Moynihan shows form at Portmarnock Links as Q-School approaches
Gavin Moynihan
Gavin Moynihan gave his confidence an extra boost ahead of next week's Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School when he fired a four-under 67 to finish in the prizes in the TaylorMade Winter Series on a low scoring day at Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links.
The Portrane man finished second in the nett behind Dundalk professional Leslie Walker after a countback with St Anne's Cameron Raymond third with a 70.
Portmarnock international Conor Purcell and Portmarnock Links' AJ McCabe shot 67s to take the top two prizes in the gross ahead of Laytown & Bettystown's Cian Geraghty, who was third with a 69
Moynihan will be pleased with his performance as 102 players took to the links on another day of stiff northerly winds and occasional showers.
Testing a new pre-shot routine, he birdied the third, fourth and sixth and bogeyed the seventh to turn in two-under before picking up two more shots coming home, notching birdies at the 13th, 14th and 15th before dropping just his second shot of the day at the 16th.
He was edged out for the nett by Walker, who went out in one-under-par by mixing birdies at the first and fourth with a bogey at the tough, par-three third which was playing 210 yards back into the breeze.
He then came home in three-under-par, carding birdies at the 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th against just one bogey when playing back into the wind at the index one 12th.
Raymond turned in one-over but played the back nine in two-under-par as he followed birdies at the 11th, 14th and 16th with a bogey at the last.
Plus-four handicapper Purcell won the gross in impressive fashion, going out in one under par thanks to birdies at the second and sixth and a bogey at the third,
After starting back with four pars, the birdied the 14th, 16th and 17th holes to come home in three-under for his 67.
He won the gross on a countback from McCabe, who was left to rue back to back bogeys at the start and finish of his round.
Out in two-under-par as he followed bogeys at the second and third with birdies at the fourth, sixth and ninth, he birdied the 10th, 13th, 14th and 15th to get to six under but dropped shots at the 16th and 17th.
Geraghty won his third prize from as many outings as he followed a bogey at the second with a birdie at the eighth to turn in two-under. He then repeated the feat on the back nine thanks to a brilliant birdie at the tough 12th and another at the 13th.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71, SSS 75, CSS 75)
Nett
Leslie Walker (Pro) Dundalk GC 67
Gavin Moynihan (Pro) Cars Ireland 67
Cameron Raymond (Pro) St. Annes GC 70
Gross
Conor Purcell (+4) Portmarnock GC 67
AJ McCabe (+3) Portmarnock Links 67
Cian Geraghty (+1) Laytown & Bettystown 69
