Mooney goes close to the magical 59

Damian Mooney conjured up the round of a lifetime at Dunmurry GC in the PGA Ulster Golfers’ Alliance Tournament as he signed for a round of 60 that included 11 threes on his card!

His 10-under-par round included 11 birdies and one bogey which came at the par five fourth courtesy of a three-putt.

The winner got off to a flying start with a hat-trick of birdies, going 3-3-2 as he holed putts of six feet, six feet and 15 feet, having used a seven iron off the tee at the short third hole.

Following his blip at four, the Ballyliffin attaché pencilled in birdie threes at six, eight and nine, getting down from 20, four and 20 feet to turn in five-under-par 30.
Five more birdies followed at the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes giving the winner a homeward trip of 30 and a stunning round of 60.

A sand iron to eight feet set up a three at 11 and he then steered a wedge to six feet at the short 12th hole. He was on the green with a three wood at 14 and got down in two putts, used a six iron off the tee followed by a four iron to two feet at 15 and ended his birdie blitz when he drove to the front edge at 17 and got down with a chip and putt.

Mooney carded nine birdie threes plus two par threes and two birdie twos to be six shots clear of European Tour player Simon Thornton with six players joint third on 68.

Former Irish champion John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) posted a 68 to take the amateur’s top gross prize while the nett leader was local 12-handicapper Stephen Smyth who carded 42 points.

Knockbracken pro Wesley Ramsey plus amateurs Andy Smyth (Royal Belfast), Ralph Murphy (Dunmurry) and Peter Rafferty (Carnalea) took the team award.

Next Monday, the PGA Grand Prix final event will be played on the Valley Course at Royal Portrush and the next Ulster Golfers’ Alliance outing will be staged at Cairndhu on March 9.