Rice wins but Higgins clan stars in Munster PGA outing at Little Island

The Higgins family, pictured at Cork Golf Club on 6 March 2023 (left to right) David, Tommy, Ted Snr, Liam, Donal, Brian, Donal K and Ted Jnr.

The Higgins clan will have enjoyed the get-together as much as the golf but David Higgins could have no complaints as he was outscored by two strokes by Limerick’s Tim Rice in the Winter Series for Munster PGA professionals at Cork Golf Club.

Tim Rice receives the spoils of victory from Ted Higgins Snr as runner-up David Higgins looks on.

On a breezy day with firm, dry conditions and rolling greens, scoring conditions were tricky but Rice lead the way with a fine 69.

He went out in 37 with a birdie on the second followed by dropped shots on the sixth and eighth. But he followed up with a fine inward half of 32 shots featuring five birdies — on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th— and a lone bogey at the 16th.

Higgins, who played in the company of his 80-year-old father Liam and brother Brian, had an outward half of 33 with birdies on the third, fourth and fifth before coming home in 38 with bogeys at the 14th and 15th.

East Cork’s David Ryan had two nines of 36 in a 72 to finish third — mixing birdies at the second, eighth, ninth, 11th and 16th with bogeys at the fifth, seventh, 12th and 18th and a double bogey at the fifth.

Organiser Padraig Dooley tied for Dundrum’s Marian Riordan with a 74 while the great highlight of the day was the coming together of the famous Higgins golfing clan who regaled all with their stories of growing up and playing golf in Little Island.

Winter Series for PGA Professionals in Munster, Cork GC, 6 March 2023 (Par 72)

1st Tim Rice (Limerick) 69

2nd David Higgins (Waterville) 71

3rd David Ryan (East Cork) 72

4th Marian Riordan (Dundrum) 74; Padraig Dooley (Drive Golf Performance) 74

6th David Barry (Douglas) 75; Jack Howard (Fota Island Resort) 75

Next event: Fourball, Monday 13 March, Ceann Sibeal