Grehan and Casey too hot at frosty Portmarnock Links
STUART Grehan and Brian Casey warmed up after an early frost delay to win the top prizes in the TaylorMade Tuesday Series outing at Portmarnock Links.
Tullamore based professional Grehan won the leading nett prize as a 68-strong field teed it up in dead calm conditions at the north Dublin links.
Out in three under with birdies at the first, third, sixth and seventh and a lone bogey on the par-five fourth, the former East of Ireland and South of Ireland champion came home in level par with nine straight pars.
His 68 gave him the best nett prize by two shots from County Longford’s Darragh Mealia, who shot five over gross to win the second nett with a 70 off six.
Newlands’ Charlie Connell won the third nett with a 71 off five, going out in four-over par before dropping just one shot on the back nine as he followed a birdie at the 11th with bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes.
Professional Brian Casey, who like Grehan is a former winner of the Mullingar Scratch Trophy, won the gross with a one-under 70, going out in one over become coming home in level par with nine pars on the back nine.
Beaverstown’s Gary Cullen, who is now playing off plus four, was second with a 71 as he followed a three-over front nine with a three-under-par homeward half that saw him finish in the prizes for the third time in five weeks.
Playing off plus three, Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan shot a 71 to finish third in the gross.
TaylorMade Tuesday Series, Portmarnock Links
(Par 71, SSS 75, CSS 75)
Nett: 1, Stuart Grehan (Pro) 68 Unattached; 2, Darragh Mealia (6) 70 Longford GC; 3, Charlie Connell (5) 71 Newlands GC.
Gross: 1, Brian Casey (Pro) 70 Unattached; 2, Gary Cullen (+4) 71 Beaverstown GC; 3, Paul Coughlan (+3) 71 Castleknock GC.