Thornton claims fourth Irish PGA crown at Monkstown
Simon Thornton joined Ryder Cups stars Paul McGinley and Philip Walton in an exclusive club when he claimed his fourth win in the Brown & Brown Irish PGA at Monkstown Golf Club.
Winner of the title in 2011, 2018 and 2020, the Down-based former DP World Tour winner (48) closed with a four-under 66 to win by two strokes on nine-under-par from Mount Wolseley’s Sean O’Donoghue.
Thornton began the day with a one-stroke lead over O’Donoghue, Tim Rice, and Richard O'Donovan and sandwiched bogeys six birdies between bogeys at the first and 18th to win comfortably.
O’Donoghue, who briefly moved into the lead on eight under after making four birdies in his first seven holes, carded a 67 to finish runner-up.
Glasson’s Colm Moriarty shot a best-of-the-day 65 to share third place with defending champion Niall Kearney (67) and Elm Park’s Cormac Sharvin (67) on six under.
Irish PGA Championship, Monkstown GC (Par 70)
Sponsored by Brown & Brown
Final
201 1 Simon Thornton (ST Golf) -9 66 69 66
203 2 Sean O'Donoghue (Mount Wolseley and Country Club) -7 71 65 67
204 T3 Colm Moriarty (Glasson Lakehouse) -6 70 69 65, Niall Kearney (The Eddie Doyle Golf Academy) -6 71 66 67, Cormac Sharvin (Elm Park) -6 70 67 67
205 6 Richard O'Donovan (Unatt) -5 70 66 69
208 7 Tim Rice (Limerick) -2 70 66 72
210 8 Damian Mooney (Lough Erne Resort) E 74 68 68
211 T9 Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) +1 69 71 71, Paul Eivers (Cahir Park) +1 70 70 71
213 11 Steven Quinlan (Newlands) +3 68 74 71
214 12 David Higgins (Waterville Links) +4 73 73 68
215 T13 Nicky Grant (Nicky Grant Golf) +5 73 75 67, Daniel Sugrue (Dooks Golf Links) +5 72 72 71, Michael McDermott (Grange) +5 71 72 72
216 T16 Glen Robinson (Craddockstown) +6 69 78 69, Paul Behan (Black Bush) +6 74 71 71, Keith Shannon (Cloverhill) +6 72 73 71, Brendan McCarroll (Foyle Golf Centre) +6 67 74 75
217 T20 Joe Dillon (Joe The Pro Golf Academy) +7 73 73 71, Stuart Bleakley (Knock) +7 69 75 73, Wayne O'Callaghan (Wayne O'Callaghan Golf Academy) +7 73 70 74
218 T23 Michael McGeady (Michael McGeady Golf) +8 73 77 68, David Barry (Douglas) +8 77 71 70, Cian Geraghty (Dundalk) +8 71 74 73, Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) +8 72 72 74
219 T27 Brian Jnr McCormack (Tullamore) +9 78 72 69, Chris McDonnell (Killarney Golf & Fishing Club) +9 75 73 71, Neil O'Briain (Roganstown Golf & Country Club) +9 73 70 76
220 T30 Adam Dunmore (Bundoran) +10 77 73 70, Sam Hogan (Fota Island) +10 77 72 71, Noel Murray (Unatt) +10 75 73 72, John McDermott (Grange) +10 76 72 72, Colin O'Gorman (Co Tipperary Golf & Country Club) +10 73 74 73
221 35 Eric Byrne (EB Golf) +11 72 76 73
222 T36 Robert Giles (AG Tee Golf Limited) +12 75 76 71, Gary McGrane (Unatt) +12 76 75 71, Eddie Tracey (Ballina) +12 69 79 74, Conor Coyne (Cobh) +12 70 76 76, Tara Delaney (Unatt) +12 76 70 76, Brian McElhinney (North West) +12 79 67 76
223 T42 Andrew Hickey (Galway) +13 77 74 72, James Quinlivan (Mullingar Golf Academy) +13 76 74 73
224 T44 Brendan McGovern (Headfort) +14 75 76 73, Christian Purcell (Mount Wolseley Golf & Country Club) +14 74 76 74, Cian McNamara (Monkstown) +14 72 77 75, David Mernagh (Enniscorthy) +14 73 74 77
225 T48 Sebastien McShane (Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort) +15 77 74 74, Conor Ryan (McGuirks Golf Dublin 18) +15 74 76 75, Richard Weldon (Black Bush) +15 77 71 77
226 51 Shane Irwin (Monkstown) +16 79 72 75
227 52 Conor Muir (Bandon) +17 70 79 78
228 53 Marian Riordan (Co Tipperary and Country Club) +18 71 80 77
229 T54 David Ryan (East Cork) +19 76 75 78, Jake O'Riordan (Old Conna) +19 73 78 78
230 56 Colin Maguire (Douglas) +20 74 74 82.
