Another Irish golfing stalwart takes on Augusta

Yes, it began with a stray drive in to the trees, and there were a few three-putts along the way, but still, it proved to be an unforgettable round at Augusta National by this legend of Irish golf. No, not Rory McIlroy, our very own Philip Reid. Having been drawn from the annual media lottery, he finally got his chance to play the course. It was, he writes, “magical, most probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience and most certainly a top-end bucket list item ticked”. Mind you, he neglects to mention his score.

While Philip is on a high, the LIV Golf crew are on tenterhooks with rumours swirling about the place that the Saudis are about to withdraw their financial backing. If this does indeed turn out to be its end, golf, says Malachy Clerkin, “won’t miss it”.

Pádraig O’Hora, meanwhile, is in the middle of his own once-in-a-lifetime experience – climbing Everest. The former Mayo footballer brings you the latest instalment of his diary on the adventure, which features headaches and continuous vomiting. That left us wondering why on earth you’d want to climb Everest. Pádraig, no doubt, would say: “Because it’s there.”

In rugby, Munster head coach Clayton McMillan has defended the appointment of Roger Randle as their next attack coach, but, says Gerry Thornley, that decision “raises serious questions about the governance of the province”. Randle was accused of raping a woman in South Africa in 1997, an allegation he denied. The charges were subsequently withdrawn.

While they’re dealing with the backlash to that appointment, Munster are preparing for Saturday’s URC game against Benetton, Gerry bringing you the team news. And John O’Sullivan has the latest from the Leinster camp as they shape up for this evening’s meeting with Ulster.

John also has word on the team Scott Bemand has picked for Ireland’s Six Nations game against Italy in Galway, while Gerry previews the “D6W derby”, neighbours St Mary’s College and Terenure College squaring up tomorrow in the knockout stages of the AIL.

In Gaelic games, Johnny Watterson took an old photo from a brown paper bag in his front room earlier this week. It showed a scene from a game between Antrim and Dublin in Croke Park in 1946. And there in the middle of it was Johnny’s father, Antrim captain George ‘Geordy’ Watterson. “After 80 years, maybe now is the time to put the picture on the wall,” he writes.

Eighty years on and the championship is up and running, Ian O’Riordan talking to Jordan Morris ahead of Meath’s Leinster quarter-final against Westmeath on Sunday. And in hurling, Stephen Barry hears from Cork manager Ben O’Connor who is less than happy with the difficulty in communicating instructions to his players during matches.

In football, Megan Connolly gives her thoughts on Ireland’s World Cup qualifying game against Poland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow, having beaten the same opposition in Gdansk on Tuesday, and Michael Scully previews the meeting of Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians in Tallaght this evening.

And in racing, Brian O’Connor salutes Paul Townend’s “resolve” for riding I Am Maximus to Grand National glory 24 hours after the outcry that followed another “win” – he rode Gold Dancer to victory in a Grade One Chase, the horse then euthanised having broken its back.

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