Damien McGrane hit four birdies in a row on his way to winning the Bunclody Pro-Am at Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club.
The sun shone in the sunny south east as did McGrane who reeled off eight birdies and just two bogeys to card a six-under-par 66 which was good enough for a three-shot win over Spa’s Simon Thornton.
The former European Tour winner opened with a birdie before adding a second on the par-4 6th.
A bogey arrived on the par-3 7th before the Kells native roared into the lead with four successive birdies either side of the turn. Birdies at the par-5 8th, the 9th, 10th and 11th saw him hit the front.
The defending Irish PGA champion added further birdies on the 13th and 15th holes before a bogey on the par-3 17th saw him home in 32.
It was a birdie fest in Wexford as former Challenge Tour winner Thornton hit a hat trick of birdies around the turn on his way to a three-under 69 which saw him clinch second.
Thornton had a hot front nine, turning in 33 courtesy of birdies on the fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth before a birdie on the tenth made it three in a row.
He slowed up from there with bogeys on 11 and 14 before closing with four successive pars as McGrane pulled away.
Limerick’s Tim Rice birdied two of his last four holes to snatch third on two-under while Michael McGeady and Raymond Ryan rounded off the under par scores after rounds of 71.
It proved to be a double scoop for McGrane who also claimed the team title as his side won out by a shot on 87 points.
Druids Glen professional Patrick Geraghty was second on 86 points ahead of Michael McGeady’s team on a count back while Rathfarnham’s Cormac Hennessy and his team scooped fourth place on 84.
The longest drive went to Maynooth University elite amateur Jordan Boles while Adrian Dunne collected the nearest the pin prize.
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