McBride continues hot streak with winning 66 at Portmarnock Links
The Island’s Paul McBride (GB&I) plays his tee shot on the 15th hole during foursomes at the 2017 Walker Cup at The Los Angeles Country Club. Sept. 9, 2017. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)
Paul McBride took up where he left off on the Portugal Golf Tour and fired a bogey-free, five-under 66 — the lowest round recorded in the TaylorMade Winter Series this season — to take home the top nett prize.
A bumper 120-strong field teed it up in the final event of the Series, which will resume on the first Tuesday in October.
And it was former Walker Cup star McBride (23), who won the Portugal Golf Tour’s Order of Merit over the winter, who and proved a class apart in a light westerly breeze on his return to links terrain.
He went out in four-under thanks to birdies at the first, fourth, sixth and eighth before carding eight pars and a solitary birdie two at the tough 17th.
His 66 gave him the best nett score by two strokes from Headfort's Joe Dillon as Gavin Moynihan took third with a 69.
Dillon turned in two two-under, then birdied the 13th and 14th before dropping a shot at the last to shoot 68 as Moynihan had four birdies and two bogeys in his two-under par effort.
Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin won the gross with a three-under 68, edging out Portmarnock Links' touring professional Robin Dawson after a countback with Kinsale's Cathal Butler third with a 70.
Sharvin went out in two-over par, dropping shots at the second, fifth and sixth before making birdie at the seventh to turn in 38.
But he made amends on the back nine, carding six threes to come home in an impressive 30 blows.
After birdies at the 10th, 14th and 15th, the European Tour professional made an eagle three at the 13th to edge playing partner Dawson, who will also be playing Tour golf this year, after a countback.
Two-over after two, Dawson eagled the fourth to get back to level, then birdied the fifth and sixth to be out in 34.
He had the best score of the year in his sights when he birdied the 11th, 13th and 14th to get to five-under but double-bogeyed the treacherous 17th and signed for a 68.
Butler started with back to back bogeys but turned in one-over par before coming home in two-under, mixing birdies at the14th, 15th, 17th and 18th with bogeys on the 13th and 16th.
The overall results of the Orders of Merit will be released on Wednesday but many of the regulars will return for the Portmarnock Links Senior and Junior Scratch Cups on Friday, April 12.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links
(Men: Par 71, SSS 74, CSS 74/Ladies: Par 71, SSS 72, CSS 72)
Nett
1, Paul McBride (Pro) The Island GC 66
2, Joe Dillon (Pro) Headfort GC 68
3, Gavin Moynihan (Pro) Mount Juliet 69
Gross
1, Cormac Sharvin (Pro) Ardglass GC 68
2, Robin Dawson (Pro) Portmarnock Links GC 68
3, Cathal Butler (+1) Kinsale GC 70.
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