Grant aid for amateur golf

Grants totalling €75,000 have been awarded by the Golfing Union of Ireland to leading amateur golfers. The grant allocation, which is funded by the Irish Sports Council, is in respect of national and international competition and training costs in 2007. The grants are awarded based on specific criteria agreed by the Irish Sports Council and the Golfing Union of Ireland.

Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) and Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye) are the top recipients, each receiving a grant of €6,000.

Lowry was the winner of the Irish Amateur Close Championship and member of Ireland’s winning team in the European Team Championship. He won the individual award in the Portugal Nations Cup, and finished runner-up in the North of Ireland Championship.

Caldwell was also a member of the Irish team that triumphed in the European Team Championship and earned selection on the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team for the match against the USA at Royal Co. Down.

Simon Ward (Co. Louth), who was also a member of the winning European team, receives a grant of €4,000, while fellow team mate and North of Ireland champion, Gareth Shaw (Lurgan), and West of Ireland champion, Joe Lyons (Galway) both receive €3,000.

Grants are provided to assist players with expenses incurred while competing in Championships, where they are not already covered by the GUI as members of selected panels for the various events, and in keeping with the Rules of Amateur Status.

A total of 48 players from the three National Panels – Senior, Youths and Boys - received grants. Attached is a breakdown of the €75,000 awarded.