BT/0408

Golfers dig deep to help ease pain
By John Hicks

A GOLF tournament organised by Ulster champ Darren Clarke aiming to raise more than £300,000 for the Omagh bomb victims, teed off today.
A string of professionals flew into Dublin to give their services free at Portmarnock golf links outside Dublin.
They include Colin Montgomerie who yesterday won the British Masters at the Forest of Arden. Jose Maria OIazabeI. Ian Woosnam, Eamonn Darcey and Andrew Coltart.
Also joining them for the charity pro-am tournament were Christie O'Connor Senior and Junior of Ireland.
Said a spokeswoman for Darren Clarke's agent, International Sports Management:"The response" has been superb.
"Sponsorship deals from all quarters have flooded in and the original target of £150,000 could be doubled."
Three amateurs sponsored to the minimum of £5,000 were picked to play with each professional.
At dead-on 1lam in a shotgun start the tournament hit off with each foursome teeing from a different hole.
Some of the foursomes were expected to be sponsored to well over £10.000 for the day.
Hotshots give their services for free.
Anyone caddying for the professionals was also sponsored and all spectators were allowed in free.
They were given the option of buying raffle tickets from l0p to £10 for an array of prizes.
Airlines, hotels, car hire firms, caterers and a string of other companies gave their services free.
Last week Darren Clarke, who is ranked number 24 in the world, told how the Omagh massacre had deeply shocked him.
He said:"I am a Tyrone County man and Omagh is not very far from my home town of Dungannon.
"I played a lot of golf there in my amateur days and although I did not know anyone killed or injured I have lost friends in the Troubles."
Today was one of the few "free" days for the professional golfers on the European circuit.
Tonight most of them jet off to France for the Trophic Lancomc which starts on Thursday.
The money collected for the Omagh Memorial Fund is expected to be the biggest single donation.
So far donations and pledges to the fund have soared past the £500,000 mark.