Cullen fires 65 to claim Christmas Eve outing at TaylorMade Winter Series
Gary Cullen
Gary Cullen posted the lowest score recorded in TaylorMade Winter Series since 2014 when he carded a six-under 65 to top the 85-strong field in the Christmas Eve event at Portmarnock Links.
The former Irish Amateur Open champion, who showed form by carding a 67 in the monthly medal at the weekend, had six threes in a five-under par outward nine as he birdied the first, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth.
He then came home in one-under par with a bogey at the 16th cancelled out by birdies at the 11th and 17th.He won the gross by six shots from Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack who birdied the first, third and fourth and bogeyed the seventh to turn in two-under.
The plus-one handicapper slipped back to level par with a double bogey at the 10th and while he got back to one-under with a birdie at the 14th, he bogeyed the last for his 71,
Portmarnock Links professional Brendan Walton shot 73 to take the third gross prize. He was out in two-over after bogeys at the first and eighth but birdied the 10th by hitting a 330 metre drive to 15 feet and lipping out for eagle.He picked up two more shots at the 11th and 13th but handed those shots back with bogeys at the 15th, 17th and 18th for his 73.
In the nett, The Island’s Gavin Moynihan shot a two-under 69 to edge out playing partner Paul McBride by a shot with another player from The Island, eight handicapper Stephen Cumiskey, third with a nett 71.
Moynihan mixed birdies at the fourth, eighth and ninth with a bogey at the fifth to turn in two-under before following another birdie at the 13th with a dropped shot at the 15th.
McBride went out in level par by following a birdie at the sixth with a dropped shot at the seventh before picking up a shot at the 14th in a steady 70.
Cumiskey made up for bogeys at the fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth with birdies at the second and sixth hole, before coming home in five-over with bogeys at the 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th and 18th.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71, SSS 73, CSS 74)
Nett
Gavin Moynihan (Pro) Cars Ireland 69
Paul McBride (Pro) The Island GC 70
Stephen Cumiskey (8) The Island 71
Gross
Gary Cullen (+3) Portmarnock Links 65
Ross McCormack (+1) Palmerstown GC 71
Brendan Walton (Pro) Portmarnock Links 73
Next outing: December 31.
