Moriarty grinds out Connemara Pro-Am victory

Colm Moriarty collected the Connemara Pro-Am title over the weekend recording a 36-hole total of four under par in the annual €17,000 tournament.

The Glasson Hotel professional posted scores of 69 and 71 to top the leaderboard, one shot ahead of Cian McNamara (Monkstown GC), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC) and Eamonn Brady (Clontarf GC).

In the first round, Athlone man Moriarty posted a three-under-par 69 with five birdies bagged but he also pencilled in bogeys at the short 13th and long 17th holes. His big hitting came into play at the long seventh, 14th and 18th holes as he trimmed a stroke of each, giving him an outward nine of two-under-33 and a homeward spin of one-under-36.

Second time out Colm carded just two birdies and one bogey. He made birdie three at the ninth and, once more, trimmed the long 18th hole to four blows. It was a short hole, again, that caused him grief as, for the second time, he dropped a shot at the 13th, unlucky for him but it didn't cost him victory.

Limerick’s McNamara posted rounds of 74 and 68 while Brady carded 73 and 68 but Banbridge's Kilpatrick was steadiest of the three on 141 in runners-up spot. He, also, was hitting it big as in his opening round he made birdie fours at seven, 14 and 17 but he wrecked his chance of victory with a bogey six at 18, giving him a two-under-70.

In his second round he pencilled in two birdies and two bogeys over the front nine and went one-under with a two at the short 11th. He then had a rare run from the difficult 13th hole as he went bogey-eagle-bogey for a back nine of 36 and a total of 71.

A new face climbed the rostrum as Cahir Park assistant Colin O'Gorman made his debut as he led his amateur partners Francis McCarthy, Noel Finn and Jimmy McCarthy to first place in the team event. The fourball posted scores of 88 and 92 points for a winning tally of 180.