At the eighth hole in Mount Juliet - in the final event of the Irish PGA season - and on his return to the venue where he worked some years previous Ted Higgins saw his putt on the eighth just slide the right of the hole to miss out going five under playing the ninth. On a glorious sunny and warm October day in a superb event sponsored by Lexus and supported by PING and Failte Ireland along with the venue Mount Juliet, Ted Higgins was really enjoying the day.
Five holes back his first cousin, David Higgins, leader of the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet was in the last group paired with two players who could clutch the title from him in the season finale event - perhaps less able to enjoy the day given so much was at stake for the Waterville man. Therefore it was with some relief that that an hour later David birdied the eighth to go one under walking to the ninth tee box and perhaps the turning point in what could at one point have been the battle of the Higgins’ cousins.
As is the way with the sport of golf the back nine told a different story. Perhaps reflecting as well the two sides of the sport and the consuming way of life it is for many of the Irish professionals - the touring player and the club professional.
It was summed up better later in the day when on the fourteenth Ted hit a tee shot slightly right landing on the flat of the green side bunker - with a tricky 25 foot pitch to the flag – with little room behind the pin should ball overrun – other than another deep bunker. Having successfully chipped out the ball came to rest more than 10 feet short of the hole as it failed to release coming off the sand - leaving the Omagh based professional with a tough putt to hold his par and a three under par score.
Showing tremendous composure Ted Higgins holed the putt and walked off the green content to be playing to his potential on one of those days that really mattered – and more particularly -on his old Mount Juliet stomping ground.
Six groups later the leading players arrived at the same hole with Mooney knocking his ball to the edge of the green less than six feet from the flag but just on the fringe. David Higgins landed his ball pin high but in the left green side bunker with not much room to stop the ball his side of the flag. When David Mortimer landed his shot in the back green side bunker Mooney was the easy favourite to birdie the fourteenth and go two under - with Higgins facing the possibility of a bogey given his position.
Mortimer pitched first and the ball went well past the hole. As he marked his ball he knew that at two over he was running out of holes unless his partners made some serious mistakes – to let him back in. Unlikely thought the Connemara man as he stood back to allow David Higgins play his shot.
With one of those smooth symmetrical swings David Higgins pitched the ball up beautifully onto the green with the ball releasing and rolling into the hole - allowing him walk off the green five under with the title more firmly in his grasp. Especially when Damian only managed a par at the hole and then Mortimer double bogeyed.
Ahead Ted Higgins had seen his second shot on the fifteenth hit a bunker after his drive was slightly wayward and given the bad lie in the bunker he was unable to limit the damage of a double bogey six. By the time he reached the eighteenth though he was still one under but faced a difficult putt to protect his hard earned score line on the last. Once again with great confidence he secured his par and posted the leading score at the recorders hut signing for a 71.
But for his cousin the work was still being done and the course gave up two more birdies - on holes 15 and 17 - to ensure that when he finished the 18th in regulation his winning score was a convincing total of 7 under – which was remarkable on a course that was not playing that easy
But it was more than an impressive showing by the former European Tour professional who has spent the past three years trying to regain his playing rights at Tour School only to fall short last December at the Final Stage and this year at Stage One. However golf of that quality merits and a round of 65 surely merits another chance on the Main Tour.
Having dominated the rankings this season David Higgins would have been the pre-event favourite given his consistency and so it is fitting reward that he wins the inaugural Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING and Failte Ireland - securing also a second consecutive title after taking the Irish PGA Order of Merit in 2009. The win also grants a sizable pay day along with a place at the 3 Irish Open next summer and the PGA flagship event at Wentworth the BMW Championship next May.
Hailing from a golfing family and with his Father Liam currently playing on the European Senior Tour, it was no surprise that by the time David was twenty-one years old he was the country's leading amateur. Years later after match play victories over Pádraig Harrington in the finals of the South of Ireland and the Irish Amateur Close championships he decided to turn professional in 1994.
In his Rookie season in 1996 Higgins earned £67,000 finishing just inside the top 100 on the Order of Merit. The following year he broke his left wrist and right elbow in a horse riding accident and failed to rediscover his form on his return to the game dropping down to the Challenge Tour in 1999.
In 2000 Higgins won three times on the Challenge Tour and was ranked 2nd at the end of the season earning his playing rights back on the European Tour for the following season. Having been unable to make the breakthrough over a few years Higgins returned to the Challenge Tour in 2005 finishing 12th - earning playing rights for the European Tour once again. However he lost his card at the end of 2007.
In 2009 he qualified for The Open Championship in Turnberry and in winning the Irish PGA Order of Merit earned a place at the 3 Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth - failing to make the cut at all three events.
On the other side of the family cousin Ted Higgins was going the other route and from 1997 to 2003 became the Head Professional and Assistant Director of Golf at Mount Juliet and on leaving formed a golf management company which years later was to develop into FORE Ireland.
An active player Ted has played on the Irish PGA region for many years electing last year not to return to European Tour School given his indifferent form which in his own mind didn't justify it. His round on Saturday though proves that his game still can justify it and the boost from playing so well will undoubtedly temper any regrets about giving those two shots back on fifteen
Since relocating to Northern Ireland Ted Higgins has been very involved in cross community teaching with several schools and golf clubs. Over the years he has also been involved coaching the Irish Special Olympic team, Curtis Cup and Ladies European Tour players. In 2006 the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) awarded him the status of “Advanced PGA Professional”.
Ted Higgins also become the first PGA Professional in Northern Ireland to undertake the worldwide “The First Tee” Programme which provides children from all backgrounds the opportunity to develop life-enhancing values through golf and character education. Prior to Mount Juliet Ted spent two years as Senior Assistant Professional at Royal County Down Golf Club, in Newcastle, Northern Ireland
As an amateur he played junior and senior golf winning competitions at national level in individual and team events for Cork, Munster and Irish Teams. He turned Professional in September 1993 - a year before his older cousin by twenty seven days.
Undoubtedly on Saturday though both David and Ted Higgins were a credit to the golfing heritage of both their families. Even if it never became a head-to-head in the end there was a point - as the players made the turn - that golf was about to throw another one of those great stories.
Rossa McDermott ©
Rossa McDermott ©
