Tom Cleary. Picture courtesy Niall O'Shea/Cork Golf News

Cork's Tom Cleary birdied three of his last six holes to retain his Munster Seniors Amateur Open title in style at Waterville Golf Links

On a day when a wind gusting up to 30mph played a significant part in the story, Cleary shot the low round of the day — a three over 75 — to come from two strokes behind overnight leader John Mitchell of Tramore to win by two.

Four bogeys and a double bogey in the opening nine holes threatened to scupper his chances of holding on to his title. But these were offset by two birdies for an outward total of 39.

Cleary bogeyed the difficult 10th and 11th, both playing into the stiff wind. But he finished like champion with birdies at the 13th, 14th and par-five 18th bringing him home in a one under par 36

His 75 for a winning total of five over par 149 gave him a two stroke margin of victory over Mitchell with Morgan Pierse from Grange carding successive 76s and the great Garth McGimpsey following a 73 with a 79 to finish a further stroke back on eight over 152.

Tom Cleary celebrates at Waterville. Picture courtesy Niall O'Shea/Cork Golf News

It was Cleary’s third victory in a championship he won for the first time in 2009 before coming through after a playoff in Thurles 12 months ago.

Munster Branch Chairman John Moloughney thanked the directors of Waterville Links for making the prestigious course available for the tournament and the sponsors Clarion Hotel Limerick for their ongoing support for golf in the province.

He also paid tribute to the staff and Club Officers of Waterville for the warm welcome they extended to the competitors and for their help during the two days of the Championship.

Munster Seniors Amateur Open, Waterville

Tom Cleary Cork 149
John Mitchell Tramore 151
Morgan Pierse Grange 152
Garth McGimpsey Bangor 152
Billy Donlon Birr 153
Maurice Kelly Naas 155

Age Categories

A = 55 – 59
B = 60 - 64
C = 65+

1ST Nett A Seamus Ward Laytown/Bettystown 149
2nd Nett A Gerard O’Sullivan Tralee 150
1st Nett B Noel Mannion Dun Laoghaire 149
2nd Nett B Michael Coote 154
1st Nett C Greg Young Lahinch 152
2nd Nett C Mervyn Eager Lucan 152

CSS ROUND 1 - 75 ROUND 2 - 75 R/O

149 Tom Cleary (Cork) 74 75

151 John Mitchell (Tramore) 72 79

152 Morgan Pierse (Grange) 76 76, Garth McGimpsey (Bangor) 73 79

153 Billy Donlon (Birr) 73 80

155 Maurice Kelly (Naas) 79 76, Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) 78 77

158 Michael Coote (Tralee) 78 80, Michael Quirke (Doneraile) 76 82

159 Kevin Sheehy (Athlone) 78 81, Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire) 78 81, Donal O' Donovan (Bandon) 77 82, Seamus Ward (Laytown & Bettystown) 77 82, Neal Pitches (New Zealand) 76 83, Michael Ahern (Skerries) 75 84

160 Philip Clifford (Limerick) 80 80, David Conway (Portmarnock) 79 81, Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee) 78 82

161 Pat Lyons (Cork) 83 78, David Walpole (Milltown) 80 81, Neil Hughes (Gog Magog) 79 82, Foley Gort (Castletown) 79 82, Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 77 84, Richard Brooker (Skerries) 76 85

162 Gregory Young (Lahinch) 78 84, Mervyn Eager (Lucan) 77 85

163 Declan Corcoran (Thurles) 83 80, Paddy Lewis (Woodbrook) 83 80, Pat Morrissey (Balbriggan) 82 81, George Mellerick (Fota Island) 82 81, Eddie Condren (Bray) 79 84, Donal O'Herlihy (Douglas) 79 84, Val Smyth (Co. Louth) 77 86

164 John Carroll (Bandon) 84 80, Denis Deasy (Waterford) 83 81, Turlough Considine (Clontarf) 81 83, Dermot Morris (Limerick) 80 84, Barry O'Leary (Greystones) 80 84

165 Gerry Reeves (Limerick) 83 82, Peter Cowley (Cork) 82 83, Marcus Conroy (Galway) 81 84

166 Steve Prendergast (The Royal Dublin) 86 80, Tom Tyrrell (The Heath) 81 85

167 Des Egan (Loughrea) 83 84, Brendan O Malley (The Royal Dublin) 82 85, Don Weekes (Dunmurry) 80 87, Rory Timlin (Galway) 79 88

168 Patrick Smyth (Killiney) 87 81, Ian Smyth (Clandeboye) 85 83, Jan Gilbert (Malone) 84 84, Michael Byrne (Royal Jersey) 84 84, Dom Fitzpatrick (Moate) 83 85, Patrick Higgins (Forrest Little.) 81 87

169 Keith Lapsley (Dunfanaghy) 91 78, Denis Melia (Galway) 87 82, Mick Heron (Gog Magog) 86 83, Brian O'Connor (Hermitage) 84 85, Philip Fulham (Glenlo Abbey) 84 85, Joe Crowley (Athy) 83 86

170 John Noonan (Grange) 84 86, Martin Higgins (Claremorris) 81 89

171 Michael Darcy (Oughterard) 89 82, Kevin Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 84 87, Mike Hennessy (Lahinch) 79 92

172 Patrick Comerford (Corrstown) 88 84, Larry Cushen (The Heath) 88 84, Gerard Maher (Castletroy) 85 87, David McHugh (Douglas) 85 87, John Corridan (Ballybunion) 84 88

173 Kieran O'Mahony (Galway) 81 92

174 Alistair Campbell (Massereene) 88 86, Neville Atkinson (Woodbrook) 85 89, Brendan A Barry (Gog Magog) 84 90

175 Paddy Donnachie (Cobh) 91 84, Tom Byrne (Greystones) 89 86, Paul Cooley (Portstewart) 88 87, Patrick Doyle (Birr) 85 90, John Houlihan (Dooks) 85 90

176 Tony Goode (Lucan) 88 88, Brian Whitaker (Elm Park) 88 88, Tom Saunders (Ennis) 87 89

177 D E Chapman (Ballybunion) 92 85, John Cuffe (Monkstown) 91 86, Richard Cotter (Delgany) 90 87, John Waters (Portugal) 89 88, Sean Duffy (Westmanstown) 88 89, Patrick J Murphy (Cork) 87 90, Declan Sweeney (Rathfarnham) 87 90

178 Tim Griffin (Corballis Links) 94 84, Michael F Galvin (Limerick) 89 89, Gerard O'Kennedy (Athlone) 88 90, Jack Dempsey (Curragh) 87 91

179 Gerald O'Keane (Gog Magog) 88 91

180 Niall Finnegan (Gort) 92 88, William J O Brien (Ballykisteen) 90 90, Justin Coughlin (Donegal) 88 92, Anders Falk (Parknasilla) 84 96

181 Kevin Murray (Tramore) 93 88, Rory Fitzgerald (Tramore) 91 90

182 Liam Horgan (The Heath) 88 94

183 Frank Leonard (Knightsbrook) 91 92, Paudie O'Callaghan (Mallow) 88 95

184 Frank Cronin (Muskerry) 91 93, Ray Collins (Malone) 88 96

185 Paul Hautz (Delgany) 92 93

NR Adrian Sheedy (Cork) 84 NR, Paddy Harrington (Muskerry) 85 NR, Jack Maguire (Co. Louth) 86 NR, Roy Hanna Jnr (Lurgan) NR 81, Michael Foley (Faithlegg) 91 NR, William Mernagh (Kanturk) 93 NR