Dan’s the man in Killarney
Sugrue battles his way back to winning ways on home soil after recovering from a life-threatening liver operation. By Brian Keogh
DOOKS is one of Ireland’s special links courses and they have a special PGA professional in Kerry man Danny Sugrue.
The Killarney native was a fine amateur, winning Interprovincial honours for Munster and international honours before going on to brilliantly qualify for the Open Championship at Royal Troon as a young professional in 2004.
It was an incredible achievement by one of Munster golf’s great characters. But what he’s done since has been even more special – recovering from a life-threatening liver transplant to return to winning ways amongst his peers this year.
On Monday on the Killeen Course at his beloved Killarney, Sugrue (40) won his second successive event in the PGA Munster Winter Series.
Having teamed up with David Higgins to card a bogey-free 64 and win the season-opening, fourball betterball at Fota Island Resort earlier this month, he shot a bogey-free 69 to win at Killarney on Monday.
After birdies on the second and ninth, he finished with seven straight fours – six pars and a birdie on the 16th – to edge out Cahir Park’s David Ryan by a shot.
Ryan bogeyed the second but birdied the seventh, 14th, 16th and 17th to get to three-under before finishing with a bogey.
As for the team event, Castletroy’s Gary Howie made a great birdie on the 18th to partner Drive Golf Performance’s Padraig Dooley and Dungarvan’s David Hayes to victory with 56 points. Munster Winter Series for PGA Professionals, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, sponsored by Mizuno Golf:
Singles: 1, Dan Sugrue (Dooks) 69; 2, David Ryan (Cahir Park) 70; 3, Gary Howie (Castletroy) 73, Paul O’Neill (Shannon) 73; 5, David Whyte (Frankfield), John Dooley (Concierge Golf); 7, Shane O’Sullivan (Shannon); 8, Padraig Dooley (Drive Golf Performance); 9, Davey Barry (Douglas); 10, Jack Howard (Fota Island), Mark Collins (Charleville)
Team: 1, Gary Howie, Padraig Dooley, David Hayes (Dungarvan) 56 points; 2, David Ryan, Colin O’Gorman (Cahir Park), Shane O’Sullivan (Shannon) 55 points; 3, Dan Sugrue, John Dooley, John Casey (Tralee) 53 points. Next event: Castlemartyr, 3 December.