Mullarney top Irishman as Isaiah Jackson wins Patriot All-America Invitational

Ronan Mullarney (Maynooth Univ and Galway) playing from the rough at the 2nd hole during the AIG 2018 Irish Amateur Close Championship at The European Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Maynooth University’s Ronan Mullarney was the best of the Irish as the University of Memphis’ Isaiah Jackson closed with a level par 70 to win the Patriot All-America Invitational in Arizona.

The Galway international followed rounds of 72 and 73 with a three-over 73 on Monday to finish tied 33rd on eight-over par.

His Maynooth team mate, Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty finished four strokes further back on 222, tied for 52nd after a 76 with Royal Portrush’s Peter Kerr, playing out of St Andrews University, tied 72nd on 231 after a 79.

Scores

Jackson won the title by three strokes on five-under par 205 (67-68-70) from Alex Scott from Grand Valley State University (68-67-73-208) and Quade Cummins from the University of Oklahoma (70-66-72-208).

Jackson, the wire-to-wire leader of the tournament and a native of Golden, Mississippi, played in honour of his great grandfather U.S. Army Private First Class Willie B. McGill. Private First Class McGill was killed in combat action on December 4th, 1944.

With his Patriot All-America victory, Jackson receives a sponsor exemption into the Web.com Tour’s Wichita Open played June 20 – 23 at Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas.

Participants in the event play in honour of a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a golf bag bearing the name of that soldier.

The Patriot All-America Invitational features a field of 84 PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from U.S. Military Academies and universities outside the United States.

Patriot All-America alumni now playing on the PGA TOUR, include three-time major winner Brooks Koepka (2011 Patriot participant); Justin Thomas (2011); Daniel Berger (2012); Bryson DeChambeau (2013); and Cameron Champ, the 2016 Patriot All-America Invitational champion.