Portmarnock Links Winter Series:
STUART Grehan and Ronan Mullarney beat the chill to claim the top prizes in the TaylorMade Winter Series at a Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links.
Frost delayed the start until 10am, but Grehan and Mullarney soon warmed up to top the 74-strong field in the weekly test for low-handicap amateurs and professionals at the north Dublin links.
Tullamore-based professional Grehan carded a four-under 67, winning the nett by three strokes from Dun Laoghaire’s Robert Abernethy and by four from local member Declan O’Neill.
Galway international Mullarney, who was one of 16 Maynooth University players in action, posted a two-under 69 to win the gross by one stroke from fellow Galway man Joe Lyons, with professional Graham Callaghan third with a 71.
Grehan, who finished 22nd in the PGA Europro Tour’s Order of Merit this year, went out in three under par, with birdies at the third and parfive fourth and sixth.
While he bogeyed the 10th and 18th, he still came home in one-under 34 thanks to birdies at the 11th, 12th and 16th.
Plus-four handicapper Mullarney turned in two under par before mixing birdie twos at the 11th and 17th and
another birdie at the 15th a bogey at the index one 12th as he took the gross with an excellent 69.
Maynooth’s South of Ireland champion Caolan Rafferty was two under par standing on the 17th tee, but his bogeybogey finish for a 71 meant he missed out on a prize after a countback and had to settle for the sleeve of TaylorMade TP5x balls presented to each player on the day.
TaylorMade Winter Series, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Par 71): Nett: 1, Stuart Grehan (Pro) Unattached 67; 2, Robert Abernethy (0) Dun Laoghaire GC 70; 3, Declan O’Neill (0) The Links Portmarnock 71. Gross: 1, Ronan Mullarney (+4) Galway GC 69; 2, Joe Lyons (+2) Galway GC 70; 3, Graham Callaghan (Pro) Unattached 71.