Staunton surges clear to take title

Mark Staunton stormed out of the pack at Powerscourt to snatch the Titleist/Footjoy PGA Southern Branch Championship title and the top cheque of €6,500 euro.

The Ballinasloe pro carded a four-under-par 68 on the West Course to add to his opening day 71 on the East.

The Co Galway man nipped one stroke ahead of Brian McElhinney, who was joint leader on 67 from the West on Monday, and Eamonn Brady, who opened his account on the East with a two-under-70.

The players, of course, switched tracks for the final round with Staunton posting a four-under-68 on the West.

A pair of birdie threes at the fifth and eighth holes plus a bogey five at nine left the winner turning in one-under-35 before he went on a birdie blitz from the par four 14^th hole.

Staunton shot down three consecutive birdies, going 3-3-4 before giving one stroke back at the short 17^th.

He recovered from that little lapse by getting the shot back from the course when he trimmed the long 18^th to just four blows for an inward run of three-under-par 33.

McElhinney, after his opening 67 on theWest, took 73 shots to cover the East Course and he will, no doubt, reflect on a double-bogey five at the fifth hole that wiped out a birdie-birdie start.

The Donegal man covered the back nine with eight pars and a bogey six at 17.

Brady, too, will have cause to reflect on what might have been as he turned two-under but only managed level par on the homeward trip, balancing bogey five at 15 with birdie four at 18, which grabbed him a share of second place.

He and McElhinney both collected a cheque for €4,500 euro.