McGrane for Navan Pro-Am on Friday

DAMIEN McGrane and Philip Walton are among the golfers whose talents will be showcased at Navan Golf Club"s Pro-Am which takes place this Friday, 8th August. The event has attracted the cream of the Irish PGA fraternity with the golfers competing for a prizefund of €12,000. The club"s inaugural pro-am in 2007 turned out to be a very successful event with some of the professionals expressing their 'delight' with the challenges presented by the championship course, according to Navan administrator Sheila Slattery. 'There"s a great field of golfers taking part in this year"s competition and that"s a tribute to the course and to the course superintendent Donal Curtis, the former Meath footballer,' she said. 'We are delighted to have a high quality field of golfers taking part and our sponsors, Navan Town Centre, have also proved very generous.' Walton and McGrane are sure to be among the leading group at the finish after competing in the British Open a few weeks ago. McGrane will be looking to get back to winning ways after some disappointing form since he achieved his first big tour win in the China Volvo Open in April. Walton claimed the Navan Pro Am last year finishing ahead of the rest with a nine under par 63 which included nine birdies and nine pars and if he repeats that kind of form he is sure to feature at the end. He tees off at 2.10 with McGrane due to hit his first ball an hour later. Walton came through a local qualifying round to earn his place at the 2008 British Open championship at Royal Birkdale, his first major since 1998. He will be long remembered by golf fans for the high-pressure putt that beat opponent Jay Haas and won the Ryder Cup for Europe at Oak Hill in 1995. Since then he has encountered some very lean times, but is now showing signs of recapturing some of his best form. Other club professionals who will be teeing off in the pro-am, which is sponsored by Navan Town Centre, are Leslie Walker (Dundalk) and John Dwyer (Ashbourne), both of whom participated in European Tour events this year. Also competing is Damien Mooney from Belfast who was runner-up on the European Pro tour in 2006, and Headfort professional Brendan McGovern who is placed high on Irish PGA order of merit. David Mortimer who is based at the GUI Academy at Carton House and Royal Down"s Simon Thornton are other talented golfers who make up a formidable field. The Navan Pro-Am promises to provide plenty of quality golfing action with a number of adjustments made to the course from last year including an extra bunker on the fourth hole. The ladies from Leinster won their fifth consecutive inter-provincial golf title on Friday with Ashbourne"s Dawn Marie Conaty playing a crucial role on the way to victory. Leinster finished ahead of Connacht with Ulster in third position and Munster in fourth. The event was played at East Clare Golf Club on Thursday and Friday. There was further reason for Conaty to celebrate as she was also selected for the Ladies Home International team which will compete at Wrexham Golf Club, Wales from 10th - 12th September next. Phil O"Gorman from Laytown / Bettystown will captain the team. The Irish team is: Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne), Karen Delaney, Tara Delaney, Aedin Murphy (all Carlow), Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Gillian O"Leary (Cork). Reserves (in order) Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle), Anne McCormack (Roscommon), Charlene Reid (Gracehill). O"Gorman will also captain the team for the World Team Championships (Espirito Santo Trophy) in Australia from 8th - 11th October.