Fit Foley cruises to Mid West Alliance win

Irish Boys international Ronan Mullarney was second at Dromoland Castle. Pictured during the 2013 Irish Youths Close at Claremorris by Thos Caffrey/ www.golffile.ie

Home professional Dave Foley showed his winter fitness regime has done him no harm as he fired 39 points to win the second round of the Titleist Mid West Alliance at Dromoland Castle.

While the course lengthened by almost 350 yards, scoring was good with Foley firing a fine 69 in a stiff wind to win by one point from Galway's Ronan Mullarney, a member of the Irish Boys side that won the Home Internationals last year.

According to our spies, his new, Nicklaus-like "down the line" putting method proved crucial as he rounded Dromoland's Amen Corner — the ninth, 10th and 11th — in one under par.

Having parred the ninth, he drove into water at the 10th but pitched to two feet after a drop to save an unlikely par before hitting a fantastic drive and three wood over the lake to set up a facile, two-putt birdie from 20 feet at the 11th.

Titleist Mid West Alliance, Dromoland Castle

Category 0-3 (Gross stableford)

1. Dave Foley (Dromoland) 39 pts

2. Ronan Mullarney (Galway) 38 pts

T3. Joe Lyons (Galway), Nicky Ryan (Woodstock) 37 pts

Category 4-9 (Stableford nett)

1. Liam Pyne (Ennis) 40 pts

T2. Pat Lucey (Ennis), David Casey (Dromoland) 39pts

Most birdies — T1. Pat Murray (Limerick), Nicky Ryan (Woodstock) 6 birdies each.
Nearest the pin — 7th, Donncadh Nagle (Dromoland); 13th, Nicky Duggan (Dromoland), 17th, Ian Myatt (Ennis).

Next round, Sunday March 23.