Deadly Damien tops Ardee pro-am
05/08/2013
A fighting finish earned Damien McGrane top of the leaderboard at the PGA pro-am tournament, in Ardee as he posted a two-under-par 69 to breeze past a trio of players who were sitting on 70.
McGrane, on another busman’s holiday from the European Tour, strung together a hat-trick of birdies to finish as he covered both halves of the course in one-under the card. He pencilled in 11 fours.
The former Wexford club professional began his bid for glory at the 10th hole and, after a quad of pars, dropped a stroke at the par four 15th, before back-to-back birdie threes at 16 and 17, for a back nine of one-under-35.
Bogey fours at the second and fifth holes left McGrane one over but he then put in that blazing finish, going birdies three-four-three to finish.
Brendan McGovern was one of the joint three runners-up and he also brought in the winning team on 98 points.
His amateur partners were all members of the host Ardee club. They were the club’s honorary secretary Eamon Gaffney (18), Diarmuid Durnin (23) and Jack Duffy (28).
