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Ireland open to fully vaccinated British visitors with no quarantine or Covid tests required

From today (19 July), Ireland is the first country in Europe that fully jabbed British citizens can visit without the need for any Covid tests into or out of the country. There will also be no requirement to self-isolate if fully vaccinated.  Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are pleased to confirm this […]

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Golf courses must close as Government announces new national lockdown

GOLF clubs have been told they must close with immediate effect after the UK Government announced a complete national lockdown on Monday night. Golf clubs, golf facilities – both indoor and outdoor – and driving ranges will be required to close during the new full lockdown. Coaching will not be permitted the government has confirmed. […]

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World Handicap System will make game more enjoyable says governing bodies

THE World Handicap System (WHS) has come into effect for golfers in Great Britain and Ireland. Developed by The R&A and USGA, in close collaboration with existing handicapping authorities, the WHS provides all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability, with handicaps calculated in the same way wherever they are in the world. Launched […]

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Hatton happy to be home at Wentworth having visited BMW PGA since he was five

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S Tyrrell Hatton enjoyed a happy homecoming in his first round on British soil in 2020 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The former Wee Wonders champion shot an opening round of 66 on the West Course to share the lead with Spain’s Adri Arnaus and South African Justin Harding. The 28-year-old carded an […]

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How Clements came up with improvement plan while left on his Todd during lockdown

TODD Clements feels under no pressure and hopes this week’s Northern Ireland Open will be the beginning of a period of progression for the Challenge Tour player from Essex. The 24-year-old tees it up at Galgorm Castle Golf Club this week having finished in third place at the venue in last year’s ISPS Handa World […]

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Toy takes her time in defence of Amateur Championship title at West Lancashire

CORNWALL’S Emily Toy maintained her bid to successfully defend the Women’s Amateur Championship after reaching Friday’s last-16 at West Lancashire GC. The 22-year-old, who claimed victory at Royal County Down last year, is aiming to become the first player since Sweden’s Louise Stahle to retain the championship, back in 2005. Having progressed on the cut […]

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Ben Schmidt on the trail of The Amateur crown and place in Masters and Open

YORKSHIRE’S Benjamin Schmidt comfortably advanced in his quest to win The 125th Amateur Championship. Taking on Germany’s Brandon Dietzel, Schmidt – the highest ranked player in the field at No. 35 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking – recorded a 3&2 victory across the famed Royal Birkdale links. The 18-year-old, from Rotherham GC, will meet […]

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The winner of the 2020 Amateur Championship can expect to receive invites to play in three Majors in 2021

Amateur Championship: Play abanonded at Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire

THE first round of strokeplay qualifying at The Amateur Championship and The Women’s Amateur Championship was abandoned late on Tuesday afternoon. The start of play was delayed by two hours in the morning due to inclement weather. Following a second suspension of play this afternoon at both courses – Royal Birkdale for the men and […]

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Irish Open moves to Galgorm Castle but will lose its Rolex Series status for one year

THE Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will be played in Northern Ireland for the fourth time since 2012 when the Galgorm Castle Golf Club hosts September’s tournament. It will be the first time the County Antrim venue has hosted Ireland’s national Open with the event moving into the date vacated by the rescheduling of the […]

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Rees claims English Seniors at Frilford and her handicap isn’t a scratch on what it was

MINCHINHAMPTON’S Jane Rees celebrated a double success at the English Senior Women’s Strokeplay Championship. On top of her victory the Gloucestershire golfer got her handicap down to scratch for the first time in her career. Three rounds of 71, 69 and 68 allowed Rees to post a 54-hole total of two-under par on Frilford Heath’s […]

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Galgorm Golf Resort ready to welcome Challenge Tour’s return to Northern Ireland

THE Northern Ireland Open will return to Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort in September – helping to kickstart tourism in Country Antrim. The Challenge Tour event will take place from September 3-6 – with support from The R&A – and offer a €200,000 prize fund. It will be the first of two back-to-back events on […]

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Ryder Cup to move to 2021 as organisers agree match without the fans won’t work

THE 2020 Ryder Cup will not take place in September and the 2021 Presidents Cup has also rescheduled. Both events will now be played one year later than originally planned with players on both teams – including Rory McIlroy calling for the biennial match between the USA and Europe to be called off if fans […]

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Caddy Ken tests positive for COVID-19 forcing G-Mac to withdraw from Travellers

US OPEN champion Graeme McDowell has withdrawn from this week’s Travelers Championship in America, after his caddy tested positive for COVID-19. The Northern Ireland ace, who lives in Florida, pulled out of the PGA Tour event in Connecticut, on Tuesday night after it was confirmed caddy longstanding Ken Comboy had been diagnosed as having the […]

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Qualifiers for US Open and USGA’s remaining amateur championships cancelled

THE qualifiers for the 2020 US Open on both sides of the Atlantic have been scrapped by the United States Golf Association (USGA). Each year thousands of amateurs, club professionals as well as Tour stars from all over the world enter the USGA’s regional and sectional qualifiers. They include the event held at Walton Heath […]

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R&A sets up £7m COVID-19 Support Fund to combat coronavirus pandemic

THE £7million R&A COVID-19 Support Fund has been launched by the game’s governing body to help golf deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The fund will be largely aimed at national associations and other affiliated bodies in Great Britain and Ireland. With the global pandemic leading to widespread temporary course closures and drastic […]

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Rory No. 1 in every sense as he wins TaylorMade Driving Relief skins shootout

THE scenario had been suggested… but World No. 1 Rory McIlroy made it happen when he claimed a $1.1million prize for his chosen charity by winning the TaylorMade Driving Relief skins match. Golf South’s preview of Sunday’s multi-million dollar fundraiser featuring four of the biggest names on PGA Tour, suggested if the back nine of […]

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Connor Syme shoots 64 at Royal Portrush to win second BMW Indoor Invitational

CONNOR Syme shot an eight-under par round of 64 to secure a two-shot victory to claim the second of the BMW Indoor Invitational played over simulators featuring Royal Portrush’s Dunluce Links. The Scot finished top of a leaderboard featuring 28 European Tour players in the second of five events in the new series of virtual […]

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Northern Ireland Executive gives golf the green light to resume in ‘the next week’

GOLF is set to return in Ulster in the coming days after the Northern Ireland Executive published its Step by Step plan to relax lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 crisis. The Golfing Union of Ireland is working through the document so that clubs in Northern Ireland can reopen their doors – and follow those in […]

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Willett says England Home Internationals win in 2009 was his best team experience

DANNY Willett’s Green Jacket will always take pride of place in his locker, but an England team blazer remains dear to his heart. In fact, the 2016 Masters champion rates playing as an amateur in the Home Internationals for England as his favourite team golf experience. But given his experiences as a member of Darren […]

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Don’t forget young golfers Golf Foundation urges in post-lockdown guidelines

THE Golf Foundation has called on clubs not to forget junior golfers as they open for the first weekend’s play in some two months. The charity, which works closely with PGA club professionals to introduce youngsters into the sport, wants to ensure they are not forgotten as members rush out to play golf again this […]

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