Daniel Mulligan tops as teens dominate at Portmarnock Links
Daniel Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown) driving at the 10th tee during the final day of the 2017 Irish Boys Under 14 Amateur Open Championship at Ballina Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Laytown and Bettystown's Daniel Mulligan and Fota Island professional Jack Howard claimed the top prizes in the TaylorMade Winter Series outing at a positively balmy Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
Facing only a light breeze and with the temperature hitting double digits — a pleasant surprise after recent arctic conditions — 88 players took to the links.
The youngsters were to the fore in the nett with eight handicapper Mulligan (13), younger brother of University of Oregon freshman Thomas and clearly a talent in his own right, claiming the top prize with a two-under 69. He was out in 38 shots and the held on for the win despite bogeys 12th and 15th and a double-bogey six at the dangerous 18th.
Charlie Denvir (Elm Park) drives off in the 2017 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at Castletroy. Picture: Pat Cashman
He won the nett by three shots from two top players — fellow Laytown and Bettystown man Alex Maguire (17) and Holywood's Tom McKibbin (16).
Playing off scratch, Maguire went out in level par and came home in one-over for his 72, combining birdies at the 11th and 13th with bogeys at the 10th, 15th and 18th to edge out McKibbin on a back nine countback.
Fota Island Resort professional Howard shot a one-over 72 to edge out another Boys international, Elm Park's Charlie Denvir, for the first gross on countback.
Out in one-over par, he came home in level par by following a birdie on the 13th with a bogey at the next hole before parring home.
Plus two-handicapper Denvir turned in one over but came home in 37 shots with a triple bogey on the 12th and a bogey on the 18th against birdies at the 10th and 13th.
Portmarnock Links' Declan O’Neill won the third gross prize, just 24 hours after winning the open singles with a two-under 69.
After starting with back-to-back bogeys, he birdied the fourth to go out in one-over par, then got to one-under following birdies on the 11th and 14th only to finish with three successive bogeys for his 73.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71, Men: SSS 75, CSS 75; Ladies SSS 73 CSS 73)
Nett
- Daniel Mulligan (8) Laytown & Bettystown 69
- Alex Maguire (0) Laytown & Bettystown 72 (B9, 36)
- Tom McKibbin (0) Holywood 73 (B9, 37)
Gross
- Jack Howard (Pro) Fota Island Resort 72 (B9, 35)
- Charlie Denvir (+2) Elm Park 72 (B9, 37)
- Declan O'Neill (+1) The Links Portmarnock 73 (B9, 36).
