Higgins to defend his Irish Club Professionals title at Dromoland

THE magnificent course at Dromoland Castle in County Clare will again play host to the Irish Club Professionals Tournament this year on May 16 & 17 where Waterville’s David Higgins will defend his title in the 36-hole event which will have a €13,000 prize fund.

Designed by Brook L. Wigginton, the golf course opened for play in 1961 and was extensively redesigned by Ron Kirby and Joe Carr in 2003 turning it into a superb championship venue and certainly one of the finest parkland courses in the country.

Higgins who turned 45 in December, shot a pair of 72s in last year’s event at Dromoland to win by three shots and is in fact hoping to make it three titles in a row this year, having also won the event in 2016 in a sudden death playoff with Michael McDermott at the Dunmurry Springs club in County Kildare.

Prior to the championship on May 15 Corporate teams of three will play the one-day Pro-Am which has a 12-noon shotgun start and the day also includes a morning PGA Coaching Clinic and prize giving followed by dinner and entertainment in the nearby FiveStar Dromoland Castle.

KERRY FEDERATION AGM

JUST a brief reminder to readers that the AGM of the Kerry Federation will take place at Killarney Golf Club on Tuesday next February 27 at 7pm where Parknasilla will hand over the reins for 2018 to Ballybunion who of course are celebrating their 125th anniversary this year.