Williams Attracts Much Criticism

Tiger Woods former caddie Steve Williams has come in for stinging criticism from professionals on the tour after using Adam Scott's victory at the Bridegstone Invitational to air grievances against his former employer.

Williams, who has previously caddied for top players including Australian Greg Norman and American Raymond Floyd, was stunned when Woods abruptly decided to end a highly successful relationship dating back to 1999.

The New Zealander was axed after the AT&T National at Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, although the split was not made public until after the July 14-17 British Open to limit any distraction for Scott.

Williams later broke his own silence in an interview with New Zealand television, saying he was "very disappointed" and felt he had wasted two years of his life with Woods having been sidelined for long stretches by leg injuries.

"I was absolutely shocked that I got the boot to be honest with you," Williams, 47, said. "I've caddied for the guy for 12 years, I've been incredibly loyal to the guy and I got short-shrifted."

During the build-up to this week's event at Firestone, where Williams caddies for Scott, Woods explained during a news conference how he had parted company with the New Zealander.

"We had a nice conversation," the 14-time major winner said. "We did it after he completed play at AT&T National up in the boardroom. It was a tough conversation but we said what we needed to say to each other face-to-face and man-to-man."

Williams, who has now been on Scott's bag for four tournaments in a row, disagreed.

"I was told on the phone that we need to take a break and, in caddie lingo, that means you're fired, simple as that," he said.

"At the AT&T the details of why I was fired were discussed, and that's for my own personal stuff."

Many golfers, though, feel Williams has broken the unwritten rules of caddies not talking to the media about the pros, and feel it has distracted from the biggest victory of Scott's career.

The 31-year-old Australian finished four shots ahead of England's world No 1 Luke Donald and young American Rickie Fowler - with Woods a massive 18 strokes behind in 37th place.

Oliver Wilson tweeted: "Cannot believe they have interviewed Steve Williams. Nice of him to take away from Scotty's win. Says it all."

Summer Golf Camp

Tuesday 10:00 - Thursday at 13:00

Rathsallagh Golf Club

An exciting way for kids of all ages and skill level to learn and enjoy golf. The camps are run by European PGA Tour coach Brendan McDaid & PGA Professionsl Paul McDaid. During the 3 day course (3 hours each day) participants will be taught the theory and techniques of the short and long game on the practice facilities as well as on the golf course. Prices: €60 per child of €50 for a child if there are 2 kids from 1 family or when booking a place for both camps. 

These are the final two golf camps this summer. Please secure places by calling 087-2436805 of by email: BrendanMcDaid@gmail.com

Thornton Irish PGA Runaway

Golf seems simple the way that Simon Thornton plays it and, at Seapoint, the Team Ireland player swept to victory in the 101st Irish PGA Championship with a bit to spare.

The Newcastle, Co Down-based Thornton produced magical golf throughout the tournament and finished at 19-under-par 269, a record low for the championship.

Over the 72 holes he carded just one bogey. "And I'm disappointed at that," he said. "After the halfway cut, my target was to finish without a bogey at 20-under-par but I missed out on that. However, it feels great to have won the title with such great players as Des Smyth in the draw."

Having opened a three shots lead at the halfway stage over Des Smyth, Thornton promised to take no risks in the remaining rounds.

"I'll keep it simple and not force anything," he said. "Just play it steady and hope that will be good enough to keep me at the top of the leaderboard at the end."

The Huddersfield-born winner kept his word. He eased over the third round with one birdie and 17 pars to be 13-under going out in the last round in the afternoon, without a bogey in the 54 holes played.

In the last round he stormed to the turn in six-under-par with four birdies and an eagle three at the eighth hole where he was just four feet from the pin with a drive and rescue club.

His only blip of the competition was bogey five at 11 where he put his nine iron approach into a bunker and failed to get up-and-down. He regained the lost ground with a chip and putt birdie three at 16 for his third round of 66 and a six stroke victory.

The morning story was, naturally, Gary Murphy's course record of eight-under-par 64 that catapulted him up the scale from joint 13th to second spot.

Half-a-dozen pars and an eagle decorated his card with the eagle flying in at the long eighth hole where he boomed a drive and rescue club to 18 feet and rolled home the putt.

"That was a big help," mused the European Tour player whose home is just across the hedge in Baltray. "It was nice to shoot a course record."

The afternoon wasn't just as good for the big man but his closing 69 kept him in second place on 275, 13-under-par but six shots behind the new champion.

His 69 included six birdies as he put in a flying finish of three-under for his closing four holes, going two-three-three-four.

Seniors' Tour player Smyth, whose home is also local and who has won this championship six times, climbing the podium in each decade from the seventies, posted a one-under-71 in the third round with four birdies and three bogeys on his card.

Smyth closed his bid with a 70 for joint third place alongside newly qualified Seamus McMonagle who posted a six birdie, one bogey 67. Smyth had four birdies and two bogeys on the course that he jointly designed with former amateur international Declan Brannigan.

Adare Manor assistant Graeme Dunlea celebrated recently passing his final exams by carding an afternoon 65, one shot outside the record set a few hours earlier by Gary Murphy.

Kerry youth Dunlea had his first bogey-free round as a professional when he sprinkled seven birdies over his impressive card to haul himself back up the leaderboard to level par for the tournament.

Final result

Thornton Leads in Seapoint

Simon Thornton called upon an old friend for help when he felt he had lost his focus on the golf course and now the Team Ireland player is back on track with a passion.

So much so that he stormed to the top of the leaderboard after the first round in the 101st PGA Irish Championship, at Seapoint, with a super six-under 66 to equal the course record. He lays the cause to former titleholder and GUI coach Neil Manchip's words of wisdom.

"I had lost my focus and was going through the motions, playing just for the sake of playing, but I had a talk with Neil before the Irish Open at Killarney," said the former Irish No 1.

"He told me that I was lucky to be doing what I am doing and I realised that was the case. My mental attitude was all wrong."

The overnight leader, who had nine threes on his card with five of them birdies, started his round at the 10th and immediately went one-under with a chip and putt and then wedged to six feet at 11 for his first birdie three.

At 16, he drove 40 yards short of the flag and pitched to six feet. On the front nine, he birdied the third hole from six feet, the fifth from four feet and the seventh from 15 feet for a bogey-free performance.

"After this week, I aim to concentrate on the Challenge Tour and, hopefully, get a good ranking for next season," disclosed Thornton.

Newcastle-based Thornton sits one stroke ahead of Neil O'Briain, Glen Robinson and Des Smyth going into the second round.

PGA Europro player O'Briain was first to set the target with an midday 67, minutes after John Dwyer had posted a 68 to be the front runner. O'Briain birded 12 and 18 to turn two-under.

Birdie threes at the first and second holes were followed by his only lapse of the day, a bogey five at the fifth where he put his second shot into a water hazard. The 24-year-old then highlighted his card with an eagle at the sixth where he holed from 20 feet pin high.

St Helen's Bay pro Robinson, like Thornton, gave a bogey-free performance as his 67 contained five birdies and no bogeys. "No bogeys were very important," he reflected.

Joint course designer Des Smyth posted his 67 of six birdies and one bogey - at the ninth hole where he finished and missed the green late in the day.

The Seniors' Tour player made a four at the long 10th, a three at 16 from 12 feet and downed a 15-footer for another birdie four at 18.

He had birdies from 10 and 20 feet on the second and fourth greens and chipped stiff for another at six.

"It is a lovely opening round," he enthused. "My putting was very good and we will see what the next few days bring."

Dwyer is on a roll just now having qualified for the final of the Lombard Challenge in Turkey during November and the final of the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship in Las Vegas in December.

"This season I have played about just half the tournaments that I usually do but the form is still quite good. I hit every green in regulation," explained the Ashbourne club pro.

He turned level par with two birdies and two bogeys on his card but then reeled off four birdies on the back nine with no dropped shots. He trimmed the long 10th and 18th holes to four strokes, hit an eight iron stiff for a three at 14 and rolled home a ten-footer for another three at 16.

Defending champion David Mortimer, seeking his third win in the championship, finished at three-under 69 to stay very much on course to retain the honours.

European Tour player Gary Murphy carded a two-under 70 the same as Damian Mooney and Eamonn Logue who went eagle-birdie-eagle from the eighth hole.

Following today's second round, the leading 50 players and ties will qualify for a final 36 holes tomorrow with the projected cut at an all-time low of two-over-par.

Nine Hole Shotgun Start Competition

A 9 hole shotgun start golf competition followed by a BBQ and music has been arranged for Saturday 13th August.

Timesheet will go live for this event on Thursday 4th August @ 9.00 p.m.

Entry fee €10 (includes competition fee, barbecue and complimentary glass of punch!). 

Please disregard the actual tee times on the timesheet when making your booking as everyone will tee off at 6.00 p.m.

Entry open to members and guests of members. 

Juveniles are not permitted to enter as a member or guest.