McDermott takes Athenry with birdie-birdie finish
Michael McDermott finished strongly to win the athenry Pro-Am. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie
Michael McDermott produced a birdie, birdie finish to edge out Headfort's Brendan McGovern for the Athenry GC Pro-Am.
In difficult wet and windy conditions, the Pure Golf Leopardstown professional got off to a poor start by dropping a shot at the par four first.
He got his round going with a birdie at the fourth and then rattled off three more at the sixth, eighth and 10th. Another dropped shot at the par four 15th halted his momentum but he responded in perfect fashion with birdies at 17 and 18 to claim the title with a four under 68.
McGovern was clearly in good touch heading into the tournament following his joint first place finish at the Etihad Airways PGA Sprint event at the same venue but he made a slow start and dropped a shot at the fourth.
The experienced campaigner birdied the sixth, ninth and 10th to be out in one under 34. He picked up another shot at the par five 10thbut collected a bogey at the 400yard par four 14.
That setback failed to derail his challenge and he responded immediately with birdies at 15 and 16 to sign for a three under 67.
A quartet of golfers finished tied for third on one under par, David Mortimer (Galway GC), Gay Madden (Glenlo Abbey GC), Colm Moriarty (Glasson Hotel & GC) and Glen Robinson (St Helen's Bay Golf Resort).
Graeme Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) won the team prize with 92 points preventing McDermott from collecting a clean sweep.
Athenry Pro-Am - Selected results
1 Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown) 66
2 Brendan McGovern (Headfort GC) 67
3 David Mortimer (Galway GC) 69; Gary Madden (Glenlo Abbey GC) 69; Colm Moriarty (Glasson Hotel & GC) 69; Glen Robinson (St Helen's Bay Golf Resort) 69
7 Noel Murray (Massereene GC) 70; Graeme Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort) 70
9 Peter Jones (Coollattin GC) 71; Bernard Quigley (Carton House Golf Course) 71; Melvyn Flanagan (Mount Temple GC) 71; Donal Gleeson (Old Conna GC) 71
Pro-Am results
1 Graeme Dunlea 92
2 Michael McDermott 90; Melvyn Flanagan 90
4 Cian McNamara 89
5 John Dwyer 88
6 Noel Murray 86; Nigel Howley 86
8 Brendan McGovern 85
9 James Quinlivan 84
