Waterville’s David Higgins has been crowned the 2023 PGA in Ireland Order of Merit winner after another trophy-laden season that saw him lift his third Irish PGA Championship title.
Higgins won four times on the Irish region this year, including picking up the Irish PGA Championship in Carne, his second win in three years at the Belmullet course.
The 51-year-old registered eleven top-10 finishes in his 25 events on the region in 2023 and amassed four wins including PGA Championship, This now brings his total to seven Order of Merit titles 2023, 2021, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2004, 2003.
“I’m not getting any younger. So to have trophies like this next to me is huge,” said Higgins.
“I’m still working as hard as ever on my game. But when you get the trophies, it’s just a good reward. And it shows you that you’re doing the right thing. So it’s great.”
Higgins beat Simon Thornton (Spa Golf Club) by a shot to win a hat trick of Irish PGA Championships in August and i’s a tournament that means so much to him and his family after his father, Liam, won it in 1983.
“My dad won it back in 1983 beating David Feherty. I remember as a young lad looking at the trophy and holding it and thinking ‘wow, imagine winning this,’ and to have done it multiple times many years later is great,” Higgins reflects.
“It’s a huge part of my life. For my dad to win it, I remember when he came home, there was a big party at the club. And they did the same when I won it and they did it again this time. It’s a huge part of my family and Waterville as well because we’ve had the Irish PGA at the club. Des Smyth won it but it’s a special part of the Higgins family, the Irish PGA.”
Manger of the PGA in Ireland, Conor Dillon added that Higgins is a worthy winner of the season long Order of Merit award.
“It was a great pleasure to present David Higgins with the 2023 PGA in Ireland Order of Merit Trophy.
“David has had an exceptional season, by winning the Rathfarnham, Flogas and Carlow Pro-Ams. The highlight of his season though was winning the 113th Irish PGA Championship in difficult weather conditions at the beautiful Carne Golf Links, which was his third time winning our flagship event”.
Leave a comment