Admirable course management delivered the perfect outcome for Andrew Cunningham in the Eircell Links Society outing at Royal Dublin yesterday. The 25-year-old five-handicapper from Hermitage carded a nett 69 to capture the major award in difficult, south-west winds.
Effectively, the score hinged on his play of the par-five 14th hole. Having pulled his drive into a difficult lie in the left rough, he contemplated hitting a five-wood second shot. "But after studying the situation, I considered it was too great a risk to attempt to carry the drain," he said.
So he did the prudent thing by laying up with a nine-iron. This was followed by an eight-iron third which was so well struck the ball pitched a foot from the hole and then popped into the cup for an eagle. Though Cunningham bogeyed two of the next three holes, he had already done enough.
"I'm really surprised that my score was good enough," added Cunningham, a Junior Cup representative for his club. "But I have been playing well since taking lessons recently from Wayne Westner."
Victory was especially welcome in that it came in the last event of the current Links season. And there was a gross score worthy of the occasion when Walker Cup player Jody Fanagan shot an exemplary 70, which comprised 16 pars along with birdies at the second and fifth. Nine straight pars on the homeward journey was remarkable, into a right-to-left wind.
Des Smyth had the next-best gross score with a level-par 72 in which he covered the four par fives in three under. Indeed, the Smyth family fared rather well, given that his brother Pat, a seven-handicap member of Killiney, claimed second nett.
Leading nett scores: 69 - A Cunningham (5) Hermitage. 72 - J Fanagan (plus 2) Milltown; P Smyth (7) Killiney; P O'Brien (3) Laytown and Bettystown. 73 - D Smyth (plus 1) Westpoint; T Halpin (scr) Togher DR; B McGovern (scr) Headfort; F O'Brien (7) Royal Dublin. 74 - C O'Connor (scr) Christy O'Connor Club; J Dignan (Scr) Slade Valley; H Jackson (scr) Donabate; J Curran (2) Elm Park; E Connolly (6) Blainroe. 75 - A Walton (4) The Island; E Brady (scr) Royal Dublin; K Knightly (6) Royal Dublin; F Flynn (1) Laytown and Bettystown; M Commins (3) Ardee; P Kennedy (7) Hermitage. 76 - J Carvill (scr) Bar-One-Racing; D Kennedy (7) Royal Dublin; J Purcell (scr) Portmarnock; L Owens (scr) Royal Dublin. 77 - G Massey (3) Hermitage; F Murray (5) Hermitage; A O'Connor (scr) Elm Green; K Commins (Ardee). 78 - L Walker (scr) Dundalk; N Fox (plus 2) Portmarnock; N Goulding (1) Portmarnock; P Cooney (8) Royal Tara; J Somers (6) Charlesland; M Dignam (5) The Island; J Creaney (8) Naas; R Flood (2) Stackstown.. Prizewinners: Nett - Cunningham, P Smyth, P O'Brien, F O'Brien, Curran, Connolly. Gross - Fanagan, D Smyth, Halpin, McGovern, O'Connor, J Dignam. Team - J Heggarty (scr) Spawell, Kennedy, P O'Brien.. Season's winners: Nett 54 holes - J Hutchinson (1) Royal Dublin, 6 under; Gross (amateur) 54 holes - Fanagan , I under; Gross (amateur) 36 holes - B Reddan (1) Co Louth, 1 over; Gross (professional) 54 holes - D Smyth, 1 under; Gross (professional) 36 holes - P Lawrie, 3 under. Overall team - A Walton.
