Carton House’s Marc Boucher made an eagle and four birdies in a five-under 66 to win the gross and top the 92-strong field in the penultimate event of the 2020 TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Links.

As Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy was left to rue a triple bogey at the 18th for a 68, Boucher streaked to the turn in six-under 30, mixing an eagle at the sixth with birdies at the second , fifth, eighth and ninth, before coming home in one-over with his only blemish a bogey at the 14th.

It was the best score of the day by one stroke from Naas’ Jonathan Yates, who shot 67 to win the nett by a shot from Dundalk professional Leslie Walker and by two strokes from European Tour player Gavin Moynihan.

Yates went to the turn in 35 with birdies at the third, sixth and eighth making up for a double bogey seven at the fourth. Hen then came home in three-under thanks to birdies at the 13th, 14th and 18th.

Walker birdied the third and sixth to turn in two-under, then came home in one-under as he followed a double bogey on the 10th with a hat trick of birdies at the 13th, 14th and 15th for his 68.

Moynihan birdied the first and second but he turned in level after bogeys at the fifth and ninth before picking up birdies at the 13th and 17th for a fine 69.

Now playing off plus six, Boucher’s 66 was more than good enough to take the gross as Royal Dublin’s US-based collegiate player Max Kennedy was left wondering what might have been as he took seven at the last for a 68, matching Edmondstown’s Liam Abom

In his first links outing since returning from the US, Kennedy went out in two-under as he combined birdies at the second, sixth and eighth with a bogey at the fifth.

He then birdied the 10th, 12th, 16th and 17th to go to the last needing a birdie for a 64 but took seven instead.

Abom also turned in two-under as he birdied the par-five fourth and sixth, then came home in one under with birdies at the 12th and 13th before dropping a shot at the 18th for his 68.

TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71), 22 December

Nett

1. Jonathan Yates (Pro) Naas GC 67

2. Leslie Walker (Pro) Dundalk GC 68

3. Gavin Moynihan (Pro) Cars Ireland 69

Gross

1. Marc Boucher (+6) Carton House 66

2. Max Kennedy (+4) Royal Dublin GC 68

3. Liam Abom (+1) Edmondstown GC 68

Next outing: December 29