Charity begins at home

Ulster PGA champion Niall Kearney (pictured) led the charge, at St Margaret’s, in the Dublin club’s Pro-Am tournament in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. Eighteen players broke par 73 with Kearney best of the day on 68.

The Royal Dublin attaché was in sparkling form as he birdied all four short holes and four of the five long holes on the course, spreading seven birdies over his card. He had bogey five at the fourth hole and could afford the same at the last and still win by one shot from Cian McNamara.

Kearney made back-to-back birdies two and four at the second and third holes and, after that slip-up at the fourth, he carded another at the fifth to turn in two-under-par 34.

On the way home he had back-to-back birdies at the long 12th and short 13th and had another twosome at the short 15th and long 16th, before finishing with bogey five for a three-under 34 back nine and a round of five-under-68.

McNamara had been a long-time leader in the clubhouse before Kearney stormed in. The Monkstown man had five birdies, including four fours at long holes in his three-under-69.

The all-Westmanstown team of pro David Reilly plus amateurs Eamon Henry (11), Paul Grimes (13) and Charlie O’Connor (17) posted 96 points to top the team leaderboard.