Colm Moriarty lapped the field on his way to victory at the Slieve Russell Masters Pro-Am.
The Glasson professional posted rounds of 65 (-7) and 67 (-5) to finish the 36-hole tournament on 12-under par, a full eight shots ahead of his nearest rivals.
“I played some very good golf, maybe right up there with some of the best golf I’ve played because it is a really tough course, a great test and one that improves every time we return,” said Colm.
Moriarty was bogey-free for his two days at the Co Cavan course which was recently unveiled as PGA National Ireland, one of only eight PGA National designated resorts in the world.
His opening round 65 was produced after he hot footed it from Regional Open Qualifying at County Louth
Colm continued; “I was coming up the 18th at Baltray when we were called off the course because of thunder and lightning.
“I had to hang around to see if play was going to restart but I knew it was going to take me an hour and 40 minutes to get to the Slieve Russell so I had to make a call.
“I withdrew from the event, got in the car and arrived at the course with 20 minutes to spare. I hit a nice drive down the first, a nine iron into 12 feet and holed the putt to get me started.”
Colm was one under when he was called off the course at Baltray and figured that score wasn’t going to earn him one of the qualifying spots.
“We are professional golfers and I have been at this a long time,” he added. “People don’t realise that at all levels of the game, there is a vicious amount of travel and there are always hiccups along the way.
“Of course I was wrecked yesterday and tired today but those are the challenges. You have to have the right mindset and you have to be ready to do these things.
“If you are playing on any tour around the world there are guys missing flights, clubs getting lost and that type of thing. It happens every week and you don’t hear about it.”
Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC), Michael McGeady (Evolve Golf Coaching) and Simon Thornton (Tulfarris Golf Resort) finished tied for second on four-under par.
The team prize was won by Damian Mooney (Damian Mooney Golf) and his amateur partners Patrick Carville, James Connolly and Martin Daly with a two-round total of 183pts.
Leading scores
1 C Moriarty (Glasson Hotel & GC) 65 67 -12
T2 R Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC) 68 72 -4
T2 M McGeady (Evolve Golf Coaching) 71 69 -4
T2 S Thornton (Tulfarris Golf Resort) 69 71 -4
T5 E Tracey (Ballina GC) 72 70 -2
T5 B McElhinney (Evolve Golf Coaching) 73 69 -2
7 D McGrane (Carlow GC) 76 67 -1
T8 D Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) 73 71
T8 D Mooney (Damian Mooney Golf) 65 79
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