Kearney wins Newbridge Silverware Pro-Am at The K Club
Niall Kearney. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie
Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney produced a flawless round of golf, sweeping past overnight leader Damien Mooney of Ballyliffin to win the Newbridge Silverware sponsored Pro-Am at the K Club.
Challenge Tour regular Kearney started the day trailing Mooney by two shots but while the leader stumbled on his back nine, Kearney was piecing together a superb round, eventually signing for a five under par 67 that secured a two shot victory.
Scoring (Note: Pars of holes represent Palmer Course)
With a prize pot of €33,000 on offer, the K Club Pro-Am attracted a high calibre field with 44 professionals and their amateur partners playing a round on both the Smurfit Course and the Palmer Ryder Cup Course.
Playing the Smurfit course, the 26-year-old made a solid start with pars at the opening two holes before his round caught fire with a trio of birdies at the third, fourth and fifth. Out in three under 33, the Royal Dublin GC golfer added two further birdies on the back nine at the par five 10th and par four 14th for his 67, a score matched on the day by Colm Moriarty (Glasson Hotel & GC).
Mooney, playing the Ryder Cup course made an excellent start to his round with a birdie at the par three third but a bogey at the sixth, saw him go to the turn in level par. His problems began on the back nine with a dropped shot at the 10th followed by further bogeys at the 14th and 17thbefore closing out his round with a birdie at the 18th.
Colm Moriarty's round of 67 guaranteed him joint third alongside Irish champion Michael McGeady on four under for the the two days with Ryder Cup hero Philip Walton a shot further back after rounds of 70/71.
Kearney made it a clean sweep by guiding his team to the pro-am title, ending the two days with a total of 188 points a full 12 points ahead of nearest challenger Colm Moriarty.
K Club Pro-Am - Sponsored by Newbridge Silverware
Leading scores
1 Niall Kearney, Royal Dublin GC, 70/67 - 137
2 Damian Mooney, Ballyliffin GC, 67/72 - 139
3 Colm Moriarty, Glasson Hotel & GC 73/67 -140
- Michael McGeady, 70/70 - 140
5 Philip Walton, 70/71 - 141
6 Noel Fox, GUI National Academy, 76/68 - 144
7 Hazel Kavanagh, Carr Golf Services, 73/72 - 145
- Seamus McMonagle, Dunfanaghy GC, 75/70 - 145
- Michael McDermott, Pure Golf Leopardstown, 71/74 - 145
- John Kelly, St Margaret's Golf & CC, 74/71 - 145
11 Francis Howley, Carton House Golf Course, 73/73 - 146
- David Mortimer, Galway GC, 75/71 - 146
- Graeme Dunlea, Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, 77/69 -146
Pro-Am Leading Scores
1 Niall Kearney 96/92 - 188
2 Colm Moriarty 87/89 - 176
3 Gavin Kavanagh 85/87 - 172
4 Michael McGeady 85/84 - 169
5 Damian Mooney 87/81 - 168
6 Daniel Sugrue 79/88 - 167
7 Eamonn Darcy 86/80 - 166
- John Kelly 77/89 - 166
- Gary Hendley 83/83 - 166
10 Noel Fox 81/84 - 165
- David Mortimer 78/87 - 165
- Dara Lernihan 82/83 - 165
