Tim Rice and Leslie Walker took advantage of perfect conditions to fire five-under 66s as Newlands’ Alex Nicoara carded a 65 to win the nett with TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links.

Rice produced a blistering finish, going to the turn in two-under-par thanks to birdies at the seventh and eighth before following a bogey at the 13th with birdies at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th for a five-under total and victory in the gross. 

Dundalk professional Walker had to settle for the second nett prize as he also shot a five-under 66.

He didn’t quite finish as well as Rice, but after making birdies at the first and second, he cancelled out a bogey at the 577 yard 13th with birdies at the 10th, 11th, 16th and 18th.

Playing off 8.5 and receiving 11 shots on the day, Nicoara shot a five-over 76 for a nett 65 to take home the top nett prize on a day when 85 players took to the links in warm temperatures with a light breeze to worry about.

Out in three-over-par after bogeys at the first, third and sixth, the Newlands man came home in two-over-par.

After making birdie on the 11th, he dropped four shots coming in before finishing with a birdie at the last.

Portmarnock Links’ Niall Carbery won the third nett with a 69.

The 3.1 index man received five strokes and went out in one-over-par, recovering from a double bogey on the first with birdies at the third and sixth before three-putting the ninth for bogey.

Carbery then came home in two-over as he bogeyed the 10th, birdied the 11th but then bogeyed the 17th and three-putted the 18th.

Conor O’Rourke shot four-under 67 and Conor Purcell a 68 to take the second and third gross prizes.

O’Rourke birdied the second and sixth, then bogeyed the seventh to turn in turn in one-under before coming home in three-under thanks to birdies at the 10th, 11th and 14th.

Portmarnock man Purcell double-bogeyed the first but still turned in three-under thanks to birdies at the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth. 

He then came home in level par by following a birdie on the 14th with a dropped shot on the tough par-three 17th.

TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71), January 11

Nett 

1. Alex Nicoara (8.5) Newlands GC 65

2. Leslie Walker (Pro) Dundalk GC 66

3. Niall Carbery (3.1) Portmarnock Links 69

Gross

1. Tim Rice (Pro) Limerick GC 66

2. Conor O’Rourke (Pro) The K Club 67

3. Conor Purcell (Pro) Portmarnock GC 68 

Next outing: January 18, sold out.