Gillivan and Shellard on top in TaylorMade Summer Series
Connacht’s Harry Gillivan tosses a coin to see who putts first with Rowan Lester and Robert Brazill (Leinster) during the final day of the 2019 Interprovincial Matches at Tullamore. Picture by Pat Cashman
Lisburn's Jack Shellard shot a best of the day 70 to win the nett as Harry Gillivan's 72 sent him back to Westport with the best gross in the TaylorMade Summer Series at Portmarnock Links.
An 80-strong field took to the Bernhard Langer designed links in a stiff, northwest wind and it was scratch handicapper Shellard who took the first nett, carding a one-under 70 to win by two shots from Galway's Gavan Keogh and by four from The Island's Adam McGettrick, who played off six.
Out in level par after following a birdie on the fourth with a bogey at the sixth, Shellard came home in one-under, mixing birdies at the 10th, 13th and 15th with bogeys at the 11th and 16th holes for the only sub-par round of the day.
In the gross, Gillivan bogeyed the first but birdied the second, sixth and ninth to turn in two-under, then came home in three-over with bogeys at the 12th, 15th and 16th for his 72.
He won the gross prize by two strokes from County Louth's Padhraic O'Brien, who triple-bogeyed the first but played the remaining 17 holes in level par for his 74.
After going out in four over par, plus three handicapper O'Brien recorded the best back nine of the day, as he made eight pars and a lone birdie at the par-five 13th.
Kinsale's Cathal Butler was third with a 75 that featured four bogeys and no birdies.
TaylorMade Summer Series, Portmarnock Links (Men Par 71, CSS 76/ Ladies Par 71, CSS 74)
Gross
Harry Gillivan (+1) Westport GC 72
Padhraic O'Brien (+3) County Louth GC 74
Cathal Butler (+1) Kinsale GC 75
Nett
Jack Shellard (0) Lisburn GC 70
Gavan Keogh (2) Galway GC 72
Adam McGettrick (6) The Island GC 74
