Ward and Denvir beat elements to claim Irish Intervarsity titles
UCD’s Charlie Denvir. Picture: Thos Caffrey / Golffile
Ulster University's Niamh Ward retained her title as Charlie Denvir came from behind to win his first for UCD in the Irish Intervarsity Championship at a rain-soaked St Anne's.
Having returned from a stint in college in the US to win the title last year, Ward began the final day five shots behind UCD's Ellen O'Gorman.
She followed birdies at the first and fifth with bogeys at the sixth and eighth but then birdied both par fives on the back nine.
After a bogey-triple bogey finish for a two-over 74, she did not think she had done enough to win the title with a 20-over 236 tally.
But O'Gorman shot 84 to finish on 241 and Ward won by four strokes from Maynooth University's Kate Dwyer, who closed with a 78
"I actually hadn't thought I won and was nearly heading home," explained Ward, who is studying Accountancy. "I love competing for the University, and it's great to win again for them."
Denvir began the final day four strokes tied for fourth, four strokes behind the University of Limerick's Jonathan Keane on four-over-par following a brace of 73s.
It was raining hard when he began his round 30 minutes before the leaders but quickly shed his waterproof top.
Ulster University's Niamh Ward. Picture: Thos Caffrey / Golffile
"I was wearing my rain jacket down the first but couldn't swing, so I took it off, didn't bother with the umbrella and just ground it out," explained Denvir, who was a beaten semi-finalist in this year's AIG Irish Amateur Close at Ballybunion.
Struggling to find his form on the greens, something changed when Denvir rolled two birdie putts in on the fifth and sixth and then made a 20-footer for par on the eighth.
"I think that was the turning point where I thought I was still definitely in this," added the Elm Park golfer, who played the back nine in three-under, carding a two-under-par 69 to set the target at two-over 215.
In the end, he won by a shot from Maynooth's David Kitt, who also shot 69 with Allan Hill (74) and Keane (76) three behind in joint fourth as they struggled down the last few holes.
A first-year Sports Management student, Denvir represented Ireland in the Boys Home Internationals and clearly has his sights set on making the men's team.
"I've obviously only started at college, but it seems like student golf is going to be great to bridge the golf between boys' and men's golf," he said.
"There's a few events over the winter which is nice to keep you sharp heading back into the season again next year."
Irish Intervarsity Championship, St. Anne’s GC
Final
Women (Par 72)
236 N Ward (Ulster Univ.) 83 79 74
240 K Dwyer (Maynooth Univ.) 83 79 78
241 E O'Gorman (UCD) 80 77 84
244 R Thompson (UCC) 80 80 84
259 O O'Rorke (Dublin City Univ.) 89 85 85
281 B Lecanda Prado (Dublin Business School) 93 87 101
Men (Par 71)
215 C Denvir (UCD) 73 73 69
216 D Kitt (Maynooth Univ.) 76 71 69
218 A Hill (Maynooth Univ.) 73 71 74, J Keane (Univ. of Limerick) 71 71 76
219 J Mackin (Maynooth Univ.) 76 70 73
220 E Murphy (Maynooth Univ.) 76 73 71
221 J Shellard (Ulster Univ.) 76 69 76, J Egan (UCC) 74 72 75
222 J Quinn (Dublin City Univ.) 77 72 73, S Desmond (UCC) 75 71 76
224 A Smith (Maynooth Univ.) 77 71 76, T Smyth (TU Dublin) 76 74 74, D Flynn (Maynooth Univ.) 74 74 76
225 C Hickey (UCC) 77 72 76
226 M Kennelly (NUI Galway) 77 74 75, T Mulligan (Maynooth Univ.) 75 71 80
227 P Conroy (Maynooth Univ.) 76 74 77
228 I Smith (Trinity College Dublin) 77 75 76, J McCarthy (UCD) 75 80 73
229 R Abernethy (Maynooth Univ.) 84 73 72, L Harris (Maynooth Univ.) 78 77 74
230 C Cunningham (NUI Galway) 82 71 77, R Jennings (Maynooth Univ.) 79 77 74, H Fanagan (UCD) 76 77 77
231 A Marshall (Ulster Univ.) 78 74 79, A Flynn (Trinity College Dublin) 75 77 79
232 C Moynihan (National College of Ireland) 78 76 78, J O'Farrell (Galway-Mayo IT) 74 74 84
234 L Cleere (Maynooth Univ.) 76 75 83
236 K Robinson (TU Dublin) 79 78 79
