David P Jones Unavailable for Matchplay

David P Jones stormed to the top of the leaderboard in the final qualifying round of the Ping PGA Ulster Grand Prix but won't be available for the matchplay stages later this month.

The Royal Portrush assistant posted a winning two-under-par 68 from The Valley Course to slot into second place on the table but immediately withdrew from the shootout stakes. That allowed ninth-placed Gary Wardlow into the draw.

Jones made use of local knowledge as he pencilled in half-a-dozen birdies, including a winning one at the last hole. That gave him a one stroke advantage over David Hughes and Damian Mooney, who had already won the Grand Prix Order of Merit.

A drive and a wedge to 30 feet set up birdie four at the fourth hole for Derryman Jones and he backed that up by driving the 335-yards fifth green to 20 feet for birdie three. He gave one shot back when he missed the green at the short sixth hole but made birdie three at eight with a 15-footer.

Out in two-under-33, Jones continued his charge with back-to-back birdies at the long 10th and short 11th holes. An eight iron to 20 feet and two putts gave him his four at 10 and he rifled a sand-iron to one foot for his two at 11.

Then the wheels came off as the winner missed the green at the 13th and 15th to card bogey six and bogey four and he three-putted the 17th for bogey five, before finishing in a style with a six iron to 10 feet for his winning birdie two at the last.

Those who have made the matchplay draw have until Friday to pull out if they find they cannot make the starting tape at Killymoon on Thursday, March 31st.


PGA Northern Branch PING Grand Prix

Damian Mooney Takes Title

Damian Mooney

Damian Mooney clinched top spot in the Ping PGA Ulster Grand Prix after an amazing performance at Castlerock.

Unattached Mooney fired a sizzling six-under 67 and goes into the matchplay draw as No.1, irrespective of what happens in the 10th and final round, at Royal Portrush on April 8.

He stormed off with a hat-trick of birdies, going 3-3-4. At the first hole he steered a pitching wedge to six feet, at the next he drove the green and at the long third he reached the green with a drive and three wood.

From the eighth hole, Mooney had three three-stabs in a row for par, bogey four and bogey five but then reached the surface at the long 11th with a drive and five iron for birdie four, before wedging to three feet and eight feet at 12 and 13 for back-to-back birdie threes.

A drive and nine iron to the 15th green set up eagle three and he finished with three pars, having had five threes in a row from the 12th hole.

Massereene's David Hughes leaped into eighth and final place in the Order of Merit after being second to Mooney, just one stroke back.

There are still a few of the final places still up for grabs at Royal Portrush on April 8. The matchplay will be staged at Killymoon on March 31 and April 1.

Next Tuesday, there will be a further outing for members of the Ulster Golfers' Alliance at Concra Wood.