Portumna teen Murphy beats quality field at Portmarnock Links
Portumna’s Sam Murphy (centre) pictured with team mates (L-R) Michael Flanagan, Ger Lynch, , Eamonn Devan and Damien Burke after helping his club win the AIG Junior Cup at Thurles last year. Picture by Pat Cashman
Portumna teenager Sam Murphy looks likely to pull on a green jersey this year after he fired a one-under 70 to win the gross in the TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
The reigning Connacht Under 16 champion (16), who is a Transition Year student at Cistercian College Roscrea, is certainly showing promising form when it comes to selection for the Irish Boys team after making it into the winner's enclosure for the second time in three weeks.
Out in two under thanks to birdies at the second and sixth, he mixed bogeys at the 10th and 18th with a birdie at the 14th as he carded a one-under 70 to win the gross by two strokes from Europro Tour professional Brian Casey and Co Sligo amateur David Brady.
He overcame a quality field too as 96 players took to the links in glorious sunshine after a brief frost delay.
Playing off three, The Links' Aidan McGrath had two birdies in a 69 to win the nett by three strokes from Dundalk professional Leslie Walker and former Walker Cup player Paul McBride from The Island, who both posted 72s.
Walker had three birdies and four bogeys in another successful trip to the Bernhard Langer designed links while McBride, who won on the Portugal Pro Tour last month, made his fourth birdie of the day at the 18th to match Walker’s 72.
Scratch man Brady went out in level par and was one under with three to play before bogeys at the 16th and 18th denied him a shot at the top prize.
“The M5 Sprint” begins next Tuesday, March 5, with €4,000 worth of TaylorMade equipment up for grabs.
Players combine their three best scores from four outings with the top three overall in both the nett and gross categories taking the goodies.
TaylorMade Winter Series, The Links Portmarnock (Par 71 SSS 74 CSS 75; Ladies, Par71 SSS 72 CSS 73)
Tuesday 26 February
Nett
1, Aidan McGrath (3) The Links Portmarnock 69
2, Leslie Walker (Pro) Dundalk 72
3, Paul McBride (Pro) The Island 72
Gross
1, Sam Murphy (1) Portumna 70
2, Brian Casey (Pro) Unattached 72
3, David Brady (Scr) Co Sligo 72.
