Four-way tie at the top in Ballyliffin Pro-Am

Damien McGrane, Eamonn Brady (Clontarf GC), Simon Thornton and Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC) shared first place at the two-day Ballyliffin Pro-Am.

The quartet avoided the worst of the afternoon storms that battered the County Donegal venue on day two, with Thornton producing a best of the day seven-under-par 64.

The Newcastle Co Down man recorded seven birdies and no bogeys on the Old Course, as he jumped up the leaderboard following an opening round 77 on the Glashedy Course.

“I was on holidays last week, and got up here to play without hitting a ball,” said Thornton, who is playing in the NI Open at Galgorm Castle this week.

“I was a bit rusty and it showed on the front nine (+6) which cost me. For the final 27 holes I played lovely, didn't drop a shot.”

Defending champion Kilpatrick fired rounds of 73/68, Brady 75/66, McGrane 71/70 and Thornton 77/64 to finish the tournament on two-under-par.

“I came up for a practice round on Friday and noticed that the rough was up,” said Kilpatrick, who won in 2015 with a four-over-par total.

“So I played it safe off the tee. Hit a lot of irons, it left me some longer approaches into the greens but it worked out well.”

Alex Wrigley (Hartlepool GC) finished alone in fifth on one-under par following rounds of 72/70 with Tim Rice (Limerick GC) in sixth after rounds of 75/68.

Overnight leader, Andy Hogan (Edmondstown GC), slipped down the field, following up his opening round 70 with a seven over 78 that left him in a share of 13th place.

David Ryan (Cahir Park GC) grabbed the team prize with a total of 178 over the 36-holes, two points ahead of Peter Hanna (Lurgan GC).

His team of Francis McCarthy, Noel Finn and James McCarthy claimed the prize of a golf holiday at the Monte Rei Golf Resort, in Portugal.

The trip includes two nights in a three-bedroomed villa for four guests, B&B, two rounds of golf per person, buggies and a practice round.