David Mortimer of FORE Ireland heads into the final week of the season on the foot of a hectic month which has seen him qualify for Stage 2 of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links in Scotland, then racing back to play in the Connemara Pro-Am, after which it was four rounds of the Irish PGA Championship at Seapoint Golf Club – which he won on the last green with an eagle putt – followed by two rounds of the Fota Island Pro Am.
Last week he also played in the Skins PGA Fourball Championship at Forest Pines in England with partner Kevin McGrath of Birr Golf Club in a 54-hole event. Not surprisingly, the duo failed to make the cut as a three under par was not enough to make the final round.
Since winning the Glenmuir PGA Championship at The Oxfordshire in August the last few weeks of the season have been good to Mortimer and the final event of the season approaches he is aware there is a lot still at stake in Mount Juliet on Saturday.
Born in Connemara thirty seven years ago Mortimer saw golf enter his life early on after discovering the Par 3 course at Renvyle House just beside the family home. Since those days David has taken more than a passing interest in golf receiving recognition along the way at Interprovincial level, Irish Youths and Irish Seniors level.
Next month Mortimer travels to Spain to play Stage 2 of the European Tour Qualifying School with eight other Irish hopefuls – FORE Ireland team-mate Michael Collins, Barrie Trainor and Gareth Shaw of Team Ireland, Damian Mooney; Michael McGeady of Cambridge-Duffy; Niall Turner; Stephen Grant and Mervyn Owens.
But first there is the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING to be settled and no one knows better than David Mortimer how competitive the field will be in the season finale with Waterville’s David Higgins amongst those names. Having held the number one spot for most of the season the current number two, Mortimer, will face a tough battle at the Kilkenny venue.
On the Irish PGA Region this season Mortimer has notched up five wins including the Dundrum House Pro-Am and most significantly, the 2010 Irish PGA Championships title for a second time – following his win at the Druids Heath in 2006.
Fact File:
DOB: August 23rd, 1975
Attachment - Fore Ireland
Turned Professional - 2002
Achievements
2010 Winner Irish PGA Championship, Seapoint Golf Club
2010 Winner of Glenmuir PGA Championship, The Oxfordshire
2006 Winner of the Irish PGA Championship in 2006
2005 2nd British Assistant Championship; 6th Irish PGA Championship
2004 1st Stage 1 European Tour Qualifying School
2003 2nd Irish Assistant Championship and 10th Irish PGA Championship
Selected for the Connacht youths team in 1994 and senior team.
Played 9 years with the Connacht Senior Interprovinical team from 1994 - 2002.
In 2000 selected to represent Irish in the Governor Hugh Carey Cup.
Something that Mortimer is most likely to say:
“I'm not one for boasting and saying I'll do this and that…."
