Murray takes Munster Mid Amateur

FORMER Irish international Pat Murray won his fifth Munster-Mid Amateur title at Newcastlewest on Sunday after a dramatic play-off with local member Brian Lenihan.

On the final hole of the 54 holes of regulation play, Lenihan dropped a shot giving Murray an opportunity to win outright but his putt for par on the last slid by the hole so tied on two over par for the tournament Murray with rounds of 70, 71 and 74 and Lenihan with rounds of 74, 71 and 70 headed for the tenth tee to begin the three-hole play-off which involved the 10th, 11th and then the 9th.

Heavy rain had dominated the final rounds with which looked like being postponed at one stage but the fabulous club spirit of the Newcastlewest members saw them turn out to help clear the water from the greens and by the time the play-off began, the rain had stopped giving the players a temporary relief.

The first play-off hole was halved but Murray went one ahead on the 11th with a par. The final hole (the ninth) saw Lenihan get up and down from a bunker for par, forcing Murray who had missed the green also, to get up and down which he duly did to win this event for the fifth time.

Best of the Kerry players was Ballybunion’s Peter Sheehan who finished ninth with 73, 71 7 80, with Tralee’s Michael Coote a further four shots back with 78, 72 and 78 while Coote’s clubmate Graham spring the only other Kerry player to survive the 36-hole cut was a further seven shots behind following rounds of 76, 79 and 80.