There were three first time winners this season at the Philip Walton Malahide Pro-Am in aid of St Francis Hospice at Malahide Golf Club.
David Higgins, Eric Byrne and Eddie Tracey couldn’t be separated at the top on a day where the sun shone but scoring still proved tough.
The trio of players carded one-under-par rounds of 70 to share the victory.
Higgins of Waterville made the turn in level-par after a bogey on the third and a birdie on the par-5 5th hole as he turned in 35.
A string of pars was broken by back to back birdies on the 16th and 17th as he charged into the solo lead, but a closing bogey on the par-3 18th left the window open for the afternoon wave to join him at the summit and that’s how it proved.
Youngster Byrne made a quick start with two birdies in his first three holes before dropping a shot on the ninth.
Byrne fell back to level-par after a second bogey of the day on the 12th but he regrouped to leapfrog Higgins with birdies at the 14th and 15th but he also fell at the final hurdle with a bogey on 18 to drop back into a share of the lead.
Ballina’s Tracey put on a late, late show to grab a share of the lead at day’s end.
The former PGA in Ireland captain birdied three of his last five holes, rolling in gains at the 14th, 15th and 17th.
A victory for Tracey seemed unlikely after he turned in 37 following three bogeys and a lone birdie on the 5th.
A birdie on 10 and a bogey on 13 left him on plus two with five to play before he put on that barnstorming finish.
The winning trio had two shots to spare over seven players including Damian Mooney, Tim Rice, Richard Kilpatrick, Simon Thornton, Colm Moriarty, Keith Shannon and Ciaran Molloy.
Tournament host Philip Walton finished on three-over after a 74.
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