Philip Walton : INPHO
Dundrum House Hotel, Golf and Leisure Resort in County Tipperary hosted the fourth one day Irish PGA Sprint Series on Tuesday with a three under par score of 69 proving enough to hold off the challenge of Jimmy Bolger of Kilkenny and Eamonn Brady of Clontarf who both finished on 2 under in a tie for second place.
Having designed the championship course in Dundrum House some might argue that the winner, Philip Walton of FORE Ireland, held an advantage.
The Dundrum House golf course has been ranked higher this year moving up to 51 in the top courses in Ireland.
“I wish that by designing courses you also could get the magic dust that made it easier to play them. But that’s not the case!“ explained Walton in the club house afterwards. “If it was then I should have won the St. Helen’s Bay Resort Pro Am last Wednesday as well.”
After making the turn in one under par the 1995 Ryder Cup winner then birdied the 10th, 12th, the par five 13th and then the 15th to complete the back nine in 33 shots signing for a three under par total.
“Over the past two days I worked on my grip as things didn’t feel right in Narin and Portnoo at the weekend,“ Walton continued, “In fact so much so that I didn’t go to the Open de France this week where I have an exemption. But today things were right.”
“I struck the ball well off the tee. Then on the greens I didn’t too badly either with a new putter and had a total of 27 putts - so was happy with result - especially here in Dundrum House. It bodes well hopefully for the Pro Am in two weeks.”
In a five-way tie for 4th place on 1 under were Damien Mooney, Michael McDermott, Gerry Burke, John Kelly and Gary Cullen
David Mortimer of FORE Ireland finished on +3 after signing for a 75.
Ted Higgins Jnr carded a 77 to finish in a tie for 28th place.
“The real secret of today was that Willie Crowe [the owner] reckoned I wouldn’t birdie the par four 10th hole as it was playing long. So I was determined to prove him wrong!"
“That then set me on my way through the back nine where I picked a few more birdies to finish with a 69.” Walton concluded
