The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Higgins takes PGA victory in Oxfordshire
WATERVILLE’S David Higgins is back on the winner’s rostrum after a superb victory in the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship at The Oxfordshire in England on Friday last.
A superb final round of 66, his second of the week, saw him finish on 15 under par and three ahead of second-placed Andy Raith from the St George’s Hill club in Surrey.
Higgins, who turned 43 last December, fired rounds of 69, 66 and 72 for a share of the lead with Paul Nessling going into the final round. Hessling is a former Sunderland youth goalkeeper who played alongside Jordan Henderson at the Stadium of Light but he opted for the small ball a few years and he fell away to a final round of 76.
Higgins was chased home by Raith who looked at one stage as if he might catch the Waterville man but birdies at 10, 12, 13 and 14 helped him over the line for a winners cheque of £10,000 and the use of a Peugeot 308 GT car for a year as an added bonus. The victory sees him join a list of illustrious winners of this famous tournament including Colin Montgomerie.
Delighted with how he handled the pressure in the final round The Kerry man said afterwards: “I’m delighted because I was very nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a tournament this big so to come out on the right end is great. It must have been 12 or 14 years since I won something like this so you have to enjoy these moments as they don’t come along very often and I will enjoy it.”
Country Clubs semi-finals
BALLYHEIGUE Castle Golf Club contest the semi-finals of the Munster Country Clubs Cup on Sunday next at the picturesque Lisselean Golf Club on the out- skirts of Clonakilty where they take on Lismore from Waterford at 9am with the host club playing Templemore in the other semi-final at 9.45am and the final scheduled for 45 minutes after the completion of the last match.
Ballyheigue will be attempting to become only the third club from Kerry to win this event in its 25-year history joining the current holders Ross who also won it in 2002 and Ardfert who won back to back titles in 2003 and 2004.