David Higgins retained his PGA Irish Club Professional title in Dromoland today. The Waterville man shot a second successive 70 to win by three and ahead of a three way tie for second which included Colm Moriarty, Brian McElhinney and Richard Kilpatrick. Higgins had a steady round one birdie on the front nine was balanced by a bogey on the back nine as he eased to his first Irish Region win of the new season.
Cian McNamara carded a two under par 70 which tied for the low round of the day. He was level par for the front nine but an eagle 2 on the par 4 tenth hole got his round going. He birdied the 15th to get to -3 but a dropped shot on the last hole saw him finish on +5 for the tournament and take a share of 10th place.
Padraig Dooley added a 78 today after shooting a 73 yesterday, he finished two shots behind McNamara in 14th place. David Ryan was the only other Cork golfer in action in Dromoland, he shot a second round 78 to finish in the middle of the pack in 34th place.
“I was delighted with that today. With it being so windy there was disaster around every corner so I kept it steady and kept the big numbers off my card,” said the 44-year-old. “It was a great couple of days, fantastic weather and a spectacular setting for the course which was set up tough. It played a bit ‘linksy’ which was right up my alley and considering the course set-up and the high winds I was delighted to shoot level par.”
Higgins was happy to get off the mark today: “I’m delighted to get off to a good start. The standard is getting better each year on the Irish Region and every win is going to be crucial in the order of merit race. I was my first time to Dromoland, its a cracking venue and definitely worth a visit for any golfer.” Next up for Higgins is a EuroproTour even in Ballykisteen next week and then it’s on to the Roganstown Golf Hotel Pro-Am in Monday week.
As well as a busy schedule on the Irish Region tour, Higgins also has a place in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, and the links specialist is looking forward to July: “I haven’t played Portstewart yet but I hear it is a great links. I would love for the wind to blow really strong during the week of the open. I feel this would play right into my hands and give me my best chance of doing well.”
Barry Anderson followed up his recent win the West of Ireland by claiming the Munster Strokeplay Championship in Cork Golf Club today. Rounds of 70 & 72 saw Anderson edge out Peter O’Keeffe and Ronan Mullarney but one shot. The 2014 champion won the West two weeks ago and followed up with another win today in tough conditions in Cork. Anderson shot a two under par 70 this morning and needed to get up and down from the fringe on the 18th to sign for a 72. Anderson was battling with Peter O’Keeffe, the Douglas golfer found a fairway bunker on 18, and a bad lie meant he couldn’t go for the green. He had a 35 foot putt for par but missed, meaning Anderson won by a single stroke. Ronan Mullarney had two rounds of 71 today and finished tied for second place with O’Keeffe. Mullarney also won the Carr Bruen trophy as the best Under 25. 
Entries are now open for the 75th consecutive staging of William Dwyer inter-society competition. Two qualifiers will take place in June with Cork Golf Club hosting the final in early July. Any society can enter and the format is foursomes with teams of eight taking part. Four teams will qualify from each day in Mahon.
Although the scratch cup weekend is now over, Lee Valley will continue to be a busy place for both golfers and staff. Lee Valley’s Director of golf David Keohane was delighted with the feedback from golfers over the weekend and he was quick to point out that they are continuing to develop the course which celebrates 25 years next year. “We have some great plans for the course in 2017” said Keohane. “Four new tee boxes are currently being constructed. The 1st, 6th, 12th and 16th will be completely redesigned with each of them being widened and lengthened. The pick of these tee boxes is our new par three sixteenth where we have raised the tee box by over five feet and created a surface 25 by 30 meters. The base for the new tee box was so large that many 
Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty won his second Lee Valley Scratch Cup in style today with a two shot win over a strong field. O’Flaherty started the third round one shot off the leaders, Andrew McCormack and Dave O’Donovan, but all three were level going onto the 9th hole. The conditions were near perfect and things were tight on the back nine until O’Flaherty birdied the 13th and 15th to stretch ahead. He parred his way home from the 15th, maintaining a two shot buffer. The only hope for the chasers was when he ended up in the greenside bunker on the 18th, but the 2012 winner splashed out to five feet and calmly made the uphill putt. O’Flaherty’s four under par total was made up of a 69/72/21 over the three rounds. James Sugrue took second place 
Cork Golf News 