McNamara sets sights high after sealing Glenmuir debut

Monkstown Golf Club’s Cian McNamara will play in his first Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship after sharing the honours at Roganstown Golf Club.

And the Cork-based player is aiming high on his debut in the tournament - as he
wants to win it.

McNamara won the qualifying event at the Dublin venue on countback after tying
at the top with John Kelly (St Margaret’s) and Melvyn Flanagan (Mount Temple).The trio carded one over par rounds of 72.

They and five other qualifiers will now play in the ££78,000 Glenmuir showpiece
final being held on June 11-14 at De Vere Slaley Hall in Northumberland.

The Peugeot-supported final will also decide who makes the Great Britain and Ireland squad which will compete in the PGA Cup against the USA in an event also staged at Slaley Hall.

McNamara was happy to get to the final but felt he could have played better.

He said: “I think we all let the weather conditions get the better of us.

“It was very cold and blustery, the course played hard which is probably the reason no-one was able to get under par.

“It was difficult but those scores weren’t good enough really.

“I felt it wasn’t my best performance, I wasn’t happy, but on the day it was good enough to qualify.”

McNamara has only been the Head Professional at Monkstown since October - but admits the Glenmuir final was a priority for him.

He added: “I wanted to qualify, it was a case of ‘job done’ in the end.

“And now I want to go over there to the final and try to win it if I can.

“With PGA Cup points on offer as well, that’s something else to aim for.”