Philip Walton and John Dignam finished in semi-darkness at the Tullamore Dew PGA pro-am tournament last night to both post a three-under-par 67 and push long-time leader Ger Hall off the top of the leaderboard.
Former Ryder and Walker Cup player Walton covered holes four to 14 in a superb five-under-par to be four-under, having dropped a shot at the par four first hole.
He then bogeyed 15 and 16 but steadied the ship with birdie three at the last for his 67.
Despite the horrid conditions, Dignam was steady as a rock with birdies at 10, 12 and 13 and 15 pars on his card.
Hall carded an early day two-under-par 68 with the work done over the opening five holes which he covered in four-under to lay the basis of his winning round.
He didn't keep up the birdie blitz, however, and blew the chance of winning as he double-bogeyed the last hole to be one-over on the way back.
European Tour player Shane Lowry took time out to play at Tullamore and grabbed a share of second place, one stroke behind the winners.
The former Irish Open champion, from nearby Esker Hills, had trouble with the short holes on the way out and dropped strokes at the second and fourth before his first birdie, a three at the eighth.
He gave that shot back to the course at the par four 10th hole but finished strongly with birdie three at 13, a four at the long 14th and a finishing birdie three at the last green.
Lowry shared his one-under-70 with Darren McWilliams, John Dwyer, David Ryan and Mark Staunton while Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING leader David Higgins carded a 73.
