The Irish Sports Council has awarded grants totalling €63,500 to leading Irish amateur golfers. The grant allocation is in respect of national and international competition and training costs for 2003, and is being paid from National Lottery funds.
Noel Fox (Portmarnock) and Brian McElhinney (North West) are the top recipients with grants of €5,000 each. Fox was the winner of the Irish Amateur Open Championship and was also a member of the winning Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team. McElhinney topped a highly successful year by winning the European Individual Championship.
Both Colm Moriarty (Athlone), also a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, and Justin Kehoe (Birr) both receive €4,000.
A total of 42 players from the three National Panels - Senior, Youths and Boys - received grants.
GRANTS AWARDED TO AMATEUR GOLFERS BY IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL 2003:€5,000: Noel Fox (Portmarnock), Brian McElhinney (North West), Colm Moriarty (Athlone).
€4,000: Justin Kehoe (Birr), Mark O'Sullivan (Galway).
€2,500: Michael McGeady (City of Derry).
€2,000: Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), John Foster (Ballyclare), David Ryan (Grange), Greg Bowden (Hermitage), Connor Doran (Banbridge), Niall Turner (Muskerry), Robert McCarthy (The Island), Mark Campbell (Stackstown).
€1,500: Michael Sinclair (Knock), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge), Mervyn Owens (Mallow), Gareth Maybin (Ballyclare), Nicholas Grant (Clandeboye), Cian McNamara (Limerick), Desmond Morgan (Mullingar).
€1,000: Clancy Bowe (Tramore), Colm Montgomery (Malone), Paul O'Hanlon (Curragh), Ciaran McAleavey (Banbridge), David Daly (Muskerry), Mark Ryan (Grange)
€750: Philip McLaughlin (Ballyliffin), Michael Mulryan (Athenry), Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas), Brendan McCarroll (Ballyliffin), Ray Williams (Baltinglass), Ronan O'Connor (The Island).
€700: Gareth Shaw (Malone), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), David Rawluk (The Island).
€600: Pat O'Brien (Fota Island), Karl Gilbert (Malone), Thomas Walsh (Claremorris), Seamus Power (West Waterford).
€500: Damien McKenna (City of Derry), Jimmy Walsh (Mallow).
Filed by Johnny Proby
