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**truebluefan** · 05-26-2008, 03:44 AM

Glasson Golf Hotel & CC, Athlone, Ireland

**truebluefan** · 08-02-2008, 11:40 AM

The home contingent at this week’s Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson will be keen to continue the Emerald Isle’s run of recent golfing glory, following Graeme McDowell’s victory in The Barclays Scottish Open and Padraig Harrington’s successful defence of his Open Championship crown.

Harrington’s stunning win at Royal Birkdale took the tally of Irish triumphs on The 2008 European Tour International Schedule to six, following victories for his compatriots Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane and two-time winner McDowell., their most in a single European Tour season.

On the European Challenge Tour, Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey also added his name to the roll call of Irish champions with victory at the Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic before being joined in the Challenge Tour winners’ enclosure by Irishman Michael McGeady last Sunday at the SWALEC Wales Challenge.

Hoey will be in the field for the second edition of the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson, where the stars of the future will again take centre stage.

The Ulsterman is currently 21st in the Challenge Tour Rankings – and therefore just one spot outside qualification for The European Tour next season – with earnings of €34,578.

Hoey said: “Since turning professional I’ve never played particularly well at any event in Ireland, so I’d love to put that right. Maybe I’ve put a bit too much pressure on myself in the past, but for whatever reason it hasn’t really happened for me.

“I’m just outside the top 20 in the Challenge Tour Rankings at the moment, so it’s really important for me to start playing consistently again and climb back into the qualifying places. I’ve just got to cut out the silly mistakes, and hopefully that’ll start at Glasson. I know the course well – it’s tough, particularly if the rough’s up, but it’s fair. I wasn’t ever really in contention last year, but it’d be nice to make amends this time.

“The Irish have had such a great run on The European Tour this season, so it’s probably about time the Challenge Tour boys did our bit. I know Graeme McDowell really well – I played a practice round at The Irish Open with him – and I’ve also played a few practice rounds with Padraig Harrington.

“They’re both great guys, always willing to help out with advice in any way they can. They’re a real inspiration – obviously all the guys on the Challenge Tour want to be where they are. I just hope we can put on a decent show this week.”

Six places above Hoey in the Rankings – currently the highest ranked Irishman on the Challenge Tour – is Gareth Maybin, who was the highest Irish finisher at last year’s Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson in 15th position.
In what was his first season on the Challenge Tour, Maybin subsequently went on to record three top ten finishes en route to 49th place in the end of season Rankings, thereby securing full-time playing privileges on this year’s schedule.

Another local hero who will join Maybin in the field is Colm Moriarty, the professional at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club. Moriarty will be keen to double his tally of Challenge Tour victories in front of his home fans, having triumphed at last year’s FIRSTPLUS Wales Challenge.

Also in the field is Gareth Shaw, who moved from his native Lurgan to take up the offer of a scholarship at a university in America, has collected numerous amateur titles.

The youngster recently received a congratulatory call from his compatriot and European Tour Member Rory McIlroy, after helping Ireland retain the European Team Championship with victory over their English counterparts in Turin.

Having just joined the professional ranks, Shaw will be eligible to compete for the €150,000 prize fund on offer at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson, which was won last year by Magnus A Carlsson and played a huge role in the Swede winning his European Tour card via the final Rankings.

The event, which is supported by the Irish Sports Council, will for the second year be played at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club in Athlone. Set against the backdrop of the Lough Ree, the 7,159 yards par 72 course was designed by Christy O’Connor Jnr, one of the greatest golfers Ireland has produced.

**truebluefan** · 08-02-2008, 11:41 AM

Ireland’s Michael Hoey feels the growing number of his compatriots making their mark on the European Challenge Tour is creating healthy competition, as he looks to make it back-to-back Irish winners with victory at the Challenge or Ireland presented by Glasson.

Hoey is hoping to cap a memorable month for Irish golf following Pardraig Harrington’s successful defence of The Open Championship and Michael McGeady’s win at the SWALEC Wales Challenge last week.

The man from Belfast has tasted victory already himself this season, winning the Banque Populaire Morroccan Classic on the same day fellow Irishman Peter Lawrie’s clinched the Open de España on The European Tour.

Hoey, who is 21st on the Challenge Tour Rankings, is a stable mate of McGeady’s and Gareth Maybin – as well as Barclays Scottish Open winner Graeme McDowell – and he believes the camaraderie between them is contributing to their success.

He said: “Gareth is now ahead of me in the Rankings and Michael McGeady is not far off so it’s great we are all doing well. I was doing the best but now I have something to aim at. It pushes you.

“I finished in the top 10 a couple of years ago and we also had David Higgins but apart from that there hasn’t been many Irish players there but they are coming through now.
“With myself, Michael and Gareth, we all get on well and travel together so it helps us all.”

The trio are part of a strong Irish contingent teeing up at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club, Athlone, which also includes Stephen Browne and Richard Kilpatrick, but Hoey is confident it can be his week to shine again.

He said: “I’ve never really done that well when I have played in Ireland – there probably is a little bit more pressure on me – but I am hitting the ball well at the moment. Last week in Wales I probably made the most birdies in the field but I also had a few bogeys.

“I’m playing well and I’m just looking for some consistency now. Last year I made the cut here but didn’t do much at the weekend. I think this course suits me though. I can’t see it being a low scoring week. I don’t like it when the scores are 20 under par – my game is more suited to the 10 under or 12 under tournaments. I think here to get a par on some holes here is very good.”

**truebluefan** · 08-02-2008, 11:41 AM

Ireland’s Michael McDermott took inspiration from compatriot Padraig Harrington as he shot a superb opening round eight under par 64 to lead Estanislao Goya by one stroke at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson.

McDermott honed his skills at Stackstown Golf Club where the double Open Champion also perfected his game and some of Harrington’s magic seemed to have rubbed off on the 28 year old, who carded nine birdies and just the one bogey at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club.

He opened with four successive birdies before picking up another two shots on the sixth and seventh – after narrowly missing a birdie putt on five - in a superb front nine that saw him reach the turn in just 30 strokes. He then birdied the 10th hole but carded his first bogey on the 12thbefore picking up two more shots on the 14th and 17th.

McDermott admitted that Harrington, whose elder brother Tadhg is an occasional caddie for him, had been a big influence on his game and that his recent defence of The Open Championship had provided further inspiration.

He said: “It was great to see Padraig win at The Open. It was fantastic that he backed up his win last year and did it again. Padraig was great with the young lads at Stackstown. He gave me lots of advice when I was younger. I was talking to Tadhg during the week and wished Padraig well.

“When I was a kid Padraig was the top amateur in the country. One of the first things he said to me was when I was hitting 30 yards pitch shots and he asked how far it was to where I was pitching to and I said I didn’t know. He said you got to know exactly how far you are hitting it. So he gave me lots of little bits of advice. He was a bit of an inspiration when we were kids. It’s great to see what he’s done.”

McDermott, who is aiming for a top 10 finish this week to secure a place in the field for the Lexus Open in Norway next week, said he had considered the possibility of shooting an even better first round score at one point during the front nine.

“Shooting a 59 did cross my mind but it was a long way away,” he said. “I suppose it did after the seventh but there was an awful long way to go. I went close on eight and thought I’d love to go through on 29. It was my best round of the season.”

Goya is just one shot behind McDermott after recovering from a bogey on the first hole to card a seven under par round of 65, which included an eagle three on the 14th hole.

The 20 year old Argentine, who led the Challenge Tour Rankings earlier this year after winning the Abierto Visa del Centro presentado por Personal, is looking for a good finish to keep his place in the top 10 of the Rankings.

He said: “I’m very happy. I putted very well today. That was the key. I hit a lot of greens which also helped. The key today was the putting though. When I bogeyed the first hole after hitting the middle of the fairway I was not happy. But it was the first hole so I said I could still play a good round.”

Another Irishman, David Higgins, is a shot further adrift on six under par along with Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, while Ireland’s Colm Moriarty carded a 67 on his home course, one of nine players on five under par on a day when the afternoon groups endured worsening conditions including two 25 minute rain suspensions.

Moriarty said: “This could be the week for me. I’m going in the right direction and my short game is improving. Although I practice here I don’t play on the course that much but it is nice to have a tournament here.”

**truebluefan** · 08-02-2008, 11:42 AM

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay bounced back from injury and the worst putting display of his professional career to lead Richard Bland and home favourite Colm Moriarty by one stroke at the half-way mark of the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson.

Ramsay went back to his native Aberdeen to iron out his problematic putting after taking 38 putts in his second round en route to missing the cut in Wales last week – a performance on the greens that he admitted was a career low point.

That came in only his second event back after a frustrating four week lay- off, caused by a rib injury suffered playing football, which saw him slip down the top 20 to 39th in the European Challenge Tour Rankings.

Ramsay said his putting was much improved, if still far from perfect, as he carded a two under par round of 70 at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club to go into the weekend leading a tournament at this stage for the first time, on eight under par.

The 25 year old carded six birdies and two bogeys, finishing with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 before dropping a shot on the last.

He said: “I putted well today but the longest putt I’ve holed all week has been about 12ft. My irons have been really good and my driving has been consistent.

“I played great in Wales last week but couldn’t buy a putt. I hit 38 putts in the second round which is a professional highest total for me. But I went back to Aberdeen and spent some time on it and just got more natural with it. It has paid off.

“I was out for four weeks the week before the Scottish Challenge. I was getting some good momentum with three top tens and I was ready to go. It was a tough time as you can’t do much.

“I was around 20th in the Rankings when I got injured. It’s been very frustrating as you watch yourself drop down the Rankings and you can’t do anything about it. I know from last year when I turned pro and played about eight events and finished 30th that if I can play as well this year I can push on.

Moriarty, who is Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club’s touring professional, used his knowledge of his home course to full effect to shoot a second round two under par 70 in front of a large home crowd in Athlone.

The 29 year old, who is 111th on the European Challenge Tour Rankings, is looking for his second Challenge Tour win in as many years, following his victory at the FIRSTPLUS Wales Challenge last year.

He said:” It was a tough day and I know when it is a tough day round here. I didn't play brilliantly but I holed out well, hung in there well and finished nicely.

“It was tricky and knowing the course was an advantage because you know where you want to be hitting your shots in from and where you can't go. There are areas where you just can't be and I avoided all of those today. It was a good solid round in the conditions, unquestionably.”

Englishman Bland, who has mainly been playing on The European Tour this year, carded a superb round of 69 which included just two bogeys to join Moriarty for a share of second place on seven under par.

He said: “I played pretty solid out there today. It was very tricky with the wind so there were a lot of half shots. I just tried to make sure the wind didn’t affect the ball as much as possible. I played good solid golf.”

Overnight leader, Irishman Michael McDermott is a further two shots behind Bland and Moriarty on five under par after a three over par round of 75.

**truebluefan** · 08-02-2008, 11:44 AM

Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson and England’s Marcus Higley produced masterful back nines to surge to the top of the leaderboard at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson after both carded six under par rounds of 66.

Gustafsson shot six birdies after the turn while Higley managed four as both players put themselves in contention on seven under par going into the final round at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club.

Higley had also birdied the first and sixth holes while Gustaffson recovered after dropping a shot on the second hole with a birdie on six before both players stepped it up a gear on the way in.

For Gustaffson in particular the birdie on the tenth which sparked his run was particularly special as he had teed off the tournament on Thursday there with a treble bogey.

Having suffered from a neck problem for the past two years, the 31 year old is eyeing a maiden victory after two second places finishes on The European Tour in 205, including an agonising one stroke defeat to Sergio Garcia at the Omega European Masters.

He said:” I made six birdies on the back nine which was good for the confidence. I’ve been working a lot this year on my neck and my swing. I had a problem with my neck for two years and then I decided also to get my fitness in order. It’s been an up and down sort of a year. Now for the first time I feel like I am swinging well.

“It would mean a lot to me to win mostly for the confidence. I’ve been shooting some low scores but I haven’t won on the Challenge Tour or the main Tour. I played well even when I shot three over par in the first round but it came together on the back nine today.”

Like Gustafsson, Higley is also trying to reclaim his card for The European Tour and knows a win would all but seal his place in the top 10 of the Challenge Tour Rankings.

He said: “I’ve finished second twice this year both in France. If I could win one it would be great as I’ve got about €50,000 and it would really help with the Order of Merit. It’s tough to tell what you’ll need but you have your own goals of what you want to get to and if I could win here it would take me to that so it would be a big step but there’s 18 holes left to play so a lot of golf.”

Another Swede, Jonas Blixt, fired the best round of his fledgling professional career to surge up the leaderboard with a stunning 66. Blixt turned professional just before the Barclays Scottish Open last month and is playing in only his second European Challenge Tour event but showed no inexperience as he carded a bogey-free six under par round.

He said: “The conditions were a lot nicer for me today and I took advantage of it. It’s my best round as a professional. It was a solid round. I drove the ball well and gave myself a lot of birdie chances. I could have gone a couple of shots lower but it’s quite windy at times.”

**truebluefan** · 08-03-2008, 10:00 PM

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay bounced back from injury and the worst putting display of his professional career to lead Richard Bland and home favourite Colm Moriarty by one stroke at the half-way mark of the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson.

Ramsay went back to his native Aberdeen to iron out his problematic putting after taking 38 putts in his second round en route to missing the cut in Wales last week – a performance on the greens that he admitted was a career low point.

That came in only his second event back after a frustrating four week lay- off, caused by a rib injury suffered playing football, which saw him slip down the top 20 to 39th in the European Challenge Tour Rankings.

Ramsay said his putting was much improved, if still far from perfect, as he carded a two under par round of 70 at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club to go into the weekend leading a tournament at this stage for the first time, on eight under par.

The 25 year old carded six birdies and two bogeys, finishing with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 before dropping a shot on the last.

He said: “I putted well today but the longest putt I’ve holed all week has been about 12ft. My irons have been really good and my driving has been consistent.

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-03-2008, 10:01 PM

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay has a one stroke lead over a trio of players with European Tour experience going into the final round of the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson.

Overnight leader Ramsay recovered after three bogeys and just one birdie in the first ten holes to pick up shots on the 13th and 17th for a level par round of 72 at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country club.

That was enough to ensure he tops the leaderboard going into the final round of a tournament for the first time as a professional but the 25 year old has the experienced trio of Richard Bland, Peter Gustafsson and Marcus Higley poised just one shot behind him.

Former Amateur World Number One Ramsay became the first Scotsman since Findlay Douglas in 1898 to win the US Amateur Championship in August 2006 and has three top 10 finishes so far on the European Challenge Tour. He said he was looking forward to testing himself against his more seasoned opponents in the final two pairings.

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-03-2008, 10:02 PM

Australian Andrew Tampion claimed his maiden European Challenge Tour win at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson after four consecutive birdies before the turn sent him surging through the field.

Tampion holed a 12ft birdie putt on the last hole for an impressive final round 67 to finish a stroke clear of Richard Bland and David Drysdale on eight under par at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club.

The players ahead of him at the start of the day all missed their shot at victory, with Bland and Jonas Blixt, who had each led at one stage during the final round, both failing to make birdie putts on the last, while overnight leader Richie Ramsay missed a three footer on the 17th as his chance of a maiden win slipped away.

That allowed Tampion, who produced the joint best round of the day with Wales’ Rhys Davies after starting tied 11th, to get his hands on the silverware for the first time as a professional.

The 23 year old from Melbourne was a product of the same Australian Government Sports programme that produced the 2006 US Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy and he gave a glimpse of his own talent with seven birdies and just two bogeys.

He said the win was vital to reclaiming his European Tour card which he lost last year, despite a fine start to the season which saw him tie second behind Mikko Ilonen at the Indonesia Open.

“It definitely gives me a boost to get back on The European Tour next year,” said Tampion. “I played the main Tour last year and played ok but not great. I’m out here for the year and hopefully this could be the first of many wins and get straight back out there. I’ve won amateur tournaments but it was different to stand on the last tee as leader.

He added: “It feels great but it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’ve been playing really well lately but not putting as well as I can so to finally hole some putts today and to win my first event is a fantastic feeling.

“I had a good stretch through six with four birdies on the spin. After I went though ten I thought I was in this golf tournament and I played steadily on the back nine.

“I didn’t like the pin position on the last hole all week so I was happy to see it down the front a bit more. It was a tough little putt down the hill on the left edge from 12 ft and I got the right speed.”

Tampion said playing in The Open Championship last month, where he missed the cut by just two strokes, had also been a major boost to his confidence.

“You walk out thinking I was on the range with Ernie (Els) and Vijay (Singh)and you come back here and it gives you more confidence and you think I should be here,” he said.

Scotland’s Drysdale, another player with European Tour experience, birdied the last two holes to finish tied second with Englishman Bland.

Ireland’s Gareth Shaw, spurred on by a text message from friend Graeme McDowell advising him to play his own game, led the home contingent in only his second professional tournament after a flawless final round 69 to tie with Blixt, Marcus Higley, Carlos Del Moral and Ramsay two strokes behind the winner.

Compatriot Gareth Maybin was a shot further back on five under par after a 67, while Glasson’s touring professional Colm Moriarty carded a final round 75 to finish in tied 24th on two under par.

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