Pierse, 63,stays on course for elusive ‘South’ title

Arthur Pierse has been coming to Lahinch for more than 40 years in search of the Clare Coast Hotels South of Ireland Championship.

In all of that time, he has reached the semi-finals “four or five times” but never once got to the final. The nearest was 1980 when he was leading Mick Morris only to be penalised two holes after discovering a 15th club in his bag.

However, even at the age of 63 and with everything pointing to his best days being long behind him, the Tipperary man is still standing his ground going into this morning’s fifth round with his confidence on a high and a clearly held belief that he can defy the odds and go all the way in this, the 113th “South”.