The Irish Golf Club Gazette

10/14/2012

Higgins Keeps PGA in the Family

David Higgins - Getty Images

David Higgins crowned an all conquering year in the Irish PGA region by capturing the Irish PGA champioship at Mount Juliet and underlined his ranking as the number one player on the circuit.

He beat 22 year-old assistant professional Noel Murray from Massereene by birdieing the third hole (the par 5 17th) with an immaculate pitch from 87 yards to two feet.

Kilkenny native Gary Murphy also made the sudden death play-off with all three finishing on seven under par for the reduced 54 hole event, but he dropped out after he parred the first hole(17th) to birdie by the other pair.

The pair then halved the second tie hole (18th) in par and returned to the 17th where Murray made a marvellous attempt at birdie, his sand shot rimming the hole after he hit his difficult pitch into sand.

The 39 year-old winner from Waterville, who fired a best of the day final round of five-under-par 67 to reach the play-off, said it was the fulfillment of a boyhood dream to lift the trophy that his father Liam lifted in 1983.

"I remember looking at the trophy as a young lad and saying it would be lovely to win it.I tried for a long time to win it and did it today and I'm just delighted."

But he took time to salute his fearless young rival Murray. "He's one for the future. Keep an eye out for him."

There was a two hour delay at the start of the day due to frost and fog.

Lowry Wins First Portugal Masters

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Shane Lowry beat England's Ross Fisher by one at the Portugal Masters after a thrilling final day in Vilamoura.

The 25 year old, who captured the Irish Open in an amazing debut three years ago, became only the second player to win on The European Tour as both an amateur and a professional.

Lowry joins Spaniard Pablo Martin, who won the 2007 Portuguese Open in his amateur days and then the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa two years later.

Shot of the day from Lowry was a seven iron into the hole for an eagle two at the 11th, who looked to have secured a play-off until Fisher three-putted the last for bogey.

Lowry was one ahead after adding birdies at the 15th and 17th, but prepared himself for a play-off after driving into sand and bogeying the last for a 66 and 14 under par total.

Former Ryder Cup star Fisher was in the group behind and from the fringe of the green left his long birdie attempt - a putt to win the title - five feet short and then lipped out.

Unlike his maiden victory, which earned him nothing because of his amateur status, Lowry this time picked up a cheque for €375,000 in addition to the trophy.

"I cannot believe this," he said after coming from four behind Austrian Bernd Wiesberger in the final round.

"I can't explain how I feel really. It's a dream come true - I'm over the moon.”

Brady and Murphy in Martin Chase

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Peter Martin still held the lead as the morning starters completed their second rounds at the Irish PGA Championship at Mount Juliet but it was down to one shot on six under par after a sharply fluctuating round.

Joint second overnight Eamonn Brady shot two-under-par 70 to the leader's 71 to be his closest challenger, along with Gary Murphy who carded a round of 69, with Noel Murray a further shot back on 140, carding another 70.

The 35 year-old leader got to nine under after 27 holes as he saw off a brilliant start by David Higgins who is on the brink of being crowned the Irish Order of Merit champion. The Waterville man had a hole in one on the par 3 third and birdied the next to move to five under.

Martin playing alongside him and former Ryder Cup star Philip Walton, claimed four birdies on the first nine, as he outshone him, with Higgins reaching the turn in two under, as he chalked up two bogeys and another birdie.

Both players lost their sparkle and struggled on the back nine, culminating in a very disappointing finish for Higgins, running up a triple bogey on the last for level par.

The leader had a double bogey on the 13th where he hit water and also bogeyed the last which was playing long into the wind.

He put down his slump on the back nine to not playing much this year but was content with his score. "I would have taken it before I went out" he said before heading for the practice range "to hit a few balls and get my rhythm back and take it into tomorrow."

Brady, his closest challenger, described his 70 as a "lot more solid" than his opening 69, containing three birdies and one bogey. The previous day he had an eagle and five birdies, but also a double bogey and two bogeys.

Irish PGA Championship Leaderboard

10/13/2012

Martin leads PGA at Mount Juliet

Peter Martin from the Colin Park Golf Academy in Belfast leads the Irish PGA championship with a five-under-par 67 after the first round at Mount Juliet.

He is two shots ahead of Eamon Brady (Clontarf), John Kelly ( St Margaret's) and Barrie Trainor ( Mayobridge), with David Higgins who is on the verge of being crowned the Order of Merit winner among a group of seven a shot further back.

The event which was due to be played over 72 holes has been cut back to 54 with an early morning deluge of rain causing thee cancellation of the first round on Thursday

The rain returned yesterday afternoon when the leader was out in the worst of the heavy showers but managed three birdies on his first nine which was the back nine, but had a disappointing bogey on the par5 17th, only to notch another three birdies on his homeward nine.

He said he drew inspiration from the play of his two playing partners, the Order of Merit leader and former Ryder Cup star Philip Walton, who carded level par 72.

PGA Championship Leaderboard

10/12/2012

Lowry Leads Irish in Portugal

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Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, the two front-runners for the Ryder Cup captaincy at Gleneagles in 2014, had differing fortunes in the opening round of the Portugal Masters.

Clarke finished with an eight-iron into the ninth hole for an eagle two and a 70, but McGinley withdrew before the start with a bad back.

Shane Lowry's return to form was again in evidence when he shot a four-under-par 67 to lie two off the pace being set by Ross Fisher and Stephen Gallacher at the Oceanico Victoria course.

Padraig Harrington and Gareth Maybin both signed for creditable 69s, while Michael Hoey and Damien McGrane were a shot further back along with Clarke.

Peter Lawrie (73) and Simon Thornton (76) -- who replaced McGinley in the field -- had a disappointing day at the office.

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal also struggled, managing only a 75 on his return to action. Fisher was part of the victorious European side in Wales two years ago, but has managed only one top-five finish since then and finds himself down at 140th in the world.

"It's been a tough season," the 31-year-old Englishman said, "but it's nice to see my hard work pay off, and if that Ryder Cup win doesn't inspire you then nothing will."

The closest he came to winning this year was the Wales Open in June. He was one behind with four to play, but was then given a one-stroke penalty for slow play and dropped to sixth.

Gallacher, meanwhile, was still in contention for the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews on Sunday when he played the wrong ball on the 16th and ran up a quadruple-bogey eight. Keeping a bogey off his card next time out was a fine effort by the 37-year-old, nephew of ex-Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher.