Brian cleans up at Icon Windows pro-am

Former tour pro Brian McElhinney didn't make it into the Irish Open at Carton House but he made good use of his absence from the draw.

Instead, he travelled to Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club and brought home the winner's cheque from the €8,000 Icon Windows PGA pro-am.

The Donegal man fired a three-under-par 69 to head off local pro Ian Kerr, by one stroke, with next best being Ciarán Molloy on regulation 72.

The winner's only lapse of the day was a double bogey six, at the sixth hole where he missed the green.

A 25-feet putt, after a six iron to the carpet, for birdie three at the second hole was backed-up by a four at the long fourth, where McElhinney dropped a lob-wedge from 90 yards just two feet from the flag.

He pencilled in another four at the long eighth hole with a chip and putt, after being short with a drive and three iron.

At the short 17th, the Foyle Club-attaché hit the flag with his seven iron tee-shot and the ball dropped on the lip of the cup but didn't roll in.

He finished with his third birdie four, getting up-and-down after putting his three wood approach into rough.

There was consolation for second-placed Ian Kerr as he and his amateur partners kept the host flag flying, by winning the pro-am with 95 points. The amateurs are Paul Gorby (5), Sean Early (8) and Ken Leetch (16).