Tom Cleary (Cork) with the 2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Ardee Golf Club today.  Picture by Pat Cashman

Tom Cleary added another prestigious title to his collection today, the Irish Seniors Amateur Open.  The three time Munster Seniors Champion won his first national seniors title at Ardee Golf club after a final round 72 left him three ahead of the field.  Cleary was tied for the lead going into the final round, and there were nine other players within two shots of the lead.  Just like the Munster Seniors in Waterville, Cleary played very steady golf while all around him dropped shots on another testing day in Ardee.

The Cork Golf Club member opened on Wednesday with a three over par 74 to lie two shots off the lead.  He followed on Thursday with another 74 that saw him lead alongside England’s Andrew Carman.  The English international carded a four over par 75 in his final round to fall out of contention.  Cleary had a testing start, he bogied the 2nd & 3rd holes but he added two birdies at 6 and 8 to reach the turn on level par.  Two more pars followed and at that stage Tom was three shots ahead of Carman.  Cleary bogies the 15th but he was three shots ahead of the leader in the club house.  Cleary reached the 18th tee still on +1 and three shots clear.  He had bogied the 18th on each of the previous rounds but had the comfort of knowing a bogey or even a double would give him the title.  As it happened he signed for bogey five on the final hole and a +2 round of 73.  Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) was runner up after shooting the low round of the day to jump up the leaderboard.  Pierse shot a one under par 70 and he was the only golfer to break par  over the three days of the competition.  There was double success for Cork as Peter Cowley won the over 70 section, beating Portmarnock’s Hugh McKeown

Tom Cleary (Cork) with the 2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Ardee Golf Club today.  Picture by Pat Cashman

Cleary missed the Munster Seniors in Tramore last week.  He was enjoying some time in the US after representing GB&I in the Concession Cup in Florida.  Although GB&I lost to the USA team, he came back with his game in great shape.