Yates and O'Brien match par to take spoils at windy Portmarnock Links
Jonathan Yates
West winds gusting over 40 km/h made for tough scoring, but Jonathan Yates and Eoin O'Brien managed to match par and take the top prizes in the TaylorMade Winter Series at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
A field of 92 found scoring tough at the Bernhard Langer-designed links, especially when coming home with the wind blowing across them from the left.
Yates won the nett, mixing bogeys at the first, fourth, fifth and seventh with birdies at the sixth and eighth to turn in two-over before picking up shots at the 11th and 13th for his 71
He edged out Beech Park's Christopher Broe after a countback for the top nett prize.
Playing off 6.2 but given eight shots on the day, Broe was out in five--over and home in three-over for a 79, nett 71.
Clontarf professional Eamonn Brady took the third nett with a two-over 73, turning in level as he followed a bogey at the sixth with a birdie at the eighth before bogeys at the 10th and 17th saw him home on two-over.
His Clontarf colleague O'Brien won the gross as he compiled the best front nine of the day.
He turned in two-under-par as he followed birdies at the second, fifth and sixth with a bogey at the ninth, then came home in two-over for his 71 following bogeys at the 12th and 16th holes.
Limerick's Tim Rice was second in the gross with a 72 as he made birdies at the first, sixth and 15th with bogeys at the eighth, 11th, 13th and 17th.
Dundalk's Eoin Murphy took the third gross with a three-over 74.
Playing off plus three, he had 15 pars and bogeys at the first, fifth and seventh to top the 20-strong contingent from Maynooth University.
Next week's timesheet is already full and golfers looking to play in the run-up to Christmas are advised to book early.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71), 30 November
Nett
Jonathan Yates (Pro) Naas 71
Christopher Broe (6.2) Beech Park 71
Eamonn Brady (Pro) Clontarf 73
Gross
Eoin O'Brien (Pro) Clontarf 71
Tim Rice (Pro) Limerick 72
Eoin Murphy (+3.4) Dundalk 74
