Lack of competitive edge hampers Higgins

HE departed the amateur game at the age of 21 with an outstanding pedigree and was quickly tagged as one of the great white hopes of Irish golf.

Ten years on, the name of David Higgins has faded from the memory of those with a passing interest in the game.

Quiet, unassuming and well liked by just about everybody, Higgins enjoyed exciting moments through the 1990s and into the new century without establishing the level of consistency so crucial for success at this level.