Irish Golf Desk

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Paddy Gribben returns - 25/1 for Warrenpoint Scratch Cup

"Do you think they'll come?" Paddy Gribben and his nephew Colm Campbell are waiting to take on all comers in the Warrenpoint Senior Scratch Cup this Sunday. Pictured during the 2013 Irish Amateur Open by Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy won it in 2005 but there will be a host of top names bidding to add their name to the roll of honour in the Warrenpoint Senior Scratch Cup this Sunday — including former Walker Cup star Paddy Gribben.

Revived in 2011 after a five-year hiatus, the 36-hole event tees off with a shotgun start at 9.45am with a field of 65 headed by Tiarnan McLarnon, Colin Fairweather, Connor Doran, Rory Leonard, Matt Wylie, Dave Sutton, Ryan Symington, James McVickers, Theo Coffey, Chris Moulds and Paul Flynn.

The man to beat is home star Colm Campbell, who reached the quarter-finals of the West of Ireland Championship at Easter, going down to eventual champion Jack Hume on the 17th. 

But don't rule out Gribben, who won the Walker Cup with the likes of Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Graeme Storm and Simon Dyson

Re-instated as an amateur in 2008, Gribben has more often been seen these days caddying for his nephew Campbell though he did play a major role in helping Warrenpoint reach the All Ireland Senior Cup finals at Kinsale in 2012.

But with a handicap of plus on, it's little wonder that the bookies have installed him as a 25/1 chance behind his nephew Colm 7/2 with another nephew, Ryan Gribben, third favourite at 11/1.

Whether or not his game is sharp is irrelevant.

He's bound to add a little extra lustre to a Warrenpoint challenge that also features Ryan Gribben, Willie Hanna, Paul Reavey and Stevey Coulter.

It may not be too late to enter —  the fee is £25 including lunch with prizes for the top-five players over two rounds as well as Best Gross prizes for each of the two rounds.