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 downturn was tough for big resorts such as spectacular Mount Juliet in Co Kilkenny but things are changing at the Jack Nicklaus designed track which has taken on Waterford native Kevin Phelan as its touring professional.

Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Paul McGinley have welcomed the return of the European Challenge Tour to the Republic of Ireland ahead of next week’s Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort.

With two Challenge Tour events to come on Irish soil — August’s Northern Ireland Open at Galgorm Castle and the re-establish “Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Golf Club” in October — Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge believes he will have chances to win his way on to the European Tour.

Mount Wolseley is one of Ireland's most pleasant parkland courses and the members were celebrating earlier this week when the club captured Leinster Captains and Club Officials team event thanks to Michael McCarthy, Barney O'Toole, Shem Lawlor and Padraig Murphy.

The Wickham sisters were at the centre of the enterprise once more as Laytown and Bettystown claimed the AIG Irish Senior Cup for only the second time in the club's history thanks to a 4-1 victory over a young Killarney side at Mount Wolseley