Odhran McGettigan and former British Amateur champion Brian McElhinney won the nett and gross prizes when the North Western Alliance competition resumed after its winter break at Portsalon.

ADVANCE - Jack Hume closed with a nine under 63 but missed out in a playoff as Paul Dunne came through at the sixth extra hole and Brian Casey topped his qualifier to come through the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Headfort’s Brian Casey is only Irishman inside the qualifying places after a disastrous third day for the green army at the Second Stage of the Qualifying School in Spain.

Greystones Paul Dunne fired a five under 66 to ignite his European Tour card quest midway through the Second Qualifying Stage at Lumine Golf and Beach Club in Tarragona.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley fired five birdies in an opening 68 to get his qualifying bid off to a positive start in the 72-hole European Tour Qualifying School Second Stage in Spain.

Four of Ireland’s Walker Cup winners face an all-or-nothing week at the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain from Friday.

Ireland could have a record presence at the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School later this month.

England’s Tom Murray was inspired by his paralysed girlfriend as he holed two birdie bombs on the 18th to snatch the Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort.

The North West Golf Club, situated at Lisfannon, was shorn of its usual defence of wind and the facile nature of any links course devoid of wind was reflected in the scoring by North Western Alliance members on Saturday.

Gavin Moynihan had his late coach Hugh Jackson whispering his final swing tip in his ear as he came through the toughest days of his golfing life and cruised through the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Portugal.

Michael McGeady and Walker Cup start Gavin Moynihan fired 68s in the second round of the European Tour Qualifying School First Stage Section C events in France and Portugal to move one step closer to October's Second Stage.

Derry's Michael McGeady is the only Irish p;ayer inside the qualifying places after the opening round of the Qualifying School First Stage Section C qualifiers in France and Portugal.

Ciaran O’Neil and Mick McGeady won the top prizes in the first North Western Golfing Alliance outing of the season at Letterkenny Golf Club.

Niall Kearney has set his sights on joining an illustrious list of names to successfully defend the LowFuelcard.ie Irish PGA Championship this week at Dundalk.

Gareth Shaw was the leading Irishman but Chris Selfridge may look back on the Cordon Golf Open as the maiden professional win that got away.

Michael Hoey is lurking dangerously as he tracks his sixth European Tour win but perhaps even more impressive was Brian Casey’s back nine charge in the M2M Russian Open.

European Tour — Damien McGrane and Niall Tuner shot one under 70s to lead the Irish challenge in the M2M Russian Open in Moscow.

He’s made just one cut from four starts this year — in faraway Bali of all places —  but 32-year old Corkman Niall Turner is showing far nearer home that he has a game for all climes.

Asian Tour, Challenge Tour, European Tour, Europro Tour, EPD Tour, Irish Region or amateur - Ireland's menagerie of pro golfers got off to a generally positive start in the Northern Ireland Open in Association with Sphere Global and Ulster Bank at Galgorm Castle.