McCormack wins back to back
Flying High......Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay) playing to the 18th green in the final round of the 2018 Irish Mid Amateur Open Championship at Galway Bay Golf Resort today (17/06/2018). Picture by Pat Cashman
Galway Bay’s ddie McCormack captured major titles back-to-back when he romped to a five-stroke win in the Irish Mid-Amateur Championship at his home club.
Just eight days after breaking his duck in the senior championships with an impressive win in the 72-hole Connacht Strokeplay Championship at Portumna, the 45-year old closed with 75 to win with ease from Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan on four-over 220.
The Cavan native has decided that given the time and energy required to play at a high level and the fact at his wife Mary expecting the couple’s second child in September, this season will be his “final fling.”
And he's certainly taking advantage after yet another impressive victory.
A former international and winner of multiple scratch cups and Mid-Amateur events, he added a 69 to his opening 76 to take a five-stroke lead over former Mullingar Scratch Trophy winner Lenehan and 2010 South of Ireland champion John Greene into the final round.
After going out in one-over par to extend his lead, he was still one over with two to play and could afford to bogey the last two holes and card 75 to win by five from Lenehan, who also shot a 75.
County Louth’s Gerard Dunne was third, two shots further back on 11-over 227 with Stephen Moloney fourth on 231 and Greene fifth on 234 after a final round 84.
Irish Mid-Amateur Championship, Galway Bay Golf Club (Par 72)
220 E McCormack (Galway Bay) 76 69 75
225 G Lenehan (Portmarnock) 76 74 75
227 G Dunne (Co. Louth) 78 76 73
231 S Moloney (Castletroy) 80 75 76
234 J Greene (Portmarnock) 75 75 84
235 J Lyons (Galway) 79 78 78
236 P Sheehan (Ballybunion) 78 77 81
240 K McCarthy (Kinsale) 77 89 74
241 T O'Leary (Rosslare) 81 82 78
242 E Haugh (Castletroy) 81 81 80
243 J Mulready (Castle) 78 79 86
244 R Knightly (Royal Dublin) 87 78 79; F Kennedy (The Island) 83 79 82
245 L Connolly (Wexford) 86 82 77
246 F O'Sullivan (Tralee) 85 79 82; S Kelly (Ballinasloe) 80 85 81
247 S Miskelly (Knock) 86 81 80
248 C Cullen (Beaverstown) 89 79 80; P Hennessy (Lahinch) 86 79 83
251 M McMurray (Royal Portrush) 83 84 84
253 A Adair (Clandeboye) 83 85 85
254 A Lynch (Bray) 88 83 83; K Lewis (Skerries) 87 82 85; C Murphy (Clandeboye) 87 80 87
255 D O'Neill (The Links Portmarnock) 85 87 83
256 D Gleeson (Limerick) 83 89 84
RTD G Bohill (Co. Louth) 84 77; P O'Hara (Kilkenny) 79 82; A Condren (Greystones) 79 83; P Kirby (Dun Laoghaire) 81 83; S McGlynn (Portmarnock) 86 80
WD J Carvill (Banbridge) 81 75
NS C Lally (Blainroe) 84 89
