Walker Cup player Paddy Gribben is the main recipient in the annual grants allocation for 1999 from the Irish Sports Council to Ireland's top amateur golfers.
Grants totalling £50,000 have been awarded under the International Carding Scheme to players who performed well at national and international tournaments throughout the season and Gribben, who won his Walker Cup singles match in assisting Britain and Ireland to success over the Americans at Nairn in September, tops the individual list with an award of £6,000.
Gribben, a member of Warrenpoint Golf Club, who is considering a return to a professional career, also retained his North of Ireland championship title during the season. Dunfanaghy's Ciaran McMonagle, winner of the Irish Close championship, and Gary Cullen of Beaverstown, who won the Irish Open strokeplay title, both receive £3,500 under the system which is based on specific criteria agreed by the ISC and the Golfing Union of Ireland.
In all, 40 amateur players have benefited (compared to 37 last year). Included are a number of top teenage players - Graeme McDowell, who won the Irish youths' championship, Mark Campbell, winner of the South of Ireland, and David Jones, who made a successful raid for the St David's Cross International in Wales, all of whom receive £2,000.
Grants awarded by Irish Sports Council (1999) - P Gribben (Warrenpoint) £6,000; C McMonagle (Dunfanaghy) £3,500; G Cullen (Beaverstown) £3,500; M Campbell (UCD and Stackstown) £2,000; C Moriarty (Athlone) £2,000; M McGeady (City of Derry) £2,000; D Jones (City of Derry) £2,000; G McDowell (Rathmore) £2,000; M Sinclair (Knock) £1,500; A McCormick (Scrabo) £1,500; S McTernan (Co Sligo) £1,200; M O'Sullivan (Galway) £1,200; J McCracken (Malone) £1,200; K Kearney (Galway) £1,000; E Power (Kilkenny) £1,000; N Fox (Portmarnock) £1,000; M Hoey (Shandon Park) £1,000; J Foster (Ballyclare) £1,000; R Leonard (Banbridge) £1,000; P Martin (Balmoral) £1,000; D Sugrue (Killarney) £1,000; S McMonagle (Dunfanaghy) £1,000; J Clarke (Holywood) £1,000; J Kehoe (UCD and Birr) £1,000; P McLaughlin (Ballyliffin) £1,000; D McNamara (Connemara) £1,000; M McTernan (Co Sligo) £700; C Doran (Banbridge) £700; M Poucher (Limerick) £500; M Owens (Mallow) £500; M McDermott (Stackstown) £500; R Symes (Shandon Park) £500; G McNeill (Waterford) £500; I Stafford (Bandon) £500; M Kynes (Old Conna) £500; M Canty (Tramore) £500; D Gannon (Co Louth) £500; D Crowe (Dunmurry) £500; P McDonald (Old Conna) £500, P McNamara (Youghal) £500.
