Butler and McGrath beat biting cold at Portmarnock Links
The Links at Portmarnock
Cathal Butler and Aidan McGrath survived sleet, snow and icy winds to take the prizes as only a handful of players finished their rounds in the TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
Just 17 brave souls teed it up but according to reports from the north Dublin links, "most players walked in because they couldn’t feel their hands anymore."
Apart from the snow and hail, freezing winds gusting to 40mph made for a miserable day's golf.
But it didn't stop Kinsale and Maynooth University's Butler, who shot a four-over 75 to win the gross, or Portmarnock Links' McGrath, who took the nett with a 76 off five.
McGrath went out first in the best conditions and managed to get the ball around in 10 over par, nett 76.
He was happy with his round even though he only had three pars on the front nine, keeping the ball in play before making six pars and three bogeys on the back nine.
Playing off plus two, Butler's four-over 76 was a tremendous effort in the conditions.
He was out in two-over, sandwiching seven pars between bogeys at the first and ninth before coming home in two-over-par with his two bogeys coming at the 10th and 16th.
After also suffering poor conditions last week, organisers are keeping their fingers crossed for next Tuesday's outing on January 23 outing.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links (Par 71, SSS 75, CSS 78)
- Nett — Aidan McGrath (5) The Links Portmarnock 76
- Gross — Cathal Butler (Kinsale) 75
