Record-breaking Kearney wins back-to-back Irish PGA Championships — 14-shot victory
Niall Kearney won the 2015 Irish PGA by 14 strokes with a record, 22 under par total at Dundalk. Picture © www.golffile.ie
Royal Dublin's iall Kearney cruised to a emphatic and record-breaking 14-shot victory in the LowFuelCard.ie Irish PGA Championship at Dundalk.
The 27-year-old took charge of proceedings on Thursday with an opening round of seven under par 65 and followed up with rounds of 66, 67 and 68.
His 22-under par total at Dundalk GC beat the 19-under-par mark set by Royal County Down's Simon Thornton at Seapoint in 2011 and saw him join an illustrious list of back-to-back champions that includes Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Christy O'Connor Snr.
“I see Christy Snr around Royal Dublin the odd time and it's good to have matched something he has done but I've some way to go to equal his record of 10 Irish PGA titles,” said Niall who flies out to England on Monday to play in the British Masters at Woburn.
“It was just one of those weeks, it was one of those courses that suited my eye. I felt comfortable here right from the start of the week and that was reflected in the scoring.”
The trio of Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge), Eamonn Brady (Clontarf) and James Quinlivan (Mullingar) shared second place on eight under par with Brendan McGovern (Headfort) alone in fifth on seven under par.
Kearney started the final day with an eight-shot lead over Kilpatrick with Colm Moriarty a shot further back on nine-under.
He dropped only his third shot of the tournament at the par four third but far from causing a wobble, he bounced back with a birdie at the next and a second birdie of the day at the sixth saw him reach the turn in one under par.
In contrast, Kilpatrick and Moriarty both struggled over the opening nine holes and as they turned for home, Niall had extended his lead to 11 shots, effectively ending any hopes of being overhauled.
He continued to make smooth progress over his closing nine holes, grabbing birdies at the 12th, 14th and 18th as he came home in three under 33.
“I was one over through three, it was blustery, windy and cold and not very pleasant,” added the former Walker Cup player.
“I had to really concentrate because I knew we were coming towards a stretch of holes that Richard or Colm or in fact, anyone in the field could have got hot so I couldn't afford to take my eye off the ball.
“Then we got into the back nine, Colm and Richard weren't really making a move. I was playing pretty steadily so I felt more comfortable with my situation which gave me the chance to relax a bit and try and enjoy it over the closing holes.”
Irish Professional Championship, sponsored by LowFuelCard.ie, Dundalk Golf Club (Par 72)
Final
266 Niall Kearney Royal Dublin GC 65 66 67 68 266 (€3,500)
280 Eamonn Brady Clontarf GC 65 76 69 70, James Quinlivan Mullingar GC 66 75 68 71, Richard Kilpatrick Banbridge GC 70 69 67 74 (€1,933.33 each)
281 Brendan McGovern Headfort GC 72 74 66 69 (€1,000)
283 Simon Thornton Royal County Down 70 71 69 73, Colm Moriarty Drive Golf Performance Limited 67 72 68 76 (€875 each)
284 Mark Staunton Delgany GC 70 73 69 72 (€800)
285 John Dwyer Ashbourne GC 71 70 76 68, David Ryan Cahir Park GC 73 67 73 72, Donal Gleeson Old Conna GC 74 72 67 72, Damian Mooney Ballyliffin 73 70 70 72, Daniel Beattie Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa 73 72 67 73 (€740 each)
286 David Higgins Waterville Golf Links 75 65 70 76
287 Cian McNamara Monkstown GC 74 71 71 71, Cian Curley Royal Tara GC 77 69 70 71, Seamus McMonagle Dunfanaghy GC 73 69 71 74
288 Noel Murray Massereene GC 74 74 69 71, Michael McDermott Pure Golf Leopardstown 73 70 73 72, Richard Creamer Arklow GC 71 72 71 74, David Barry Douglas GC 77 70 67 74, Joe Dillon Headfort GC 74 66 69 79
289 Glen Robinson 72 77 69 71 ,Neil O’Briain Old Conna GC 74 73 68 74, Robert Giles Greenore GC 73 70 69 77, Hazel Kavanagh Carr Golf Services 72 75 74 70
291 Shane Franklin LD Golf Limited 73 75 69 74
292 Scott Wilson Co. Louth GC 75 73 74 70
293 Liam Bowler Wexford GC 77 72 71 73, Daniel Sugrue Killarney Golf & Fishing Club 74 71 75 73, Gerard Hall Edenderry Golf Academy 73 70 74 76
294 Jimmy Bolger Kilkenny GC 73 75 75 71, David Mortimer Galway GC 74 75 73 72, Chris Moriarty Open Fairways Limited 79 71 70 74, John Dignam Slade Valley GC 73 76 72 75
296 Kevin McGivern Mannan Castle GC 71 74 72 79, Graeme Dunlea Monkstown GC 71 75 69 81
297 Mark O’Sullivan Piltown Driving Range 70 76 77 74, Conor Deegan Dun Laoghaire GC 77 70 75 75, David Leathem Nevada Bobs Belfast 79 69 69 80
298 Dermot O’Neill 74 73 71 80
299 Rebecca Codd 76 73 74 76, Noel Fox GUI National Academy 73 73 77 76, Ciaran Molloy Blackwood Golf Centre 75 74 71 79
300 Ian Brennan Greenore GC 76 72 75 77, Peter Jones Coollattin GC 72 78 72 78
301 Sean Cannon Athenry GC 77 73 77 74, Bernard Quigley Tullamore GC 79 69 79 74, Seamus Clinton Letterkenny GC 75 75 76 75
303 Barrie Trainor Cairndhu GC 73 73 74 83
305 Paul Masterson Coollattin GC 79 71 74 81, Kevin Foy Stepaside Golf Centre 74 75 75 81.
MISSED THE CUT
151 Brian Doheny Mount Juliet GC 76 75, Padraig Dooley Drive Golf Performance Limited 7 279, John Murray Malahide GC 77 74, Steven Quinlan 75 76, Dara Lernihan Elm Park GC 78 73, David Hughes Massereene GC 77 74, Brian McCormack Galway GC 78 73, Sean Whelan Ballinrobe GC 76 75
152 Ryan Madigan Waterford Castle GC 77 75, Kenny Fahey GUI National Academy 76 76, Michael Kelly Dun Laoghaire GC 77 75, Mark Whelan Castlewarden Golf & Country Club 74 78
153 Cormac Hennessy 74 79, Adam Dunmore Bundoran GC 78 75, Ciaran Boggan County Meath GC 76 77, Shane McCabe Killeen GC 74 79, Paul Stevenson Portadown GC 76 77
154 Peter Morgan Elm Park GC 79 75, Shaun Donnelly Castle Hume GC 79 75, Christopher Carvill Belvoir Park GC 82 72, Peter O’Hagan Luttrellstown Castle GC 77 77, Alan Gleeson Castlemartyr Links GC 74 80
155 Bert Mackay Castlerock GC 77 78, Mark O’Mahony Titleist National Fitting Centre 76 79, Brian Kerley Green Life Golf Centre 77 78, Conor Gorevan Hermitage GC 78 77
156 Brian Sweeney Sutton GC 82 74, Graham Byrne Palmerstown Stud GC 76 80, Brendan Walton Island GC 81 75
157 Leslie Walker Dundalk GC 80 77, Stephen McCarthy Black Bush GC 81 76, Brian McCormack Edenderry Golf Academy 78 79
158 Leo Hynes Killiney GC 79 79
159 Gregory Leech, Mark O’Boyle Heath GC 83 76
160 Cormac Power St Helen’s Bay GC 82 78, Leonard Owens Royal Dublin GC 82 78, Jerry Scullion Kilkeel GC 82 78
161 Graham Sweeney Balbriggan GC 86 75, Alan Staunton Hollywood Lakes GC 80 81, Philip McLaughlin Royal Dublin GC 81 80, Phil Collins Galgorm Castle GC 84 77
162 David Walker Foxrock GC 86 78, Victoria Bradshaw 84 78, William Noble County Cavan GC 81 81, Marian Riordan Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort 84 78
163 Conor Russell Sutton GC 81 82
164 Mark Peat Bray GC 84 80
WD Nigel Howley Balbriggan GC, Peter Martin Colin Park Golf Academy
DQ Michael O’Shea Rathsallagh GC, Thomas Johnston Castlerock GC, Michael Stanford Dunmurry GC , Peter Hanna Lurgan GC
RTD Joe Murray Hollystown GC, Diarmaid Fraser Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
