Blazing finish gives Mooney pro-am win

DAMIAN MOONEY gave himself a great boost yesterday as he heads into the €137,000 PGA Irish Championship at St Margaret's today.

The former Laganview Club pro turned in a blazing finish to the curtain-raising pro-am tournament to shoot to the top of the leaderboard with a one-under-par 72. Mooney finished with a hat-trick of birdies going four-four-three as his big hitting came into play. That storming finish, in the high winds, gave the winner a back nine of three-under-34 as he swapped birdie at the long 12th for bogey at the short 13th.

His first nine was not as impressive, however, as he pencilled in triple-bogey seven at the fourth hole. He also lost a shot at the ninth but made yet another birdie four at the third hole and carded a three at the par four seventh.

Mooney had two strokes to spare over Francis Howley while championship favourite Padraig Harrington posted a 77 that also included a seven.