Fay claims best gross with late birdie at Portmarnock Links

Rush’s Thomas Fay birdied the last and fired three over 74 in high winds to win the gross in the Taylor Made Winter Series at Portmarnock Links.

While several players cried off late due to the stiff breeze, a field of 84 took to the links and it was 2.3 handicapper Fay, playing off four on the day, who had the best gross score.

Thanks to his level par back nine, he edged out Alps Tour professional Jonathan Yates and international Keith Egan after a countback.

Fay bogeyed the second, fourth, seventh and ninth but birdied the fifth to go out in three-over before coming home in level par with birdies at the 13th and 18th, cancelling out bogeys at the 14th and 15th.

St Anne’s John Mifsud, playing off 11 on the day, shot 69 to win the nett by two strokes from Corballis’ Hugh O’Brien and Skerries’ Chris Carthy.

Yates birdied the last to edge out Egan, who bogeyed the last four holes, for the second gross on countback.

TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Links (Par 71), 1 February 2022

Nett

1. John Mifsud (8.6) St. Anne’s 69

2. Hugh O’Brien Jnr (6.1) Corballis 71

3. Chris Carthy (6.4) Skerries 74

Gross

1. Thomas Fay (2.3) Rush 74

2. Jonathan Yates (Pro) Unattached 74

3. Keith Egan (+3.9) Carton House 74