McIlroy withdraws from Spanish Amateur

Rory McIlroy has pulled out of this month's Spanish Amateur Championship to attend a friend's wedding.

Ranked second in the R&A's World Amateur Rankings, the Holywood hot-shot was the lowest handicapper in the field for the prestigious King's Cup at Desert Springs from February 28.

Ireland will still have a five strong challenge with Shane Lowry, Simon Ward, Pat Murray joined by Niall Kearney and Ruaidhri McGee all travelling.

(Walker Cup tickets/Golfing Union AGM)

At least 10,000 Irish golf fans will descend on Royal County Down for the Walker Cup from September 8-9.

The R&A has limited the attendance to 7,000 spectators per day with daily tickets priced at €40.

Irish clubs will get 5,000 tickets per day for the eagerly awaited clash between Great Britain and Ireland and the United States.

The Golfing Union of Ireland will write to clubs next month asking them to submit ticket applications while fans who are not members of clubs can apply through the R&A website before the April deadline.

Meanwhile, at the GUI's AGM held at Carton House yesterday, Castlebar native Tommie Basquille was invested as the Union's 59th President.

The Strandhill man, 59, takes over Carrick-on-Suir's Bernie Hynes while John Moss has replaced David Young on the Irish Youths and Senior Selection Committee