Offaly golfer wins national title

by Caomh Breen Allen

An Offaly golfer won his first Irish Intervarsity Championship on Friday, after a dramatic playoff.

Éanna Mulhare, from Cloghan, and a member of Birr Golf Club, eagled the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to secure victory at Carne Golf Links.

After a blustery start to the week, when just two players broke par in the opening round, Mulhare took advantage of more benign conditions in round two, carding a three under par round of 69 to take a four-shot overnight lead heading into the final round.

The high winds returned on Friday morning, presenting another strong challenge on the west coast as Mulhare looked to protect his advantage.

With winds blowing at over 30 km/h, the Birr golfer negotiated the front nine with eight pars and a single bogey, strengthening his position as his closest challengers struggled in the conditions.

The 20-year-old continued to make pars early on the back nine and, despite a second bogey of the day at the 13th, remained in control. Mulhare held a five-shot lead over Sean Cooper (Maynooth), Ryan Lyons (Maynooth) and playing partner Patrick Curran (National College of Ireland) as he teed off on 14.

Mulhare’s 12th par of the day would come at the 14th, but the closing stretch brought a dramatic twist to an already eventful championship. Mulhare bogeyed the 15th before a double bogey at the 16th and another dropped shot at the 17th saw his advantage disappear.

Cooper was already in the clubhouse on two over par after producing the round of the day, a two-under-par 70, leaving Mulhare needing a par on the 18th to force a playoff.

Mulhare held his nerve to make par, sending the pair back to the first tee for sudden death. The players halved the opening playoff hole in five before Mulhare produced the decisive moment on the second, reaching the green in two before holing his eagle putt to secure his first Irish Intervarsity Championship.

“It feels brilliant,” said Mulhare.

“You’re just trying to take one shot at a time. I got a bit ahead of myself, overthinking a small bit over some shots. Made a bad mistake on 16. I suppose you learn from these things. I reset going back out to the playoff and it made me hit a few good shots instead of holding back.”

“I would have backed Sean to make his birdie, so I thought I have to give this a go. I can’t be lagging it up and thank God it went in.”