TaylorMade Winter Series: Rogan and Foley beat Portmarnock Links crosswinds

Cork’s John Hickey. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Monday's Orange weather warning frightened the fair-weather golfers away, but 44 hardy souls still teed it up in challenging conditions in the 24th TaylorMade Winter Series outing of the season at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

A west wind meant players had to deal with crosswinds throughout the day with Royal Dublin's Hugh Foley and The Links' Colin Rogan taking the gross and nett prizes in week two of the M5 Sprint.

Playing off five, Rogan went out in four -over par and slipped to six over with a double bogey at the 10th before eventually carding a 78 to win the nett with a 73, edging out Cork professional John Hickey after a countback.

Hickey turned in one-over as he mixed bogeys at the first, second and seventh with birdies at the sixth and ninth. But while he bogeyed the 12th and 14th, he finished with a birdie to shoot a 73.

Plus three-handicapper Foley posted a best-of-the-day, level par 71 to win the gross by two strokes from Royal Dublin starlet Max Kennedy.

Out in one-under par as he followed back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh with a dropped a shot on the ninth, he battled home in one-over by recovering from a bogey on the 10th hole with eight consecutive pars.

Kennedy was out in one-over par as he sandwiched a birdie at the sixth between bogeys at the third and seventh.

He slipped to four-over as he bogeyed the 12th and then double bogeyed the 14th before putting in a superb 3-3-3 finish as he birdied the 16th, parred the 17th and birdied the 18th to claim the second gross with a two-over 73.

TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71 , SSS 74, CSS 76)

Tuesday 12 March

Nett

1, Colin Rogan (5) The Links Portmarnock GC 73

2, John Hickey (Pro) Cork GC 73

Gross

1, Hugh Foley (+3) Royal Dublin GC 71

2, Max Kennedy (+2) Royal Dublin GC 73