Sharvin bests O'Rourke for Irish PGA after play-off
Cormac Sharvin with the trophy. Picture: PGA in Ireland
Killeen Castle’s Cormac Sharvin beat The K Club’s Conor O’Rourke with a birdie at the first play-off hole to capture the 116th Touchstore Irish PGA Championship in a dramatic back nine battle at Limerick Golf Club.
The Co Down man (33), who led by two strokes overnight, birdied the 18th from six feet to card a 69 to O’Rourke’s 67 and force sudden-death on 15-under-par.
Sharvin went on to drive the par-four 18th in the play-off and make a five-footer for birdie to win the €9,000 top prize.
“Relief, to be honest,” Sharvin said of his emotions. “It was one of those days where I didn’t putt well; I missed a lot early.
“I felt like I was out of it coming down 12 and 13, and I dug deep, managed to birdie 14 and had a bonus on 15 for eagle.
“Conor came back at me with birdies on 16 and 17. I was one behind down the last, hit a really good drive and chip to the 18th.
“That six-footer was tough because I didn’t feel comfortable on the greens all day, but that gave me the confidence to go on and win.”
116th Touchstore Irish PGA Championship, Limerick GC (Par 72)
Final (with prize money for top 10 included)
201 Cormac Sharvin (Killeen Castle) 66 66 69 (€9,000); Conor O’Rourke (The K Club) 68 66 67 (€6,000);
Sharvin won with a birdie at the first tie hole (18th)
204 Simon Thornton (STGolf) 69 69 66 (€4,800);
205 Conor Ryan (McGuirks Golf Head Office) 67 70 68 (€3,300);
206 Niall Kearney (The Eddie Doyle Golf Academy) 68 68 70 (€2,490);
209 Daniel Sugrue (Dooks Golf Links) 66 73 70, Jack Ryan (Castletroy) 66 72 71, Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge Golf Range) 67 70 72 (€1,950 each);
210 Keith Shannon (Cloverhill) 70 72 68, Tim Rice (Limerick) 68 70 72, Damian Mooney (Lough Erne Resort) 68 66 76 (€1,440 each);
211 David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) 69 72 70, Mark O'Mahony (Concept Golf) 74 64 73;
212 Richard Weldon (Black Bush) 72 71 69, John McDermott (Grange) 72 71 69, Nicky Grant (Nicky Grant Golf) 75 68 69;
213 Shane O'Neill (Malahide) 71 71 71, Neil O'Briain (Roganstown Golf & CC) 71 69 73;
214 Cian Geraghty (Dundalk) 74 70 70, Sean O'Donoghue (Mount Wolseley Golf & CC) 73 70 71, Noel Murray 71 69 74;
215 Ian Halpin (Castle) 71 75 69, James Quinlivan (Mullingar Golf Academy) 71 73 71, Jake Whelan (McGuirks Golf Dublin 18) 76 67 72;
216 Michael McGeady (Michael McGeady Golf) 71 71 74;
217 Adam Dunmore (Donegal) 72 71 74, Paul Eivers (Cahir Park) 71 72 74;
218 Niall McGlynn (Golf Ireland Academy) 72 73 73, David Ryan (East Cork) 76 69 73, Eoin O'Brien (Clontarf) 73 70 75, Colm Moriarty (Condor.ie) 72 71 75;
219 Cian McNamara (Monkstown) 72 74 73, Darren McHale (The K Club) 71 72 76, Adam Kelly (Rathfarnham) 74 69 76;
220 Leslie Walker (Dundalk) 71 75 74, Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) 73 73 74, Eoin O'Connor (Newpark Golf Centre) 69 76 75, Cormac Power (McGuirks Golf Wexford) 74 68 78, Brian McElhinney (North West) 70 71 79, Ciaran Lavery (Holywood) 70 71 79;
221 Sebastien McShane (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 68 78 75, Sam Hogan (Fota Island) 74 70 77, Richard O'Donovan 69 72 80;
222 Mark Sutton (The Ward Golf Centre) 71 75 76, Gary Howie (Castletroy) 69 74 79, Steven Quinlan (Millicent) 71 72 79, James Stenson (Concept Golf) 71 72 79;
224 Eric Byrne (EB Golf) 72 74 78;
225 Christopher Rabbette 74 71 80;
227 Colin O'Gorman (West Waterford) 71 75 81.
