Murtagh and McDermott on target at Portmarnock Links
Grange professional Michael McDermott and The Island’s Conor Murtagh beat cold conditions to win the top prizes in the TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
A field of 98 teed it up but while there was little wind, whatever breeze was blowing from the north made the finishing holes particularly testing.
McDermott birdied the fourth, bogeyed the fifth but then birdied the eighth to turn in one-under before following birdies at the 13th and 16th with a bogey at the last to card a two-under 69 for his first win of the new campaign.
He won the nett by a shot from Deer Park’s Simeon Booth (8.3 adjusted to 11) who had a birdie at the 11th in an 81 for a nett 70.
The Island’s Paul McBride snuck into third place in the nett as he played alongside Gavin Moynihan and Conor Murtagh.
McBride went out in two-under par as he followed a bogey at the first with birdies at the fourth and eighth.
He got to four-under thanks to birdies at the 10th and 13th but bogeyed the 15th and then double bogeyed the 16th for his 70.
Fellow Island man Murtagh won the gross as he made six birdies and two double-bogeys in a two-under 69
He started with three birdies, double-bogeyed the fifth but then came home in one-under as he made birdies on the 13th, 14th and 16th holes only to run up his second double-bogey of the round on the 18th hole.
Limerick’s Tim Rice had four birdies and three bogeys in a 70 to take the second gross.
He birdied the second, bogeyed the fifth but birdied the ninth to turn in one-under, moved to three-under with birdies at the 11th and 12th but then bogeyed the 17th and 18th.
Playing near the back of the field, Jonathan Yates shot a level par 71 to take the third gross.
Out in level par as he followed a birdied at the sixth with a bogey at the seventh, he came home in level par with a birdie on the 13th and a bogey on the 17th.
Gavin Moynihan was two-under playing the 18th tee but a double-bogey there cost him a spot amongst the prize winners.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71), 23 November
Nett
Michael McDermott (Pro) Grange 69
Simeon Booth (8.3) Deer Park 70
Paul McBride (Pro) The Island 70
Gross
Conor Murtagh (+2.6) The Island 69
Tim Rice (Pro) Limerick 70
Jonathan Yates (Pro) Naas 71
November 30 - Sold out
