HIGGINS GETS INTO THE FLO
WATERVILLE’S David Higgins used all his links experience to notch his third win of the season with a composed display in the Flogas Pro-Am at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.
The 44-year-old posted five birdies and a solitary bogey in a four-under-par 67 to set up a oneshot win over former Volvo China Open winner Damien McGrane and Limerick’s Tim Rice.
“I suppose I have been playing well,” said Higgins, who won the Irish Clubs Professionals Tournament and the Roganstown Pro-Am in May.
“I know the last two pro-ams didn’t show that but I was three under in Shannon and kind of blew it when I lost a ball up a tree, I was a bit unlucky,
“So my game has been good and going into an event on a links course I was always going to be comfortable coming from Waterville, one of the best links courses in the world.”
Beginning at the first under the shotgun start, Higgins opened with a pair of birdies at the first and second, grabbed another birdie at the parfive fourth and then parred his way to the ninth as he reached the turn in three-under 33.
David added: “When I got to the venue the place was in great shape and I felt right at home so I thought, ‘this is my chance to get back on track’ and it worked out great.
“I hit it stone dead at the first and second, and at the fourth I was two feet away for birdie so I was into the round early. I then I had a few more chances, but they just slipped by.”
He continued his par run at the 10th, 11th, and 12th before bagging his fifth birdie of the round at the par-five 13th.
His only blemish of the day came with a bogey at the par-four 15th, but he closed his round out with a birdie at the 18th to secure the win.
“I pulled my approach slightly to 15, chipped it to six feet and just missed the putt, but you’re going to have one mistake every round,” added David.
“I hit a lovely shot into 12 feet on the last. I had a feeling it could be for the win and I got it so I was delighted with that finish.”
The team event was won by Callan Golf Club’s Brian Doheny who guided amateur partners Brian Lorde, Neil Lorde and Sean Brett to a winning total of 87 points.
Flogas Pro-Am, Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links (Par 71): 67 David Higgins; 68 Damien McGrane, Tim Rice; 70 Eamonn Brady, John Dignam, Brian Doheny, Mark O’Mahony, Steven Quinlan, Simon Thornton.