Mark Millar from the Cement Club in Drogheda won his first major pitch and putt title at Seapoint with an excellent score of 15 under par for the 27 holes played when beating his clubmate Pacelli Darcy 11 and 9 in the Penfold Commando National Matchplay championship final.
Millar was 10 under par for the first 18 holes to turn eight up and he sealed victory with another glorious pitch to three feet at the 27th hole to close out Darcy.
Geraldine Ward looked set to win her eighth title when she stood two up with five to play in the Women's matchplay final. However, Ann Hall rolled in a long birdie putt on the 32nd hole and squared the match on the next when Ward pulled her tee shot left. Hall capitalised by winning the last two holes to add the matchplay championship to her All-Ireland strokeplay title.
Millar's victory has taken him to the top of the men's ranking list for this year. From a position of 31st in January Miller has moved rapidly through to the top while the other major mover is Templebreedy's Frank O'Donoghue, who leaps six places to second.
Less than a point separates the St Brigid's pair Marian Byrne and Bernadette Coffey on the women's list.
