GOLF:SIX-FEET four-inch Galwaymen don't get off the ground too easily but Connemara's David Mortimer soared like an eagle after he made a spectacular three on the par-five 18th at Seapoint to win the Ladbrokes.com PGA Irish Championship by a stroke from European Tour star Damien McGrane.
The 35-year old holed a breaking, 40-foot putt from just off the edge of the green to bring a memorable championship to a thrilling climax, top the Irish order of merit and etch his name in the history books.
Having won the title for the first time at Druids Heath in 2006 thanks to a 72nd-hole birdie, the man from Renvyle shot a four under par 68 for a winning total of 11-under par 277.
Not only did he join the likes of Eamonn Darcy and David Feherty as a two-time Irish Professional champion, he became the first man to hold the domestic crown and the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship of Britain and Ireland at the same time following his win at The Oxfordshire last month.
Insisting his latest win was bigger than both, Mortimer said: “This is the best one for how it finished and who I was playing against. The last time I won the Irish Championship in 2006, with no disrespect to anyone, but we didn’t have the tour players taking part.”
Full of confidence as he prepares to chase his card at the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School next month, he savoured his second Irish title and added with a grin: “Once could be a fluke but I don’t know, lads, you actually have to have a small bit of golf to win it twice.”
Leading by a stroke overnight from McGrane and Belfast’s Damian Mooney, Mortimer was determined not to stand back and admire his more accomplished opponent during a final round played in front of a large gallery in light breezes and sunshine.
“Damien said that on the third fairway (our 12th hole) in the first round,” Mortimer said. “He said you have to go out there and play. There is no point going out there trying not to make bogeys.
“We spoke of how a lot of guys from the region go into the Irish Open trying not to make mistakes. And Damien said, ‘If you don’t go out there and play, you are not going to be competitive’.”
McGrane’s sage advice came back to haunt him in the end as Mortimer turned a one-shot deficit at the turn into a one-stroke lead on 10 under par when he birdied the 10th and 11th.
The European Tour star missed several chances on the home stretch to remain one behind before Mortimer opened the door by three-putting from 10 yards through the back of the par-three 17th for a bogey four.
Tied on nine under par playing the 550-yard par five, McGrane came up 15 yards short of the green in two before Mortimer found the fringe, hole high, with an equally brilliant three-wood into a cool, right to left wind.
In a dramatic finish, McGrane almost chipped in from 100 feet for eagle but lipped out and settled for a tap-in birdie and a closing 68 for 10 under par.
But he saw a play-off chance evaporate when Mortimer holed his amazing eagle putt and leapt high into the air before lifting his caddie off his feet.
Paying tribute to the champion, McGrane said: “I just didn’t achieve the scores I should have shot each day. But I can’t take it from David.
“He grafted and grinded the whole day and he won it on the last green. What more can you ask for. I didn’t lose it, he went and grabbed it.”
