For those who make it in the hard world of professional golf, it would seem cheques drop through the letter box with all the frequency of raindrops hitting the ground in a tropical storm. It can be incessant.
Yet, for those starting out, any financial assistance can be a life blood, determining whether there is any chance of ultimate success.
As Suzie O'Brien, a recipient of €20,000 in grant aid from the Team Ireland Golf Trust, remarked, "This is phenomenal. I wouldn't be able to play full-time on the tour (the women's European Tour) otherwise."
As the mother of a four-month-old daughter, Clodagh, and the wife of a husband, Andre, who spends five nights a week on dialysis and who is awaiting a kidney transplant, her enthusiasm for the season ahead is to be commended.
O'Brien, who has a full card on the European Tour, also remarked it would be "awful" if an Irish Women's Open didn't take place. The event is not scheduled to take place as Fáilte Ireland, who have effectively bankrolled it, await an announcement on the Solheim Cup for 2007.
Over €250,000 was awarded to fledgling professionals yesterday under a scheme which has helped players like Peter Lawrie, last year's European Tour rookie of the year, and Gary Murphy in the past. The top award of €25,000 was given to Damien McGrane, who finished third in last year's qualifying school and who is in his second full year on the circuit, while O'Brien, former European amateur champion Stephen Browne and former British amateur champion Michael Hoey each received €20,000.
TEAM IRELAND GOLF TRUST GRANTS: €25,000 - D McGrane; a20,000 - S Browne, M Hoey, S O'Brien; a15,000 - D Higgins, R Coughlan, J Kehoe, C Moriarty; a10,000 - Y Cassidy, C McMonagle, R Coakley, D Mooney; a7,000 - G McNeill, T Rice, P Dooley; a5,000 - D Sugrue, K Nolan, C Devlin, S Quinlivan, D Mortimer; a3,000 - E Brady, G Cullen, G Lunny, N Howley, M Collins, M Murphy; a1,500 - S Franklin.
