BT/0417

£300,000 drive for victims
Cash may go some small way to help, says Tyrone golfer
By Marie Foy

ULSTER golf champion Darren Clarke said a big "thank you" to everyone who supported his star-studded golf tournament which raised £300,000 for the victims of the Omagh bomb.
Top world professionals teed off with other celebrities to take part in the shotgun start pro-am at Portmarnock links outside Dublin yesterday.
Among the hotshots on the greens were Colin Montgomerie, who won the British Masters on Sunday, Jose Maria Olazabel, Ian Woosnam, Eamonn Darcy and Andrew Coltart.
Derek Cooper was the winning professional whose team notched up 90 points.
Other famous faces included Formula One driver Damon Hill and Jordan team boss Eddie Jordan, who flew in from Monza fresh from the Italian Grand Prix.
Singer Chris de Burgh, unable to play because of an injury, watched from the sidelines and Republic of Ireland soccer manager Mick McCarthy got in a bit of practise on his putting.
Irish golfer Christy O'Connor Jnr, whose 17-year-old son was killed in a car crash last week, also took part in the event.
Among the 3,000 spectators cheering them on was a party of young people from Omagh who got the chance to chat with their sporting heroes.
The stars signed autographs and gave away gloves and balls galore to their excited fans.
Darren, who organised the event, was delighted with the amount raised - twice the original target.
"It is our way of trying to help the victims of the Omagh bomb."
He added: "An awful lot of people have put an awful lot of money to support it. We have raised around £300,000, which is fantastic."
In a special message to the people of Omagh he said: "We are all very sad about what happened.
"People's lives can't be brought back again, but this money may go some small way to helping some rehabilitation."
Although the guests were pleased to be at Portmarnock, the reason for their visit was never far from mind.
As Colin Montgomerie said: "I hope this is the last time we have to do this. It has been great to appear and help people less fortunate than ourselves."
Omagh Golf Club captain Robert Johnston, who was there with a team, was overwhelmed by the huge support.
"It was a fantastic day," he said. "It is just a pity we were here because of the tragedy.
"The generosity of the people we have met has been very touching. It is unbelievable the people who have come over. It is quite emotional," he confessed.
Donations, he said, had included £4,000 from the Portmarnock Hotel staff.
An anonymous donor had handed over £500 worth of Waterford crystal to be used as prizes in an Ulster golf competition for the victims and their families.
Eddie Jordan had paid £5,000 for a golf bag in an auction of golfing memorabilia after the competition. And a bank paid £2,000 for a print signed by all the pros, which was then presented to the Omagh club.
Yesterday was one of the few "free" days for the professional golfers on the European circuit.
Most of them jetted off last night to France for the Trophie Lancome which starts on Thursday.