McGimpsey's monster eagle denies Pierse in playoff

Garth McGimpsey. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Royal Portrush’s Garth McGimpsey made a 35 foot eagle putt on the final hole of a three-hole aggregate playoff to beat three-time winner Arthur Pierse and take the Munster Seniors Open Championship at Tramore.

McGimpsey was a shot behind in the playoff having played the par-five 16th and par-four 17th on Tramore’s Championship Course in par-par figures to Pierse’s birdie-par. 

His putt was a crushing blow to Pierse, whose birdie putt lipped out, handing the title to McGimpsey.

McGimpsey shot a one under 71 and Pierse a two under 70 in the second round as they finished the tournament on two over par 146, three shots clear of Royal Curragh’s Alan Egan (74-75) and Portmarnock’s Adrian Morrow (74-75).

The winner of 14 “majors” in his regular amateur career, McGimpsey was one shot ahead going  to the 17th. 

He failed to find a green and regulation and ended up bogeying the hole meaning that he was now level with Pierse playing the last. 

Both took three shots to hit the green at the par five 18th, and strangely both took three putts to finish. 

Overnight co-leader Egan finished in third place with Morrow fourth, Tramore’s John Mitchell fifth and George Mellerick fifth.

Tramore Golf Club was in great condition despite heavy rain yesterday and overnight and a decision was made to play the second round from the white tees.

The rain held off for most of the day, and the course proved to be a good challenge with only the leaders breaking par.

Munster Branch Chairman John Moloughney congratulated Garth and thanked all of the golfers for a great two days of golf. 

He thanked the officers and staff of the Munster Branch for running the tournament, citing the weeks of work that go into preparing for the Championships. 

He singled out the officers, staff and members of Tramore Golf Club for all their assistance over the past few weeks and the new sponsor of the competition, the Majestic Hotel Tramore. 

Munster Seniors Amateur Open Championship 2016, Tramore GC (Par 72)

Sponsored by Majestic Hotel, Tramore

Detailed scores

1. Garth McGimpsey (Royal Portrush) 146 (won after three hole aggregate playoff at 16th, 17th and 18th). Pierse: Birdie-par-par (4-4-5). McGimpsey: Par-par-eagle (5-4-3)
2. Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) 146
3. Alan Egan (Curragh) 149
4. Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock) 149
5. John Mitchell (Tramore) 150
6. George Mellerick (Fota Island) 151

• 1st Nett A Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 146
• 2nd Nett A William (Hounglee Malaysia) 147
• 1st Nett B Michael Quirke (Doneraile) 151
• 2nd Nett B John L Hughes (Woodbrook) 153
• 1st Nett C Ivor O’Callaghan (Youghal) 144
• 2nd Nett C G. A. Finn (Cork) 148

Age Categories

• A = 55 – 59
• B = 60 - 64
• C = 65+

CSS Rd 1 75, Rd 2 74

146 Garth M McGimpsey (Royal Portrush) 75 71, 146 Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) 76 70 playoff

149 Alan Egan (Curragh) 74 75, Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock) 74 75

150 John Mitchell (Tramore) 74 76

151 George Mellerick (Fota Island) 75 76, Michael Quirke (Doneraile) 75 76

153 John L Hughes (Woodbrook) 79 74

154 Barry O'Leary (Greystones) 80 74, Ivor O'Callaghan (Youghal) 79 75, Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 78 76, Billy Donlon (Birr) 77 77

155 Tom Tyrrell (The Heath) 80 75

156 Donal O' Donovan (Bandon) 81 75, Michael Ahern (Skerries) 79 77

157 William Hounglee (Malaysia) 83 74, Peter Rogers (Dundalk) 79 78, Francis Reynolds (Tramore) 79 78, Liam Mac Namara (Rosslare) 78 79, Stephen McCarthy (Milltown) 78 79

158 D.R. Weekes (Malone) 77 81

159 Steve Prendergast (The Royal Dublin) 81 78, Richard Brooker (Skerries) 80 79, Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast) 80 79, Rory Timlin (Galway) 78 81, David Walpole (Milltown) 76 83

160 Jimmy McCarthy (Nuremore) 82 78, Liam Halpin (Westport) 82 78, Turlough Considine (Clontarf) 80 80, Michael F Galvin (Limerick) 79 81

161 Dermot Morris (Limerick) 84 77, Mervyn Eager (Lucan) 77 84

162 Morgan Pierse (Grange) 83 79, Brendan O Malley (The Royal Dublin) 81 81, Val Smyth (Co. Louth) 81 81, Neal Pitches (New Zealand) 81 81, G. A. Finn (Cork) 80 82

163 Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee) 86 77, Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire) 84 79, William Mernagh (Kanturk) 82 81, John Carroll (Bandon) 82 81, Joseph Dowey (Lurgan) 81 82, Philip Clifford (Limerick) 80 83

164 Gerry O'Keeffe (Waterford) 87 77, Brendan McDonnell (K Club) 82 82, Nigel Woods (Bangor) 81 83, Jerry Crean (Kinsale) 81 83, Kevin Murray (Tramore) 80 84, Tadg Heenan (Doneraile) 79 85

165 Noel Paterson (Milltown) 87 78, Rory Fitzgerald (Waterford Castle) 85 80, David Coyle (K Club) 85 80, Michael Coote (Tralee) 84 81, Adrian Sheedy (Cork) 83 82, Sean F. Hosty (Galway) 82 83, Frank Leonard (Knightsbrook) 80 85

166 John Houlihan (Dooks) 88 78, Jack Dempsey (Curragh) 82 84, Gerard O'Kennedy (Athlone) 81 85

167 Patrick J Murphy (Cork) 88 79, Patrick Higgins (Forrest Little.) 84 83, Kieran O'Mahony (Galway) 81 86, Kevin Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 80 87, Kevin Sheehy (Athlone) 80 87

168 John Cuffe (Monkstown) 87 81

169 Tony Hayes (Co. Louth) 92 77, Nick Beale (Milltown) 88 81, Declan Corcoran (Thurles) 87 82, John Waters (Portugal) 86 83, Michael Sullivan (Tramore) 82 87

170 Paul Dykes (Dunmore) 90 80, Michael Darcy (Oughterard) 86 84

171 William J O Brien (Ballykisteen) 88 83, David Sheedy (Lahinch) 88 83, A W Smith (Blainroe) 87 84, Tim Griffin (Corballis Links) 86 85

172 Neale Jenkins (Donaghadee) 89 83, Alistair Campbell (Massereene) 89 83, John Hooley (Youghal) 86 86

174 Mike Hennessy (Lahinch) 91 83, Martin Higgins (Claremorris) 91 83, Tony Goode (Lucan) 89 85, Kieran Ryan (Bandon) 88 86, Eamon Connolly (Blainroe) 87 87, Tom Byrne (Greystones) 85 89

175 P.j. Phelan (Cahir Park) 89 86

176 John Corbett (Thurles) 91 85

178 Joe Crowley (Athy) 92 86

179 Ken Newens (Castlerock) 90 89

180 Richard Grey (Wimbledon Common) 91 89

181 John McGrath (Newcastle West) 91 90

182 Paddy Harrington (Muskerry) 95 87

196 John McCann (Co. Louth) 100 96, Royr Kennedy (Woodstock) 100 96

NR Keith Lapsley (Dunfanaghy) 80 NR, Dave Roberts (Rathcore) NR 81, Jan Gilbert (Malone) NR 82, Michael Gaynor (Co. Meath) NR 83, Neville Atkinson (Woodbrook) 86 NR, Paul Cooley (Portstewart) 87 NR, Sean Duffy (Westmanstown) NR 87, Brian McClean (The Royal Dublin) 89 NR, Greg Murphy (K Club) 91 NR, Eugene Slater (Dungarvan) 93 NR,) Maurice Kelly (Naas) NR