Pat Murray wins fifth Munster Mid-Am after playoff
Pat Murray (Clontarf) receiving the Munster Mid Amateur Championship trophy from Jim Long, Chairman Munster Golf, at Newcastle West Golf Club. Picture: Niall O'Shea
Clontarf's Pat Murray captured his fifth Munster Mid Amateur Championship in ten years, but it required a three-hole aggregate playoff before the Tipperary man got over the line.
Leading by two strokes overnight from Portumna's James McLoughlin, Murray saw Newcastle West's Brian Lenihan defy heavy rain to set the target at two over par 215.
The local man birdied the ninth and 10th, and while he was left to rue his lone bogey of the day at the 18th, a fine one-under par 70 left him sitting pretty in the clubhouse
Murray, 46, looked in trouble when he soared to five-over par for the day after 11 holes.
But the former Irish Close and South of Ireland champion fought back with birdies at the 12th, 14th and 16th to go to the last with a one shot lead.
He needed a four at the 18th to take the title outright but missed a tricky six-footer for par and signed for a three-over par 74 to send the championship to a three-hole aggregate playoff.
The first extra hole was halved, but Murray went one stroke ahead with a par at the 11th, then got up and down for his par-four and the win at the ninth after Lenihan brilliantly splashed out to three feet from greenside sand to apply pressure right to the end.
Cork's Gary O’Flaherty and Banbridge's Jim Carvill closed with level par 71s to claim third and fourth respectively with Knock's Simon Miskelly fifth and McLoughlin the best nett.
Munster Mid-Amateur Championship, Newcastle West Golf Club (Par 71) sponsored by Rathkeale House Hotel
- Pat Murray (Clontarf) after play off 215
- Brian Lenihan (Newcastle West) 215
- Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) 216
- Jim Carvill (Banbridge) 217
- Simon Miskelly (Knock) 219
Best gross Rd 3 Rory Leonard (Banbridge) 71
215 P Murray (Clontarf) 70 71 74; B Lenihan (Newcastle West) 74 71 70
Murray won after three-hole playoff
216 G O’Flaherty (Cork) 75 70 71
217 J Carvill (Banbridge) 70 76 71
219 S Miskelly (Knock) 77 69 73; J McLoughlin (Portumna) 70 73 76
221 R Leonard (Banbridge) 78 72 71
223 E Haugh (Castletroy) 75 75 73
224 P Sheehan (Ballybunion) 73 71 80
226 T O’Leary (Rosslare) 78 74 74
227 C Murphy (Clandeboye) 73 81 73
228 M Coote (Tralee) 78 72 78; D O’Donoghue (Bandon) 76 75 77
229 S McDermott (Carlow) 77 78 74
230 R Twomey (Muskerry) 79 78 73; J Kehoe (Limerick) 76 79 75; H Nolan (Doneraile) 74 75 81
231 K Collins (Fermoy) 74 76 81
232 T O’Mahony (Doneraile) 74 75 83
233 D Hunt (Nenagh) 79 78 76; P Meaney (Cahir Park) 73 78 82
235 G Spring (Tralee) 76 79 80
236 P Bevins (Carlow) 76 77 83
238 D Coughlan (Moate) 75 80 83
241 D Lane (Muskerry) 81 75 85
242 B Dore (Newcastle West) 79 78 85
244 M Coleman (Limerick) 78 78 88
WD P Connolly (Killeen Castle) 75 76; K Crowley (Fota Island) 78 74; G Fitzpatrick (Naas) 78 75; B Macias (Palmerstown Estate ) 80 74; D Dore (Youghal) 79 75; T Corcoran (Carlow) 81 75; D Gleeson (Limerick) 82 75; R Williams (Naas) 78 79; T Sheehan (Doneraile) 78 80.
Missed cut
159 T Cleary (Woodstock) 82 77; A Boyle (Castleknock) 80 79
160 T Hogan (Headfort) 83 77; L Walsh (Fota Island) 80 80; D McMahon (Tralee) 79 81; S Kenneally (Kinsale) 78 82; J Williams (Castle) 78 82; A Moran (Tuam) 77 83; L Lenihan (Shannon) 77 83
161 M Tuite (Killarney) 84 77; R Hurley (Fermoy) 83 78; O Barrett (Fermoy) 83 78; P Hennessy (Lahinch) 80 81; B Power (Goldcoast) 75 86
163 P Roche (Palmerstown Stud) 78 85
164 D O'Donovan (Charleville) 80 84
165 D Coyne (Tuam) 82 83
167 L Power (Palmerstown stud) 78 89
168 F Harrold (Castletroy) 86 82; C Griffin (Palmerstown Stud) 81 87
171 S Morris (Limerick) 88 83
173 F Dore (Ballybunion) 90 83
NR F Kennedy (The Island); E Clarke (Lee Valley); J Crangle (Belfast)
DQ F O'Sullivan (Tralee)
NR A Purcell (Adare Manor)
RTD M Kearns (Westport); R Connolly (Tullamore); J Mulready (Castle)
NR P Brazil (Limerick)
