Michael Hoey is keen to play more in the US but he won’t be going to Q-School. Pictured in Akron last month by Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieMichael Hoey has decided against chasing his American tour card through the last ever PGA Tour Q- School.

The four-time European Tour winner, currently ranked 111th in the world, toyed with the idea when he rose to 74th in the rankings following his win at the Trophée Hassan II in March.

Had he made the cut in the Open or the US PGA or remained inside the world’s top 100, he might have avoided having to enter the second stage of the Q-School.

But as that clashes with climax of the European Tour season, the Belfast man has decided to concentrate on improving his game and make the move to the US by qualifying for game’s biggest events by making the world’s top 50..

“Unless I am in the top 100 in the world, I have to go through from Stage Two as I missed the cut in the [Open and the US PGA],” said Hoey, who also played in this year’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron. “And it conflicts with big tournaments at the end of the European season.

“I’ll concentrate on Europe and climbing the world rankings and making the improvements I still need to make to my game.”

Hoey, who is 54th in the Race to Dubai, is one of seven Irish golfers in action in Switzerland this week for the Omega European Masters. He’s joined by Peter Lawrie (50th), Damien McGrane (63rd), Shane Lowry (68th), Paul McGinley (69th), Gareth Maybin (95th) and Darren Clarke (97th).

Moynihan lone Irish Junior Ryder Cup cap

The Island’s Gavin Moynihan is the only Irish golfer named in the European Junior Ryder Cup team to take on the Americans at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois from September 24 - 25.

The team, comprising two under-16 boys, two under-16 girls, four under-18 boys and four under-18 girls, will attempt to regain the trophy from the USA after a 13½, - 10½, defeat at The Gleneagles Hotel in 2010.

The Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, failed to make it. Top players such as Suann Pettersen, Rory McIlroy, Hunter Mahan and Matteo Manassero are past participants.
 
European team: Quirine Eijkenboom (GER) Dominic Foos (GER) Bronte Law (ENG) Harang Lee (ESP) Gavin Moynihan (IRL) Renato Paradore (ITA) Emily Pedersen (DEN) Covadonga Sanjuan (ESP) Matthias Schwab (AUT) Linnea Strom (SWE) Victor Tarnstrom (SWE) Toby Tree (ENG).

 

Paul Dunne wins in US

Paul Dunne with the trophyGreystones’ Paul Dunne might have missed the Home Internationals but he put that swiftly behind him when he won the 94th Montgomery Country Club Invitational on Sunday.

The University of Alabama Birmingham player carded a five-under par 54-hole total of 205 (65-69-71), defeating Doug Letson and Alex Mahlik by one stroke.

UAB is the alma mater of US Open winner and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell. The golf team will tee off the 2012-13 season in , The Bake Invitational on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island from September 9-11 and then play the Shoal Creek Invitational hosted by McDowell from September 24-25.

 

McDonnell is king in Leinster Seniors’

Brendan McDonnell en route to victory at Waterford. Pic Pat CashmanThe K Club’s Brendan McDonnell added a 78 to his opening 71 to win the Leinster Seniors’ Amateur Open by a stroke from John Mitchell at Waterford Golf Club.

Defending champion Liam MacNamara of Woodbrook finished back on the pack on 163.

Leinster Seniors’ Amateur Open - Final

Joe McNamara (Hon Treasurer, Leinster Golf) presenting the Leinster Seniors’ Amateur Open Championship trophy to Brendan McDonnell (KClub) after his victory at Waterford Golf Club (29/08/2012). Also in the picture are runner up John Mitchell (Tramore) and George Walsh (President, Waterford Golf Club). Picture by Pat Cashman149 Brendan McDonnell (The K Club)

150 John Mitchell (Tramore)

153 Phillip Clifford (Kilrush)

154 Michael Coote (Tralee), Dermot Morris (Limerick), Bert Burke (Moate)

155 Matt Holohan (Waterford)

156 Pat Morrissey (Balbriggan), H.N. MacKeown (Portmarnock), Jack Dempsey (Craddockstown), Nigel Duke (Killiney)

157 Gerry O’Keeffe (Waterford) Brendan J O’Malley (The Royal Dublin), George Walsh (Waterford);

158 Brian Whitaker (Elm Park); , Niall Lavin (The Royal Dublin), John O’Donoghue (Tipperary), Derry Harte (Fota Island), Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock);

159 Michael D’Arcy (Oughterard), Mervyn Eager (Lucan);

160 Pat Carew (Waterford), Jan Gilbert (Malone), B. Donlon (Birr);

161 A.W. Smith (Blainroe); , Patrick Harrington (Muskerry), Tony Goode (Lucan);

162 Donal O’Herlihy (Douglas) Tom Tyrrell (The Heath);

163 Liam MacNamara (Woodbrook);

164 Michael Boyle (Waterford), Seamus Daly (Waterford), Sean Lynch (Minchinhampton)

165 Paul Cooley (Portstewart), David McHugh (Douglas), T. Lilly (Slade Valley);

166 Laurence Cushen (The Heath), Rory Timlin (Galway);

167 Michael F. Galvin (Limerick), John Houlihan (Dooks); , John Cuffe (Monkstown)

168 David Coyle (K Club), Michael Foley (Faithlegg), Francis Power (Waterford);

169 P.J.Phelan (Cahir Park), Fergus Caine (Co Louth), Kieran Heavin (Moate), John Smyth (Lahinch), John Cullen , (Esker Hills), Brian Campbell (Ladbrook Park), P.Lynch (Slade Valley);

170 Kevin O’Sullivan (Douglas), S. Fleming (Slade Valley), Jim Young (Kilrush), Tom Dowling (Citywest Resort); , Noel Colfer (Waterford);

171 A. Whelan (Slade Valley), Tom Saunders (Ennis), A.A. Campbell (Massereene);

172 Jody Gilhooly (K Club)

173 John Buckley (Douglas), Philip Hynes (Carton House);

174 Larry O’Connor (Stackstown), John Daly (Cork); , Patrick O’Brien (Bodenstown); 

175 Liam Wall (Cahir Park), James Kelly (Littlestone); , Nial Finnegan (Gort); 

176 Oliver O’Sullivan (Laytown &, Bettystown);

177 Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire), Michael Gaffney (Waterford);

178 Joseph M. O’Connor (Elm Park);

179 John McGrath (Newcastle West)

180 William Leggett (The Island), Johnny Martin (Carrick-on-Shannon);  , David Lindsay (Strandhill), Noel Colfer (Waterford)

181 Liam Fitzgerald (Dungarvan); 

182 Bryan O’Donnell (Douglas), Pat O’Grady (Waterford);

183 John Judd (Roganstown)

185 Ed Lonergan (Cahir Park)

186 James Kennedy (Balcarrick)

187 Pat Ruddy (The European Club); 

188 Pat Coyne (Dun Laoghaire), Jim Gunnip (Waterford)

N/R Bill Mernagh (Kanturk), J. McCann (Co Louth), Vincent O’Rourke (Naas); , Anthony McGlynn (Woodlands), Kieran P. Barry (Douglas), Dennis Clifford (Cork), Richard Cotter (Delgany), G.A. Finn (Cork), Tom Campion (Athlone), W. Davis (Rosslare), Larry Kennedy (Waterford), John Bourke (Castle), Joe O’Keeffe (Waterford), Tony Hayes (K Club);

DQ Barry Reddan (Co Louth) Disqualified

Leinster Seniors champion Brendan McDonnell. Cllck image to enlargeAfter 18 holes

71 Brendan McDonnell (K-Club)

72 Matt Holohan (Waterford)

74 Jack Dempsey (Craddockstown), John Mitchell (Tramore)

75 Brendan J O’Malley (The Royal Dublin), Pat Morrissey (Balbriggan), Bert Burke (Moate)

76 Phillip Clifford (Kilrush)

77 Nigel Duke (Killiney)

78 Dermot Morris (Limerick), Mervyn Eager (Lucan), Pat Carew (Waterford), Michael D’Arcy (Oughterard), Tom Tyrrell (The Heath), A.W. Smith (Blainroe), B. Donlon (Birr), W. Davis (Rosslare), Brian Whitaker (Elm Park)

79 Laurence Cushen (The Heath), Joe O’Keeffe (Waterford), Derry Harte (Fota Island), Barry Lavin (Castlewarden), Michael Coote (Tralee), Brian Campbell (Ladbrook Park), Larry Kennedy (Waterford), Gerry O’Keeffe (Waterford), Sean Lynch (Minchinhampton)

80 H.N. MacKeown (Portmarnock), George Walsh (Waterford), Eddie Condren (Greystones),  Fergus Caine (Co Louth), Tony Hayes (K Club), Liam McNamara (Woodbrook), Michael Boyle (Waterford)

81 Michael Kelly (Dungarvan),  Tony Goode (Lucan), Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock), Francis Power (Waterford), John O’Donoghue (Tipperary)

82 Kieran Heavin (Moate), Paul Cooley (Portstewart), Noel Colfer (Waterford), P.Lynch (Slade Valley), Hugh B. Smyth (Mourne), Bill Mernagh (Kanturk), Donal O’Herlihy (Douglas), G.A. Finn (Cork);

83 John Ryan (Waterford), Michael Foley (Faithlegg), Tom Saunders (Ennis), Niall Lavin (The Royal Dublin), P.J. Phelan (Cahir Park);

84 Jan Gilbert (Malone), Daniel  J. Tobin (Waterford), Oliver O’Sullivan (Laytown &, Bettystown), T. Lilly (Slade Valley), David McHugh (Douglas), Joe O’Grady (K Club), Pat O’Regan (Greystones), Sean Cuffe (Monkstown)

85 Liam Wall (Cahir Park), Patrick Harrington (Muskerry), John Daly (Cork),  John Cullen  (Esker Hills),  Tom Dowling (Citywest Resort),  Seamus Daly (Waterford), John Houlihan (Dooks),  Rory Timlin (Galway);

86 Patrick O’Brien (Bodenstown),  Philip Hynes (Carton House), John Smyth (Lahinch), Laurence O’Neill (Wexford),  S. Fleming (Slade Valley), Jody Gilhooly (K Club), Jim Young (Kilrush);

87 Liam Fitzgerald (Dungarvan),  Niall Finnegan (Gort), A. Whelan (Slade Valley),  Larry O’Connor (Stackstown), David Lindsay (Strandhill), Johnny Martin (Carrick-on-Shannon),  David Coyle (K Club)

88 Pat O’Grady (K Club), Brian Rogers (K Club), William Leggett (The Island), Michael F. Galvin (Limerick),  John Buckley (Douglas)

89 Bryan O’Donnell (Douglas), Arthur Bell (Greencastle), John Judd (Roganstown), Tom Campion (Athlone), John Morrison (Lahinch), Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire), J. McCann (Co Louth);

90 Kevin O’Sullivan (Douglas), A.A. Campbell (Massereene); 

91 Robert Doyle (New Ross), Michael Gaffney (Waterford), Richard Cotter (Delgany);

92 Ed Lonergan (Cahir Park), E.J. Bourke (Castle)

93 Joseph M. O’Connor (Elm Park), James Kelly (Littlestone),  Roland Beckett (Cap d’Agde),  James Kennedy (Balcarrick)

94 Pat Ruddy (European),  Jim Gunnip (Waterford)

95 Pat Coyne (Dun Laoghaire);

97 John McGrath (Newcastle West)

N/R Vincent O’Rourke (Naas),  Anthony McGlynn (Woodlands), Kieran P. Barry (Douglas), Dennis Clifford (Cork); 

DQ Barry Reddan (Co Louth) Disqualified