THE Golfing Union of Ireland has appealed to all club members, especially those in the Dublin area, to go along to "see the stars of the future" when the 20th European Men's Amateur Team Championship begins at Portmarnock Golf Club tomorrow. A record 22 countries will be competing.
Every affiliated club has been issued with an information poster and particular emphasis has been placed on requesting juniors to attend a championship which, invariably, features players who go on to reach the top level as professionals in their later careers.
Indeed, Sergio Garcia, who leads the Spanish team, is tipped to be the next superstar to follow in the footsteps of Seve Ballesteros and Jose-Maria Olazabal, while other players participating who are expected, in time, to make their mark on the world stage include England's Matt Carver, Scotland's Steven Young and, of course, Ireland's Keith Nolan.
Although the majority of countries have made reconnaissance missions to Portmarnock in recent months to sample the links, they were prohibited from practice rounds there for the past month. Yesterday's first official practice day represented the first opportunity since then for the teams to reacquaint themselves with this supreme test of golf.
All 22 teams were guests at a State Reception in Dublin Castle last night and the opening ceremony is scheduled to take place this evening at 7.00 p.m. in Portmarnock.
However, the Irish team - Jody Fanagan, Garth McGimpsey, Nolan, Richie Coughlan, Peter Lawrie and Noel Fox - have history stacked against them in their quest to claim a championship last won by this country back in 1987 at Murhof in Austria. No host country has ever managed to win since the championship's inception in 1959.
Irish captain Mick Craddock, though, is convinced that his team have the credentials which could change that particular statistic. "We're not just going out to compete, we want to win" insisted Craddock.
The first priority of the Irish team will be to make the top flight of eight countries from the 36 holes strokeplay qualifying rounds tomorrow and Thursday. The matchplay stages - which feature two foursomes and five singles in the top flight - begin on Friday, with the final set for Sunday. Admission over the five days of the championship is free.
The 22 competing countries are: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.
Four club golfers - Michael Concannon, Kieran O'Mahony, John Keyes and Don Colleran - defied the weather conditions to complete their "Five Counties Record Attempt" last Friday. The quartet played a round of golf on a course in each county in Connacht, covering 90 holes and in excess of 16 miles. All funds raised - in excess of £5,000 - will be presented to the Galway Rape Crisis Centre at a future date on the top of Croagh Patrick from where all five counties are visible.
Hazel Kavanagh maintained her fine form when she added the inaugural Dundalk Women's Scratch Cup to her Leinster championship success. Kavanagh had six shots to spare over fellow Irish international Yvonne Cassidy in last Sunday's 36 holes event, shooting rounds of 72, 74 for 146.
