narrowly defeated Galway golfer Eddie McCormack (a former member of Slieve Russell) in an absorbing final.
After McCormack birdied the third hole, he was pegged back to all square when he bogeyed the fourth. Leonard birdied the fifth and ninth holes and never lost the lead subsequently, before the match finished on the 17th.
Seamie Daly Tournament
THE annual Seamie Daly Golf Tournament will be held at Mulranny Golf Club on May 8. This competition is held annually to commemorate the late Seamie Daly, who was a true gentleman and a great GAA man.
The Green and Red Golfing Society has appointed former St Jarlath’s College, Mayo and Castlebar Mitchels player Frank McDonald as their captain for the coming season. Former Claremorris and Mayo player Johnny Farragher is the vice-captain.
Women in sport
CLAREMORRIS Golf Club, in conjunction with the ILGU and the Irish Sports Council, are running a series of coaching lessons for any ladies interested in learning to play golf.
The first of four group sessions will be held at the club on April 20, at 6.30pm or 7.30pm to suit personal commitments. The second, third and fourth sessions will be held on April 23, 27 and 30 respectively. On completion of lessons, there will be a beginners’ competition and introductory talks on the rules and etiquette of the game.
All equipment will be provided free of charge, and the lessons will be held under the supervision of Jimmy Heggarty, European Senior Tour professional. The total cost is €40. Anyone interested should call Christina Rushe on 094 9371527 between 9.30am and 5pm.
Aidan Moran’s advice
WE are delighted to announce that Castlebar-based professional Aidan Moran will be coming on board with us to give advice and tips to readers on all aspects of the game.
Aidan runs the Aidan Moran Golf Academy and Driving Range on the Dublin Road, Castlebar. He started there in December after serving as Assistant Professional with Alex Mealia at Westport. Aidan qualified as a PGA professional in late 2000 and currently teaches the game to golfers of all levels. He can be contacted at aidanmoranpga@gmail.com or at 086 8652172.
