David Bohill produced a spectacular final-round performance to win the inaugural Nancy Gannon U18 WAGR Boys Tournament at Baltray, completing a remarkable comeback to claim the title by four shots on home soil.
The 54-hole championship formed part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Nancy Gannon Junior Open, a landmark event in Baltray’s junior golfing calendar.
To mark the occasion, the Club introduced the inaugural Nancy Gannon U18 WAGR Boys Tournament, giving some of Ireland’s leading young golfers the opportunity to compete for valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking points over the renowned Baltray links.
And fittingly, it was a Baltray player who wrote his name into the history of the new championship.
The opening 36 holes were played in extremely demanding conditions, with winds gusting to between 40 and 50mph making scoring particularly difficult.
Balmoral’s Adam Doherty handled the conditions superbly, carding rounds of 73 and 75 to take a three-shot lead into the final round.
For Bohill, the opening day was a case of what might have been. He raced to three under par through his opening four holes, but the brutal conditions eventually took their toll and he signed for an 80.
It was a frustrating score given his flying start, but the home player responded in impressive fashion, following it with a brilliant 73 in the second round to put himself firmly back into contention.
Bohill went into the final round five shots behind Doherty, with the tournament still very much alive.
“I knew it would be difficult to catch Adam, as he’s an experienced player. I watched him close out the Irish U16 in good fashion, so I knew it would be tough,” said Bohill.
“I kind of knew, when things settled down over the last 18, that I had a pretty big advantage over everyone playing, apart from Jack McKenna. I leaned into that and just let my experience of the course take me around and help me minimise mistakes.”
Reflecting on the difficult opening round, Bohill admitted he had been disappointed but was determined to respond.
“After an 80 in Round 1, I was a little bit disheartened, but I knew it obviously wasn’t over. I knew if I could shoot a good score in the afternoon and tidy things up, I was guaranteed to be close to the top. I did just that, so I was happy.”
Bohill turns the tournament on its head
Conditions changed dramatically for the final round. After two days of fierce winds, the players were greeted by almost perfect golfing conditions, with little to no wind.
Bohill, however, got off to the worst possible start, dropping a shot at the opening hole.
Five shots behind the overnight leader and now with a bogey on the first, the Baltray youngster knew he needed to attack.
What followed was a remarkable response.
Bohill produced one eagle and four birdies, with pars on every other hole. The bogey at the first proved to be his only blemish as he signed for a magnificent 67, turning the tournament completely on its head.
“A bogey on the first settled me in quickly,” he explained.
“I knew I had to get moving with the birdies if I wanted any chance. I couldn’t wait around and rely on someone else to crumble; that’s not how golf is played, and I knew that. I didn’t really feel sorry for myself. I just got to work and played the golf in front of me.”
His knowledge of Baltray was undoubtedly an advantage, particularly during the testing conditions of the opening 36 holes, although Bohill was quick to acknowledge that playing at home was no guarantee of success.
“I’d say there was an advantage, yes and no. At the end of the day, you really have to go out and play what’s in front of you, so it wasn’t really possible to pick one person to win it outright. It was anyone’s game.”
“But yes, being a local definitely helped when things got tough.”
By the time Bohill completed his final round, the leaderboard had been transformed. His outstanding 67 was enough to secure a four-shot victory over Cill Dara’s Neil Conway, making him the inaugural winner of the Nancy Gannon U18 WAGR Boys Tournament.
For Bohill, winning such a prestigious competition on his home course was a special achievement. To do so as part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Nancy Gannon Junior Open made it even more memorable.
“Winning at home is such a treat, no matter when or for what. The way the people take care of you and all the visitors as well makes it really special.”
WAGR breakthrough
The victory also delivered a significant boost to Bohill’s golfing ambitions, with the tournament carrying World Amateur Golf Ranking status.
“Getting onto WAGR was a big box on my checklist, and I had marked this as an important event for it,” he said.
“It definitely changes the winter process for me and what I’ll be playing next year. It’s really going to open so many doors of opportunity for me.”
The inaugural WAGR event was a fitting addition to the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Nancy Gannon Junior Open, continuing the tradition of providing opportunities for young golfers while giving the next generation a pathway into higher-level competition.
For Bohill, the championship was also a lesson in resilience.
After opening with an 80 despite being three under through four holes, responding with a 73, and then starting his final round with another bogey, he could easily have allowed the setbacks to dictate the outcome.
Instead, he produced a superb 67 when it mattered most.
“Overall, I learned to never count yourself out until it’s over.”
It was a lesson perfectly demonstrated by the new Nancy Gannon U18 champion.
On the 75th anniversary of the Nancy Gannon Junior Open, David Bohill has not only claimed the inaugural U18 WAGR title — he has written his own chapter into Baltray history.
Tournament Results – https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12801964749617154329
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