February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Price, who hopes to again represent Europe when the Ryder Cup is played at the K Club in 2006, finished 16 under par at 272. Alastair Forsyth and Mark McNulty shared runner-up honors.
Save Darren Clarke, the Irish contingent did not contend. Clarke started the fourth and final round tied for second, two strokes behind Price. An eagle on the fourth hole seemed auspicious, but he couldn’t muster the necessary momentum and finished tied for fifth at 276 (67-68-70-71).
Five other Irishmen made the cut, with Gary Murphy leading the way. He tied for 27th place at 285 (67-75-71-72). Paul McGinley tied for 37th place at 287 (72-73-70-72), followed by the trio of Padraig Harrington (73-73-73-72), Damien McGrane (73-72-73-73) and Graeme McDowell (69-73-73-76) tied for 61st position with 291.
Unable to do as well as or better than the 146 that was set as the cutline were Peter Lawrie, who shot 148 (73-75) for 36 holes, Philip Walton, 150 (74-76), Brendan McGovern, 150 (76-74), Damian Mooney, 151 (72-79), John Dwyer, 151 (78-73), Jimmy Heggarty, 152 (73-79), Jim Bolger, 155 (77-78) and John McHenry, 159 (76-83).
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
Des Smyth and Eamonn Darcy made late climbs up the leaderboard to tie for 10th place in the Ryder Cup Seniors Open at Royal St. David’s in Harleck, Wales. Each man finished at even-par 207, eight strokes behind the medalist, Bill Longmuir. Smyth shot rounds of 70, 68 and 69, while Darcy’s cards read 71, 69 and 67.
Farther behind were Paul Leonard (73-69-67) and Eddie Polland (69-69-71) in a tie for 24th place at 209. Christy O’Connor, Jr. (73-67-70) and Denis O’Sullivan (68-76-66) took a slice of the 35th spot at 210. David Jones tied for 39th place at 211 (69-73-69) and Liam Higgins shared 61st place at 216 (70-73-73).
NATIONWIDE TOUR
P.J. Cowan traveled north of the border to tie for 16th place in the Canadian PGA Championship at Diamondback Golf Club in Richmond Hill, Ontario. His four-under-par 280 (70-68-69-73) was only five strokes behind the low score of 275 recorded by Tom Carter and Jason Bohn. Carter won the playoff. Cowan earned $6,750.
EUROPRO TOUR
Padraig Dooley came up with another workmanlike finish, this time at Stoke by Nayland in Colchester, Essex, England. His eight-under-par 208 (68-68-72) was good for a share of 15th place. One stroke behind with others in 17th position was Tim Rice, who shot 209 (69-69-71). Gavin McNeill missed the cut by one stroke, shooting 144 (73-71) for 36 holes. Thomas Aiken and Ian Keenan both carded low scores of 202 and resolved the matter in a playoff to Aiken’s favor.